Category Archives: Social Issues

Social causes, activism, and projects

Change is Inevitable. So is the Future – by Deborah Levine

Working from home became the  norm during the pandemic, but it isn’t a new concept. Computers have pointed us in that direction for almost 50 years. When my mother insisted that I take the first computer programming elective offered at my high school during the 1960s, I thought she was nuts. I was focused on learning Russian and preparing for a catastrophic moment in the Cold War. But Mom informed me in her soft sweet voice that computers were the change shaping the future and she was commanding, not suggesting. And if that weren’t weird enough, she insisted that I take a typing class to ramp up my keyboard speed.

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Israel Dialogue with Christians & Jews

The goal of this manual is to design new ways to discuss Israel, focusing on basic religious themes. The Middle East is often seen as a confusing array of political, economic, military strategy, and religion. Amidst this confusion, religious themes are an important element in shaping American attitudes toward Israel, and this volume helps prepare leadership to engage in an interreligious dialogue about Israel and the Middle East.

This manual attempts to move the process along with an “on-the-job-training“ approach to aid leadership in developing a personal approach to Israel dialogue that emphasizes religious themes.

Three Ways Technology Can Drive Inclusive Communication – by Kenya McPheeters

The ability to communicate is essential to inclusion in professional, learning, or social settings. A Deaf employee, for example, can’t fully contribute to a business unless they can participate in impromptu meetings or hallway chats with colleagues. If English is a second language for a medical student, they need detailed and accurate notes to retain critical information. For a senior aging into hearing loss, losing the ability to connect with family members by phone can be devastatingly isolating. I know of this situation all too well – In my work as a sign language interpreter I’ve seen how connections can be lost when communication isn’t available or readily accessible

In all of these instances, inclusive communication enhances diversity by facilitating involvement, acceptance, and belonging. Today, innovative technology is creating new opportunities for people of different backgrounds, experiences, and linguistic modes to seamlessly share information, collaborate, and engage. Three examples are outlined below.

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The Scared States of America – by Terry Howard

Rejection?……Death?…..Aging?…..
Being judged?…..Loneliness?

What’s your innermost fear readers? I posed that question (with the options above and others) to some folks whose views I value. Those are the fears that bubbled up. Their answers follow. But to make this personal, ponder your answer to that question.

Now before we get to the responses from those I “surveyed,” I’ll start with a conversation with an African American friend who, like me, is the father of sons. We were talking about the recent spate of gun deaths sweeping the nation and the disproportionate impact on African Americans. Here it is:

Continue reading The Scared States of America – by Terry Howard

Stereotype and Character Assassination – by Julia Wai-Yin So

Having worked in the US for the last 40 some years, I was once a target of character assassination (CA). That experience prompted me to write this article to raise awareness that being a member of a minoritized group can put us at an additional risk of being targeted. This article explores the association between stereotype and character assassination.

Gordon Allport’s The Nature of Prejudice defines stereotype as an exaggerated belief associated with a category (i.e. a social group). Whether positive or negative, it is when one applies the group characteristics to a member of the group while ignoring the uniqueness of the specific member.  This article focuses on the use of negative stereotype of a social group to attack the character of a member of the same group. Many times, this baseless accusation can have serious negative consequences on the victim, especially when it is turned into an act of CA. 

Continue reading Stereotype and Character Assassination – by Julia Wai-Yin So

Diversity and Speech No. 37: Building a More Inclusive Democracy – by Carlos E. Cortés, Joseph Kahne

Carlos:  Joe, from the first time we had lunch together, I’ve been struck by one thing: like me, you really believe that you can make the world a better place.   Am I right?

Joe: I plead guilty to that one. 

Carlos: Maybe that’s one reason we hit it off so well from the beginning.  But it’s one thing to believe we can make a difference and another thing to actually make a difference.  

Joe: Agreed.  

