Article written by Claudia Lòpez, chair of Diversity and Community Engagement Committee (D+CE) and expresses her views. At TNSM, we are grateful to have this D+CE forum that allows opportunities for members of our community to share their own beliefs, always with the goal of expanding our understanding of each other’s experiences and points of view.
I’m writing this post one week before it is published in A Look Ahead and one day after our last Diversity and Community Engagement committee meeting of the year, and I am sitting here now, writing this with feelings of gratitude and wonderment.
In the meeting, we talked about the delight our community was about to enjoy with Bi-Okoto dance and music workshop that afternoon.
- Did you attend?
- What struck you about the experience?
- Would you be willing to share in the comments below?
The meeting had a tone of transition. We asked questions and remained with what was arising from being together: What makes it important for me to be here today? That’s a question that always brings freshness and realness to the moment.
Then, I notice Nadja’s greeting in the chat “Bom dia! Good Morning!” And I ask: “Portuguese? How Come?” This simple event gave rise to a beautiful exchange between two people who rejoiced in learning something new about each other —becoming less of a stranger.
I offered an image from a card to the group at some point. It was a card from a deck that I sometimes use in coaching. The same image brought out diverse things in us. It showed how we resonate with the world in different ways.
There we were – one group, many views. A group that is willing to sit with difference. We were grateful to see through the eyes of the other, something we couldn’t see on our own before.
My daughter, Victoria, is graduating this year. I want to offer this collage of phrases from our meeting:
Feeling glad
Freshness outside my window
Honoring transitions
I like to hear your enthusiasm
I see a door
So welcoming
That’s where the magic happens
Like a birthday cake… happy
Believe it or not, these are lines from our meeting. It might be called a “business meeting.” I call it a gathering of courage, sincerity, vulnerability, and pure beauty.
Thank you.
Does your family observe a tradition or cultural holiday you’d like to share with the TNSM community? Do you have a passion for or expertise in a certain area of DEI? The D&CE committee is always looking for books, resources, and classroom speakers to help deepen the cultural competency of our school community. Please reach out to us via our email address: diversity@…