A couple of months ago, my youngest daughter, Andie, came home visibly upset.

“Mom,” she said to me, “You would not believe what this girl said to me at work.”

Andie, who is 21 and half-Jewish, had been approached by a co-worker who came up and declared, “The only thing I hate worse than blacks is Jews.”

My daughter was totally flabbergasted, as she has been raised as I was, that there are good and bad in every kind. Until then, she had naively failed to comprehend that bigotry and prejudice can be found in all sorts of people and in unexpected places, and that it truly does exist.

I had put the incident in the back of my mind, but was reminded of it at the recent opening of a place where there’s no room for hatred or narrow-mindedness, the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark St.

Rising from Cabrini Green to being the founder of the new $19 million center is Jackie Taylor, a woman who inspires me in more ways than one. Taylor originally founded the theater in a tiny Old Town space in 1976, with a seemingly impossible mission in mind: eradicating racism. Since then, at least inside her theater, I’d say Taylor has accomplished her mission, one show and one person at a time. If only the vibes at Black Ensemble could spill over onto the rest of the world.

Because racism and intolerance still abound, big time. Earlier this month, the FBI released its annual report documenting hate crimes in America. The document said there were 6,628 hate crimes in 2010, which included an increase in crimes against Hispanics, the LGBT community and Muslims, and a significant number of crimes against Jews and the Jewish community. The report documented 1,322 religion-based crimes in 2010, with 887 of them — about 67 percent — targeting Jews and Jewish institutions.

Reacting to the report, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called the increase in criminal violence due to hatred and bigotry a “disturbing snapshot” and emphasized the importance of providing a “swift and effective response” to hate violence.

So with that in mind, wouldn’t it be splendid if everyone could take a hint from Jackie Taylor and strive to be tolerant of all races and religions? Wouldn’t it be great if we could just judge a person by their character, and nothing else?

Because my daughter, God bless her, still believes in judging people by who they are, not by their skin color or religion. And I don’t want anything, or anybody, to change that.

So I not only congratulate Taylor on her incredible dream come true, but I also thank her for working towards tolerance and peace, which I hope we all will have this holiday season.

And Andie, who has been to Black Ensemble Theater with me, thanks her too.

New kid in town… New Gold Coast nightspot TwelveWest, 12 W. Elm St., is holding its grand opening Dec. 1 to raise awareness and support for Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. From 5 to 10 p.m., a portion of all food and drink sales will be donated to the nonprofit. Fab performers Beckie Menzie, Nan Mason and Terry Higgins will entertain.

Breakfast club… On Saturday, TGI Fridays in Streeterville is catering a breakfast celebration at the 18th District cop shop for 18th District Explorer Scouts and members of Peer Jury, a Chicago Police Department program that deals with selected juvenile offenders without referring them to the courts. Appellate Court Justice and Skyliner Joy Cunningham, wearing her robes, will surprise the Peer Jury and they’ll be able to ask her questions about the court system.