College Honors Holocaust Survivor's Story of Hope

When Ashley Riley talks about Lili Wider Blumenstein's life, she's not just sharing history. She's passing along lessons about hope that can change how we respond to hatred today.

Central Carolina Community College will host Riley's lecture "Hope Gives Courage: the Lili Wider Blumenstein Holocaust Story" on January 27 for Holocaust Remembrance Day. The event runs from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center in Sanford and is free to attend.

Riley, who has taught at the college since 2016, connected with Blumenstein's story through a family friend. The survivor's journey touched her so deeply that it became central to her doctoral research at Indiana University Bloomington, where she studies how Holocaust literature helps students understand courage and fight prejudice.

Blumenstein grew up surrounded by family and community in Transylvania, Romania. As a teenager, Nazi forces deported her and her family to Auschwitz, where she faced brutal camp conditions, forced labor, and death marches that killed millions.

She survived. And decades later, she chose to write it all down.

Why This Inspires

Blumenstein, who died in 2008, didn't just survive the darkest chapter of human history. She turned her experience into a memoir that continues teaching new generations about resilience and the power of hope in impossible circumstances.

Riley's work shows how sharing these stories creates real change. Her research explores how students who engage with Holocaust literature develop stronger responses to racism and prejudice in their own lives.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, this lecture offers more than a history lesson. It's a chance to learn from someone who faced unimaginable evil and still chose hope, still found courage, and still believed her story could help others choose compassion.

Anyone interested can attend or contact the college at (919) 718-7470 or bstumpf@cccc.edu for group reservations.