About Me
My Story:
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As a young person, I experienced the power of dialogue. My teen racial justice program and Jewish sleepaway camp showed me how small-scale relationships connect to large-scale change, gave me language to tell my story, and asked me to consider expectations I take for granted. And they provided communities whose foundational belief—that our freedoms are intertwined—helped us not only work through challenges, but tap into joy, resilience, and hope.
Professional Bio:
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Avi Edelman (he/him/his) creates environments of warmth and empathy for transformational dialogue about the forces that shape how we see the world and how the world sees us. He has over fifteen years of experience as an experiential educator and dialogue facilitator.
He recently served as Columbia University’s Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs/Manager of Diversity Education, where he led intergroup programs for students and developed workshops for thousands of students, staff, and faculty. Areas of expertise include mitigating unconscious bias, understanding privilege and oppression, LGBTQ solidarity, antiracism, disability justice, exploring whiteness, and challenging antisemitism. He was awarded the “Outstanding Teaching About Disability Award” at Columbia's inaugural disability affinity graduation.
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For over a decade, he has led civil rights pilgrimages for teens and adults through the U.S. south to explore the history of social justice in Black and Jewish communities. As the founder of Two Pockets Dialogue, he works with individuals and organizations across the country to develop inclusive practices, build spaces of trust and understanding, and foster a culture of dialogue. He was featured in National Geographic's documentary series America Inside Out, leading a workshop convened by Katie Couric. He holds a master's degree in nonprofit management from Columbia University and is a decent juggler with waning professional circus aspirations.
