Why Can’t We Be More Like Children?
Thursday, August 21st, 2008Warning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821
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I know the topics of “diversity” and “cultural awareness” can result in different reactions from different people. Some hear the words and get fired up, defensive, frustrated, angry. Some hear the words and their eyes glaze over and they think “here we go again.”
This photo of (left) Abbygayle, 3, and Joy, 2, sum up what we, as adults, need to do better — love each other for who we are and not what we look like. Do you think these toddlers have any idea what the history is between black and white in this country? They may realize that their skin is a different color, but probably only because they’re starting to learn the colors of the rainbow, and not because society has told them what it means to be white or what it means to be black.
Wednesday night I attended an event hosted by the Bremerton School District at Emmanuel Apostolic Church. The event was a chance for those interested in the community to hear Dr. Samuel Betances, a world renowned speaker on the topic of diversity, speak.
While Betances speech Wednesday night focused more on his life and how diversity played into shaping him to become the man he is today, he had a lot of powerful catch phrases, if you will. Many of his statements hold deeper meaning than the first impression they give. I realize because he was speaking to a group of mixed company: men, women, teachers, politicians, stay at home mothers, students, white people, black people, Native Americans, Hispanics, Asians, etc., his message had to be as broad as the audience he was addressing.
I think had he been targeting one group — as he did during the day Wednesday with members of the Bremerton School District — a great conversation could have been held on many of the ideas he presented. But even without that in-depth debate, he still presented a new point of view when it comes to looking at diversity and accepting each other’s flaws.
One concept he presented was the idea of forgiveness, and giving gratitude before voicing our grievances. He made everyone in the room say “thank you” to the “white man” for what he’s done for America. He also made everyone in the room say “thank you” to the “black man” for what he’s done for this country as well.
Here are some of the statements made Wednesday that left an impression on me. Some are repetitive, but I think it is through repetition that we realize how important things are. Most of the statements were made by Betances, but some were from other leaders and citizens who attended the event.
“You can’t lead what you don’t know.” — Linda Jenkins, Pro tem Superintendent of the Bremerton School District, introducing Dr. Betances and why the district asked him to come to Kitsap.
“Diversity means that you have the cultural competency to reject rejection.” — Dr. Betances
“One thing you have to do is unlearn how to teach diversity. You have to teach diversity in a way that’s not assaulting or insulting to those you’re trying to teach.” — Dr. Betances
“Diversity is learning the cultural competency to get along when we have not had the history of getting along.” — Dr. Betances
“Diversity is the process that helps us find common ground.” — Dr. Betances
“If you only stick to your own kind, you can’t grow.” — Dr. Betances
“Diversity is our ability to understand that we need each other. Every country that doesn’t understand it needs each other is committing social suicide.” — Dr. Betances
Reaction from his speech:
“I did a lot of learning. I learned what he said about forgiveness. Diversity for me, because of my age, was race relations. His presentation was about forgiveness, which I hadn’t heard before.” — Pastor emeritus Sam Rachal.
“I liked the idea that diversity is not looking for the negative but the positive. The bottom line is we need each other.” — Cherry Rachal, retired school teacher; part-time employee of the CK School District.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
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