Our Mission

Educating for a more compassionate world    

The Ben Marion Institute seeks to promote behaviors that encourage an inclusive society where individuals and groups embrace cultural differences, and value kindness, empathy, and fairness.

Our Vision

The Ben Marion Institute for Social Justice, Inc. believes that kindness, personal responsibility, and respect for others are the essential values that assist adults and children in leading humane and productive lives.

By providing information, resources, and consultation that connects people to people and/or organizations to organizations, we are able to assist in the achievement of their social justice goals.

Through the Institute’s acclaimed KEF™ (kindness, empathy, fairness) experiential program, we provide the opportunity to learn the skills necessary for everyone to participate in the creation of a socially just society.

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Our Core

At our core is a firm understanding that functioning from an empathetic orientation is essential to the achievement of social justice.

The Ben Marion Institute promotes critical thinking and open mindedness in an effort to foster ethical, social and intellectual development for all individuals in our amazing, culturally diverse world.

“Charity begins at home and justice begins next door”

— Charles Dickens

Our Approach

Identify, Demonstrate, Recognize                      

Identify, understand, and work with the uniqueness of each individual. Demonstrate and facilitate the “hows and whys” of respecting and appreciating differences, not judging them. Recognize, neutralize, and address biases and incidents of injustice.


The Ben Marion Institute offers evidenced-based interactive workshops, training, and professional development tailored to the needs of the communities who seek our support in how to create a culture of Kindness, Empathy, and Fairness. To that end, these “KEF™ Programs” use evidence-based training to teach critical thinking as a foundational skill.

The Institute’s “KEF™” programming facilitates desirable systemic, sustainable behavioral change to unearth the positive potential of each person and make learning discoveries non-critically, at their own pace.

“Healthy Relationships©” is one example of a well-received and nationally respected “KEF™” program. A significant component of this effort is not only to provide information and education to young people but also to administrators, teachers and parents and caregivers.

While understanding differences and similarities is important, the “doing” piece of social justice is essential. Every “KEF™” training concludes with the participants going home with a behavioral action plan.

These dynamic, engaging, and interactive programs represent years of experience in the delivery of social justice education. We dedicate our work to awakening the desire to engage in respectful negotiation, in both children and adults, producing satisfying and successful outcomes to disagreements and hurts. Individuals are given the opportunity to explore their opinions and possible hidden biases in a non-criticial, non-judgemental, and safe way.


“A person is a person through other people”

— Ubuntu Proverb

  • Abby Drue, MFA, Founder and Executive Director, created The Ben Marion Institute in honor and memory of her parents, Marion and Ben Drue, whom she regards as authentic advocates of all that is fair and just. Her life with them instilled the conviction that justice – fair and equitable treatment of individuals and groups – is a critical factor in the attainment of a compassionate world, one that encourages and supports every individual in their pursuit of self-discovery, achievement and success.

    The implementation of social justice has been a lifelong passion and pursuit for Abby. She is widely known as an effective negotiator, skilled mediator, insightful strategist and implementer, an innovative and inspiring trainer, with a broad understanding of community relations, conflict resolution and outreach programs.

  • Irma Starr Ph.D., Director of Education for The Ben Marion Institute for Social Justice, has an accomplished career which includes 30 years effort in the pursuit of social justice and the celebration of human value.

    Before joining The Ben Marion Institute, Irma’s career portfolio speaks of impressive community building and service: Director of the Jimmy Prentiss Morris Jewish community Center, an intergenerational metropolitan Detroit facility; Director of  SPACE for Changing Families, an educational life transitions peer support program for the National Council of Jewish Women, a national non-profit agency; as well as ten years service as Education Director for the Anti- Defamation League, an international non-profit civil and human rights organization.

    Her far-reaching expertise in, and understanding of organizational management, program development, curriculum design, facilitation and training, as well as community relations, has made Irma a sought-after educational consultant and trainer.

Our Team

The Ben Marion Institute was founded in 2002 to provide information and training to build empathy with a focus on the promotion of equity in education.

In 2006, the Institute was granted 501c3 nonprofit, tax-exempt status enabling the Institute to expand its focus to also include government agencies, nonprofit and for profit youth and family services organizations, civic and community service organization, churches, social and human services agencies, religious institutions, government offices and departments as well hospitals, clinics and health care facilities.

An advisory council supports the Executive Director, Director of Education, and Administrative Staff to continually enliven the Institute’s mission and commitment to educate for a more compassionate world.

Let us help

Contact our team here                                


“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

— Aesop