Stanton Abramson is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. Gizella Abramson, his paternal grandmother, survived multiple ghettos, a stint in the underground resistance, and the Maidaanik concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland between 1941-45. He was very close to her before she passed away in 2011. From 1970 to 2010, she frequently spoke to school students in North Carolina public schools about the Holocaust and her message of hope and survival. She spoke to thousands of students during her 40 years of active service.

Her story has a lot of similarities to those that may be fleeing or helping those flee Ukraine today. I hope this chapter from history continues to shed light on the need for us to keep our attention on Ukraine and how actions are required for the sake of humanity.