Sandra Lawson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sandra Lawson
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Lawson in 2018
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| Born | 1970 (age 54–55) |
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| Occupation | Rabbi |
Sandra Lawson (born 1970) is an American rabbi who has achieved many firsts. She is known for being the first openly gay, female, and Black rabbi in the world. This happened in 2018.
Rabbi Lawson is also the first director of Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism. Before this, she worked as an Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life at Elon University. She is a veteran, a vegan, a sociologist, and even a personal trainer. She also enjoys weightlifting, writing, and playing music.
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About Sandra Lawson
Early Life and Education
Sandra Lawson was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1970. She grew up in a military family. Her family was Christian, but they did not practice their faith much.
Lawson went to Saint Leo University in Florida. She graduated with high honors, earning a degree in sociology. Later, she earned a master's degree in sociology from Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.
Joining the Army
While she was in college, Sandra Lawson joined the U.S. Army. She worked in military law enforcement. Her job involved helping people in difficult family situations.
Discovering Judaism
After leaving the military and finishing college, Lawson started her own business. She became a personal trainer. Through one of her clients, Rabbi Joshua Lesser, she learned about Judaism. She really liked his synagogue, Congregation Beth Haverim. In 2004, she decided to convert to Judaism.
Becoming a Rabbi
Lawson worked as a researcher for the Anti-Defamation League for a while. Then, she decided to go to rabbinical school. She chose the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She was the first African-American person accepted into this college in 2011. She was also the first openly gay African-American person to be accepted there.
In 2018, Sandra Lawson became an ordained rabbi. This means she completed her studies and was officially recognized as a rabbi. That same year, she started working at Elon University. She was the Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life there. In 2021, she began her new role. She became the first Director of Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism.
Teaching in New Ways
Rabbi Lawson is known for her creative ways of teaching Judaism. When she was a student, she led a Friday night service at a vegan cafe. This cafe was called Arnold's Way.
She also uses social media and live videos to teach. People have called her "Snapchat's Top Rabbi" and the "Best TikTok Rabbi." She uses these platforms to reach many people.
Recognitions and Views
Many organizations have recognized Rabbi Lawson's work. In 2019, the JTA put her on their list of "The 50 Jews everyone should follow on Twitter." In 2020, she was named one of "The Forward 50." This list highlights people who made a difference that year. The Center for American Progress also named her one of 22 Faith Leaders to watch in 2022.
Rabbi Lawson has shared her thoughts on different topics. She supports the State of Israel. However, she focuses more on issues within the United States. She has also talked about facing online harassment.
