As February is coming to a close, I want to take some time to reflect on diversity and the importance of Black History Month. Diversity, on the surface, provides the illusion of having people from different places in one place. Diversity is so much more and detailed than that. Not only is it a variety of people, but it encompasses beliefs, ideas, customs, and traditions. These categories hold no meaning without understanding and acceptance. As I have said all month, the two key components of diversity are understanding and acceptance. If you do not take anything else away from this series, this should be the takeaway. Black History Month has recently been under scrutiny, and I have not quite been able to justify the opposing viewpoint. Without highlighting and honoring an integral point in history, it would forever be lost, and it is a shame this month-long celebration was ever in question. Black History holds treasures and monumental moments. People gave sacrifices and fought for a cause greater than themselves. The majority is not always right, and for the people who identified as the minority, they stood strong in dedication and convictions to make their voices heard. A single month, let alone the shortest month, does not adequately provide enough time to properly honor the courageous efforts of the Civil Rights leaders. Diversity is expected to be recognized every day of the year, but limitations are placed on Black History. The celebration and honor should be carried throughout the year. The value of history is priceless, and placing restrictions on such history only fuels the belief that it is not worthy of being recognized all year long. There is not much more I can say about these matters. So, I leave you with this: Black History does not cease to exist the other days of the year, and diversity needs to be addressed more adamantly. The discussion is far from concluding for society’s sake, but as for this series, it is marking its end with Diversity: The Last Installment. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 Let America Be America Again
Poem By: Langston Hughes (1902-1967) Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed-- Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.) O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. (There’s never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”) Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? And who are you that draws your veil across the stars? I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery’s scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek-- And finding only the same old stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak. I am the young man, full of strength and hope, Tangled in that ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need! Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one’s own greed! I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean-- Hungry yet today despite the dream. Beaten yet today—O, Pioneers! I am the man who never got ahead, The poorest worker bartered through the years. Yet I’m the one who dreamt our basic dream In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true, That even yet its mighty daring sings In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned That’s made America the land it has become. O, I’m the man who sailed those early seas In search of what I meant to be my home-- For I’m the one who left dark Ireland’s shore, And Poland’s plain, and England’s grassy lea, And torn from Black Africa’s strand I came To build a “homeland of the free.” The free? Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me? The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay? For all the dreams we’ve dreamed And all the songs we’ve sung And all the hopes we’ve held And all the flags we’ve hung, The millions who have nothing for our pay-- Except the dream that’s almost dead today. O, let America be America again-- The land that never has been yet-- And yet must be—the land where every man is free. The land that’s mine—the poor man’s, Indian’s, Negro’s, ME-- Who made America, Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain, Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain, Must bring back our mighty dream again. Sure, call me any ugly name you choose-- The steel of freedom does not stain. From those who live like leeches on the people’s lives, We must take back our land again, America! O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath-- America will be! Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death, The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies, We, the people, must redeem The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers. The mountains and the endless plain-- All, all the stretch of these great green states-- And make America again! Langston Hughes: "A poet, novelist, fiction writer, and playwright, Langston Hughes is known for his insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties through the sixties and was important in shaping the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance."
