Reflections on the Road to Equity

A Hymn for the Hurting

by Poet Laurette Amanda Gorman

Everything hurts,

Our hearts shadowed and strange,

Minds made muddy and mute.

We carry tragedy, terrifying and true.

And yet none of it is new;

We knew it as home,

Horribly,

As inheritance.

Even our children

Cannot be children,

Can’t be.

Everything hurts.

It’s a hard time to be alive,

And even harder to stay that way.

We’re burdened to live out these days,

While at the same time, blessed to outlive them.

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This alarm is how we know

We must be altered —

That we must differ or die,

That we must triumph or try.

Thus while hate cannot be terminated,

It can be transformed

Into a love that lets us live.

May we not just grieve, but give:

May we not just ache, but act;

May our signed right to bear arms

Never blind our sight from shared harm;

May we choose our children over chaos.

May another innocent never be lost.

Maybe everything hurts,

Our hearts shadowed & strange.

But only when everything hurts

May everything change.

THE ART OF DIALOGUE

Underlying Assumptions

Hostile, threatening rhetoric can lead to violence. Some individuals because of life experiences (trauma) are more easily incited to violence. Threats should always be taken seriously and reported to authorities for follow up. The threats of violence escalate when spoken by those who are powerful. Words of hatred are not only directed to the Black community but have been used to attack other minority groups.

As Americans we are individuals with different backgrounds and heritage. There is much to be grateful for as an American, but we can do better. Who we want to be as Americans is still an evolving idea. We are all human beings with dignity, but we do not all agree on issues. Differences that are dividing us as Americans can lead to difficult conversations. White people are able to live-in denial instead of taking responsibility for past genocide of indigenous peoples and slavery. The roots of white and Black Americans could not be more different.

Despite differences we can come together as Americans. We can find common ground, get past “issues”, share interests, and tell our stories. For some there first needs to be an opportunity for emotional release and the coming together needs to be in a “safe space’. Those who have the time and energy can focus on the “moveable middle”. For those who have legitimate concerns about bringing “extreme” differences together what will be required will be self-reflection, self-awareness and soul searching. Yes, we can come together despite differences BUT not with extremiats who advocate violence.

All Americans who are willing can help bring America together. All who are willing need to agree to follow norms of respect, to listen deeply and to acknowledge feelings. All marginalized people need to be included, but it is not solely their job to educate white people. POC are tired of being burdened with all the work. Whites have work to do to understand oppression, discrimination and, privilege. It is the responsibility of white people (especially white males) to learn the history of Racism; disregard fake news, to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable., approach dialogue with minds open to other life experiences, and to refrain from stereotyping. A visual demonstrating movement toward equity is to have Black, Indigenous and other minority populations taking the lead in Dialogue dedicated to bridging differences with Whites having a back seat.