Appreciating MLK by Tackling Race and Identity Issues
It has been almost 45 years since the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. A good time to reflect on the issue of race and racism in America. Despite a lot of fear and denial that race is still an issue or being used as an issue, dialogue seems to proceed in fits and starts in this country. Unfortunately, race and racism continues to permeate American institutions, corporations, schools, and communities. Our avoiding the difficult conversations with our families or in our workplaces makes our children pay for our silence and our fears, as unfounded ignorance persists. If you look at a typical lunchroom—whether at a workplace or a school—you’ll see it. We’re still too often separate and ignorant of each other even when in the same room. We decide what others are like based on what we have heard or seen in the media. We avoid certain neighborhoods, foods, groups and places of worship, all because of our fears.
Sure, group identity has its purpose; it can be comforting to be part of a cohesive team, work group, school, or even a subgroup based on certain commonalities such as race. However, we have to make sure that being part of a specific group does not make us hurt others. We may be part of larger races, religions, occupations, or teams, but we are individuals first. To move towards a brighter future, we must focus on our worthy actions as individuals and avoid pushing our own expectations on others.
We can start with a word or a gesture, hesitation where we may have previously rushed in wrong, a kinder thought, a greater understanding. If in your lifetime, we can affect one person positively, we’ve already changed the world for the better.
That’s what I hope we’re accomplishing at our multicultural summer camp. At Kupugani, we love starting the difficult conversations in an emotionally supported and controlled environment. It affords us a rich and intimate opportunity to truly get to know each other. Beginning relationships with those who are different from ourselves leads to understanding, friendship, and a better world. At Kupugani, while working towards enjoying the freedom to be whoever we want to be, we have fun changing our world.
P.S. It’s also national No Name-Calling Week this week; during this annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling and bullying of all kinds, let’s do our best to be our best.
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