“Appearance-ism” may not be a word listed in the dictionary, but it’s a term people commonly understand, said Anya Cordell, the human rights activist who coined the term to describe the phenomenon of snap judgements.
The Evanston resident was recently honored for her work against such superficial decision-making when the Anne Frank Center USA presented her with a Spirit of Anne Frank Award June 14, the 81st anniversary of Anne Frank’s birthday.
A partner organization of the Anne Frank House, the Anne Frank Center USA is a non-profit that “promotes the universal message of tolerance by developing and disseminating a variety of educational programs, including exhibitions, workshops, and special events,” according to its website.
One of six people to receive a Spirit award, Cordell received her nod as an “Outstanding Citizen.” Other awards given in June included a Distinguished Advocate Award, an Outstanding Student Award and an Outstanding Educator Award.
Cordell said her road to activism was a gradual one. Growing up in a beauty- and fashion-obsessed household, she said it wasn’t until after college she realized how much the obsession wore her down.
“As a teenager, I bought into that,” Cordell said. “I was always wrong when I was judging people on that.”
The Spirit award recognizes Cordell for speaking out to audiences of various ages to discuss issues such as bridging divides of religion and ethnicity and standing against bullying. Cordell said with accepting others also comes accepting oneself, another issue she speaks frequently about.
Cordell, who is Jewish, said the story of the non-Jewish friends who helped Anne Frank’s family in hiding during the Holocaust has always been particularly inspiring to her, as she wondered how people could risk so much. She said she tries to promote that same bridging of ethnicity and religious divides.
Following Sept. 11, Cordell said she reached out to strangers whose family members were the victims of hate crimes following the backlash against Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and various other innocent groups.
The relationships forged with people from various backgrounds has been one of the most rewarding experiences, she said.
“I always tell young people, ‘The thing about being an activist is that you meet the most extraordinary people,'” she said.
One person Cordell said she became close to was a Hindu woman in Texas who suffered lost her husband when he was the victim of a hate-crime. The woman took over the gas station the couple owned, where her husband had been murdered, Cordell said. Not only was Cordell inspired by the strength of the woman to return day after day and work in the place her husband was murdered, she was amazed by the things she heard customers saying about the man, she said. People would tell stories of this kind man who, if a customer didn’t have the money to pay, would let people drive away with a full tank of gas with the promise to come back and pay when able, she said.
Journalist Saman Sheikh said she met Cordell when she happened to sit next to her at a reading for a book written by an Arab-American. She said she was immediately fascinated by Cordell’s story and struck by her friendliness.
“There’s something very welcoming, calm,” she said. “You feel comfortable in her presence.”
Cordell said she recognizes judgments are difficult to escape.
“We can’t avoid making them,” she said. “Everyone’s done it and everyone’s had it done to them.”
Cordell said she’s always amused when she finds she’s acted on such impulses and been proved wrong.
“It teaches me lessons,” she said.
The Spirit award coincided with the 10-year anniversary of the murder of Cordell’s neighbor, Ricky Byrdsong, who she said was shot by a white supremacist driving through the area.
After the murder, the community held nightly walks in the area Byrdsong was shot, she said. For months, until the weather got cold, people continued to walk in remembrance of the man, she said.
“People would just keeping coming out,” Cordell said. “It became an opportunity to forge relationships.”
In honor of Byrdsong, Cordell reprinted her book, RACE: An OPEN & SHUT Case, which deals with topics of race and stereotypes.
Sheikh said she was excited but wasn’t surprised when Cordell won the award.
“She just goes out of her way for people,” Sheikh said. “Those are the people we need in the world.”