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If every aspect of life resembled the same thing for each person, we would live in a dull and boring world. Our differences are unique to us and allow us to contribute to making life exciting. Instead of discrediting someone’s way of life because it is different from your own, we should bring attention to these differences in a positive light. Without difference, people would not have a foundation, world-view understanding, or a greater perspective on life. Rather than dividing in differences, we should utilize these differences to make us stronger as a community. One person’s differences are no better than the next person’s, and for this reason, fighting differences will serve no purpose for the greater good of humanity. I truly believe the world would be a better place if people could get along and accept people for who they are without pretenses and false judgments. Celebration provides a positive outlook on life. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, successes, and whatever else we are proud of. I wish this was always the case for diversity. It is easy for people to ignore the fact diversity is an integral part of our society, but people would rather focus on other things. Without a diverse population, our history does not mean anything, but that is not important to some. It may sound simple: see diversity, value diversity, promote diversity. You may see this topic differently, and I respect that. Do your part, and find your place in celebrating diversity. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 It goes without saying that history has evolved over the course of time and it will forever be changing. With this in mind, it is an idea that is hard to conceptualize. History. When does it begin? How is it defined? What constitutes as a moment in history? Looking back, these questions seem like they would be easily answered, but for the people you and I consider history makers, I often wonder what they were thinking in that moment in time. The term, as it is used today, ‘history in the making,’ is used loosely, and could be argued as simply being a cliché. It may be looked back on by future generations as that, or it could be a figment of imagination that was not considered monumental enough to hold such a lasting impact. For Rosa Parks, notorious for refusing to give up her seat on the bus, her efforts as being “the first lady of civil rights” or “the mother of the freedom movement,” were not for recognition, nor to earn a spotlight in history; rather, they were merely to gain the respect and dignity all people deserved as human beings. Her intentions were genuine and her priority was on the well-being and equal treatment of the people. Her firm stance in this fight for equal rights was a pivotal moment for not only Blacks, but for women as well. Rosa Parks was bold for the time period, and her actions spoke volumes. She was powerful and continued to stand firm in her beliefs regardless of the punishment that fell upon her. The reason for posing these questions is not to question the intentions of history or argue the significance of times in history. I am interested in the thought process of these profound civil rights leaders. Their humbleness is striking, and their character is selfless. Their contributions to history were never meant to be recognized as such. The only recognition they ever hoped for was universal recognition of being accepted, valued, and appreciated. Rosa Parks, along with others, probably never imagined their efforts being talked about in history class or given a whole month to award their accomplishments. This was not the purpose for making a change. They saw a need, addressed the need, and acted on the need. It is possible for any of us to do the same, but for reasons unknown to me, we turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the matter and believe we are too small to do something about it. While the Civil Rights Movement was going on, Rosa Parks showed great perseverance. She was not going to let others dictate what she could and could not do compared to her White superiors. It had gone on long enough, and she took it upon herself to stand up for herself and others. Giving into the beliefs of others was something she was not willing to accept, and knew she had to do something. Now is the time when we must take a stand for rights and make our voices heard loud and clear. Enough is enough. Our voices have been silenced for too long, and we must stand up for those who have been forced to sit in the back of the bus, so to speak. Rosa Parks did not give up, so we cannot sit back and think everything is going to be okay when nothing is being done. Take a stand, make a change, and be part of history in the making. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. is known for his “I Have a Dream” speech given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. He was the leader for the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and became a spokesperson for fighting for equality and freedom. He was strong in his beliefs, and pushed for all people to be just as passionate as he was in this fight. Sadly, his vision for this country was not understood and appreciated by all people. He could not see his dream come true, and I am questioning whether or not it has, in fact, been fulfilled in the way Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned it to be. His yearning for such a society is empowering. It is hard to fathom the thought that people were not willing to see the need for this movement and adaptation to accept people at face value. Martin Luther King Jr. put every ounce of his being in his actions and showed great dedication to people he knew were suffering, yet never knew them by name. It did not matter to him that he had never met these people; he simply knew the less-than-human treatment was wrong, and until all people were free, freedom could not be attained for anyone. Sacrifice is the ultimate act of dedication a person can show. Martin Luther King Jr. sacrificed his own freedom to ensure someone else’s freedom. The possibility of going to jail did not stop his full-steam-ahead efforts, and in time, he found himself behind a set of bars temporarily silencing his impactful voice. It did not matter to him, and while the people who imprisoned him thought being jailed would discourage him, he used this as ammunition