Spill the Honey announces new leadership and hip-hop anthem for Black-Jewish unity
Spill the Honey’s work isn’t just inspired by history; it’s guided by the people who actually lived it.
DETROIT, MI, UNITED STATES, April 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ --
Psychologist, filmmaker, president of a national nonprofit, and music producer. These are all titles held by one woman – Dr. Shari Rogers.
Most recently, Rogers produced the song Spill the Honey by rappers Kosha Dillz and Flex Matthews. The song, named after the organization Rogers founded, centers on the nonprofit’s mission of Black-Jewish unity.
The pairing is intentional. Kosha Dillz is an artist who wears his Jewish identity on his sleeve, and Flex Matthews is a powerhouse in the African American hip-hop community.
“The song is phenomenal,” Rogers said. “I realized the power of hip-hop to reach young people so they could understand the history in their own language. At the same time, even in the 60s, music helped inspire the Black-Jewish movement. So, I got involved with hip-hop – realizing it could be a great educational platform.”
Spill the Honey was released on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) Monday, April 13, 2026. In the song, Kosha and Flex trade verses on civil rights, shared cultural resilience, and how their communities’ histories intertwine. The song's core message is captured in the chorus: “We gotta come together right now even though it really don’t make sense. We ain’t gotta be best friends, but we’re definitely making amends.”
These lyrics translate into the work of Spill the Honey – the organization of the same name. Rogers created the nonprofit in 2012 to bridge cultural divides and educate the next generation on the historically significant alliance between Black and Jewish communities.
Beyond the Music
Spill the Honey designs comprehensive curriculum for middle and high school students. The nonprofit organizes and moderates panels featuring national thought leaders on the role of arts and education in combating anti-Semitism and racism.
They’ve also hosted screenings of the foundation’s award-winning documentary, Shared Legacies: The African American-Jewish Civil Rights Alliance, at more than 350 schools, houses of worship, and community events. The film has become an essential academic resource – with Boston University Law School even making the documentary mandatory viewing for all incoming law students.
“It was my first directed film,” said Rogers. “The reason I feel so proud is that we contributed to American history. There wasn’t much education on it previously. Congressman John Lewis – who was known as the conscience of the Congress – basically said that everybody in the country should see this film, especially young people.”
The impact of the film is undeniable. After one movie showing, Rogers overheard a Black student telling a Jewish student, “If I would have known this history sooner, we could have been brothers all this time.”
Rogers said, “Our history is connected, and learning about it is so important. It’s almost like finding a family member you didn’t know was your family. So many relationships have been formed because of this organization and this movie.”
Rogers was inspired to create the organization after meeting a Holocaust survivor named Eliezer Ayalon during a Jewish Federation mission trip in 2010. When talking with him, he shared that his mother’s final gift to him was a cup of honey.
“Her hope was that he would remain sweet and survive. He held on to his mother's last wish for him. That contributed to his resilience to survive in the concentration camps,” she said.
To Rogers, “spilling the honey” means letting your gifts “overflow” and sharing your story with others to inspire them not to remain silent in the face of hate and dehumanization.
“I believe this coalition can heal our country and the world,” she said.
Spill the Honey’s work isn’t just inspired by history; it’s guided by the people who actually lived it. The organization is fueled by the wisdom of the very activists who stood alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s.
Dr. Clarence B. Jones – the legendary lawyer, advisor, and speechwriter to Dr. King – has been pivotal in shaping the nonprofit's growth and advocacy. He has brought decades of history with him, ensuring the organization stays true to the original spirit of the Civil Rights movement.
“Dr. Jones drafted the first seven paragraphs of the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. We met at the Charles Wright Museum in Detroit and developed a friendship,” said Rogers.
Jones recently stepped down from his position as Spill the Honey’s chairman – continuing his legacy as Chairman Emeritus. To lead the latest chapter of growth for the organization, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. has been appointed as the new chairman.
A visionary leader and former executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Chavis brings a lifetime of commitment to building bridges between communities.
An ordained minister, journalist, and current president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), he reaches over 90 million households as the executive producer and host of The Chavis Chronicles on PBS. Having served as a statewide youth coordinator for Dr. King in the 1960s, Chavis continues to champion the "Shared Legacies" that Spill the Honey was founded to protect.
“This leadership transition represents both continuity and momentum for Spill the Honey,” said Rogers. “We are deeply honored by Dr. Clarence B. Jones’ enduring guidance and legacy, and we are equally energized to welcome Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. as chairman as we enter this next chapter. His lifelong commitment to justice, truth, and bridge-building will help us expand our mission while staying rooted in the history and purpose that define our work.”
For more information about Spill the Honey, visit spillthehoney.com or follow them on Instagram @spillthehoneyorg.
If you are interested in hosting an educational workshop, screening of the Shared Legacies documentary, or speaking engagement by a Spill the Honey representative, click here or email Rabbi Dr. Judy Schindler, the nonprofit’s executive director, at drschindler@spillthehoney.com.
Purchasing or streaming Kosha Dillz new song called “Spill the Honey.” on any platform directly .
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