Joyous Justice

A Kohenet April Nichole Baskin Venture

CLICK HERE FOR APRIL'S Press kit - Bio, Photos, ETC.

“To meet April Baskin is to see the change in American Jewry personified.” —Allison Kaplan Sommer (Haaretz)

Credit: Temple Beth Am, Seattle

April leading a talk in the sanctuary Temple Beth Am’s Scholar in Residence weekend, circa 2018.

March to End Racism, 2018

Thanks Repair the World and JMN!

1000 Ministers March with Rev Sharpton, Rabbi Pesner // Credit: RAC

Credit: Temple Beth Am, Seattle

March for Racial Justice, 2017

with Michael Douglas, Danny Meyer & Rabbi Jacobs // Credit: URJ

Credit: East End Temple, NYC

Talking Love & Accountability, Nitzavim Campaign in NC with Rev. Barber // Credit: RAC

JFREJ Meyer Awards, 2016

Credit: Temple Beth Am, Seattle

At URJ Kutz Camp with Colleagues

Speaking at the March for Racial Justice - Credit: Mirah Curzer

with Fellow Jewish WM 2019 Steering Committee Members: Yavilah McCoy & Abby Stein

Jews for Black Lives, Chanukah Action 2015 // Credit: Jordyn Rozensky

Jewish Women of Color Marching - Women's March 2019 - Washington, DC

1000 Ministers March - Reform Movement Leadership Contingent // Credit: RAC

Selected Awards and Honors

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April’s Professional Bio

Kohenet April N. Baskin is an award-winning Black & Cherokee Jewish woman and ordained Jewish priestess who has been a dedicated organizer and movement leader within the Jewish community for 20 years. She’s helped shift institutions toward more equitable outcomes within and outside of the Jewish world and is a faithful advocate of building just, diverse, and inclusive spaces that cultivate belonging and empowerment.

April is the Founding Director of Joyous Justice and The Joyous Justice Collective, (co-)host of the Joyous Justice Podcast, a founding steering committee member of the Jewish Liberation Fund, and a current leadership team member of Rise Up: Nurturing the Soul of Jewish Justice. She was the first Racial Justice Director for the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable from 2019 to the end of 2021 and previously, she served as the inaugural Vice President of Audacious Hospitality at the Union for Reform Judaism.

During her URJ tenure, among a number of exciting accomplishments, she conceived of and hosted the first season of the Wholly Jewish podcast, conceived of Intro to Judaism Online, and brought Keshet’s renowned LGBTQ+ Leadership Project to 80% of the URJ’s expansive Youth Department, for which Keshet honored her visionary leadership with the Landres Courage for Dignity Award in 2019. Previously, she was a Schusterman Insight Fellow, on the Steering Committee and a featured speaker at the National 2019 Women's March, and the designer and facilitator of the URJ’s JewV’Nation Fellowship, a leadership program of action and healing for Jews of Color and Jews committed to advancing inclusion. In May of 2020, she launched the successful #JOCsCount social media campaign rooted in her years of advocacy and foundational research. April is currently lives in Dakar, Senegal, but flies to the United States, Israel, England, and other destinations as inspired for work, family, and fun. To see April’s longer biography and professional background including awards, images, awards, and press kit, click here.