to continue the fight to freedom even stronger than before. I have spent much time reflecting on his words and the power he held behind each word. Listening to his speech and hearing his raw emotion gave me chills. Even after hearing his speech many times before, I appreciate it even more today. Before going on, this seems like an appropriate time to take a moment for you listen and reflect. As you watch, think about what it must have felt like to hear these words on the day as it went “down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.” At the time of these words being spoken, the future was hopeful. The movement held the potential of changing the world’s view of people for the better. I do not think Martin Luther King Jr. ever imagined the fight for freedom lasting this long, but unfortunately it has. Although, the United States is known as being the “land of the free,” the nation has not ended discrimination, accepted diversity, or welcomed lasting change. For these reasons, I cannot confidently proclaim the title of being free. The context of this speech was set for people of our nation, but it can be stretched to the distant corners of the world where shadows cover people deep in despair. I think if Martin Luther King Jr. was alive today he would be taking his rally worldwide and not stopping until absolute and genuine freedom could be spoken for each and every person. The concept of freedom for all is monumental. I think we owe it to Martin Luther King Jr. to live out his dream. “Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood . . . Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children . . . And as we walk we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.” He had the great intentions of seeing this dream through and through until the end, but because he was not gifted the time to reach the finish line, we must continue the march and fight for freedom for those who have not found the strength yet. It is our obligation to carry this campaign worldwide. We must be advocates for people who have not been awarded the basic rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Rather than holding judgments over people, we should be welcoming them with open arms and ensuring equal opportunities regardless of skin color or ethnic background. Martin Luther King Jr. would have wanted our society to fight for others instead of fighting with each other. Every dream deserves the chance to come true. The faithful efforts Martin Luther King Jr. put towards his dream should be appreciated, and to show such appreciation, we have to come together in all of our differences to reach this movement’s end. Until every person is free from persecution, discrimination, and man-made barriers, freedom does not exist in the capacity it was imagined. Acceptance of all people must be achieved, and equal and important value should be celebrated. I desperately hope for the day when we can walk hand-in-hand with people of every color and from every corner of this world saying, “Free at last, Free at last, Great God a-mighty, We are free at last.” Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 Maya Angelou is known for her insightful works of writing and being a civil rights activist. The ideas she leaves us with should render convictions of unity. Diversity should be talked about more frequently and more passionately, but sadly this is not the case. Diversity is necessary, and it is required to become united in thinking and purpose. In striving for diversity, Maya Angelou’s metaphor of a tapestry provides the greatest image for all of us to ponder about. This tapestry consists of all colors known to man; each thread resembles a person. The tapestry calls for a multitude of threads to create a strong and cohesive piece of art. With each thread weaving in and out of another, it becomes bigger and better than it previously was. Since each thread is a person, every person on this planet is included. They have a belonging in something greater than themselves. This tapestry encapsulates the world community, and promotes beauty in diversity. Having unity, even in differences, would make this world we live in nicer. I often dream of a day when no violence takes place. I hope for a day fear is no longer in the thoughts of our minds. I wonder what a day would be like if war did not exist. I long for a day when discrimination and judgements are not placed on people. With a world tapestry, it would give every person the same recognition as the one before. No one’s thread would be better than the next, nor would it serve a greater purpose. For one day, this tapestry can and will exist. It may not be in my lifetime, but I hope for future generations, they will begin to see and understand the importance of accepting diversity. Maya Angelou, along with many other civil rights activists, paved the way to breaking down the man-made barriers between people. Discrimination is a word that should have never been created and provided a definition. It has been given too much credit and publicity over the years, and its stay is long overdue. Judgments are given blindly, and often a lasting characteristic, whether true or not. It should not matter the skin color of people or the beliefs they hold; a person is a person, and that is all that should matter. Equality is everything, but everything is not equal. Think about it; we play a good game in making ourselves believe that life is fair and just, but we are playing into the false illusions of unity. If these civil rights activists could see our world today, I think they would be disappointed. I wonder if they would consider this situation as being any different from the world they saw years ago. I would like to think their courageous acts could still be readily recognized in today’s society, and attributed to those who sacrificed so much. Nothing has changed. Hate still overrides love, and diversity is not appreciated and valued. Having a transformed perspective, it is my hope that the world will rally together in unity. A higher value should be placed on diversity, and in return, it will bring out the greatest potential in the people. The world could be transformed once and for all, but our priorities must shift. The shift must move from self-righteousness to humility. Begin the movement, and be diligent in diversity. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 |
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