Continue reading Diversity and Speech No. 37: Building a More Inclusive Democracy – by Carlos E. Cortés, Joseph Kahne

‘Woke’- an American threat? – by Terry Howard

Okay readers, ready yourselves for another entry into the You Can’t Make This Stuff Up – Chronicles of the Asinine. Have an extra strength Excedrin or shot of Bourbon within reach. You may need it.

You see, before the ink was dry on recent news about the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, nitpickers from the peanut gallery began pointing blame to the latest boogey man…. “Woke.”  “Woke” flooded the news recently, drowning out coverage of NCAAP basketball tourneys, Ukraine and pending indictments.

Continue reading ‘Woke’- an American threat? – by Terry Howard

Where Are the Women’s Voices? – by Sheryl Axelrod

legal The Under-Representation of Women at the Highest Levels of the Legal Profession 

The extent of gender diversity at the highest levels of the legal profession, is dismal.  

I. BY THE NUMBERS: AT THE UPPER ECHELONS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION, WHITE WOMEN ARE OUTNUMBERED BY MEN BY A FACTOR OF ALMOST AT LEAST 2 TO 1, AND THERE ARE NEARLY NO WOMEN OF COLOR AND LGBT+ WOMEN
Continue reading Where Are the Women’s Voices? – by Sheryl Axelrod

African American History Month – by Eva Jo (Saddler) Johnson

African American History (AAH) Celebrations for decades have been designated to the month of February, mostly. I remember when invited the very few African American Educators’ staff members and our high school’s English Department Chairperson this was two years after I was hired in the state of Connecticut and after my college graduation.   

 We staff members were well aware that no knowledge or acknowledgement of African American History lessons were being incorporated or extra-curriculum programs into our school’s educational classroom goals and activities. 

“Negro History week” designation began in the year of 1926 and reported because of the lack of our history being included and presented in various and many national activities.  Carter G. Woodson, who earned his Ph.D. from Harvard U. along with the NAACP (National Association of Colored People) W.E.B. DuBois, founder in 1909 both were given much credit in most cases.  

 As part of our inspiration and In February of 1977, our formed committee planned an after school assembly program consisting of celebrating students from various grades, organizations also including the high school’s orchestra, and speakers from community civic and religious leadership positions. Afterwards, effort progressed at our town’s high school as annual celebrations with activity and shortly afterwards, students from our school’s student council organization were invited to joined our planning committees.  We, also became proud of their attentive and intensive participation and recommendations. 

After about two more years, these students requested that we entitle our AAH month’s high school celebration each February, “Brotherhood/Sisterhood Month Celebration.” We faculty members did and also included the sub-title as “African American History and Contributions Month” later returning to the first selected topic for our extended activities. The school board of directors, and schools’ systems’ central office staff mandated and incorporated into our entire system’s K-12 curriculum the inclusion of African American History and Contributions.  Some business, civic, and social ethnic group members began to assist and combine with us in some of our planning along with their own students and parents’ projects.

I personally never forget when a newly “rap songs” artist attended and spoke at a high school assembly program, and also when a student group ask me if they could do “break dancing” on stage at our middle school annual assembly program.   My approval brought me much praises and personal gratitude as a result of how much our students appreciated it, from our school ‘s systems and school administrators.  When we invited an “inner-school’s” middle school students’ group to attend this same year and invited them for lunch, afterwards, we all were happy. 

During the month of February, I’ve found throughout the USA that churches began incorporating  African American History and Contributions with informational objectives as well as motivational recommendations.

Our question today in the future decades is, “Will those projects suffice in the improvement of our near and far unity, equality, fairness, class diversity, and inclusion?” Are African American history celebrations provisions are and have been one of our great assets and has it contributed both personal, positive and progressive relationships and some economic growth. In addition, “How fair and intentional are we in the arena of “proportionality”?  Do we quickly judge without knowledge and to categorize the tangible and intangible? 

Personally, I have found “Collaboration and Connections” seriously are key words when we are evaluating and recommending. Visual?  Are we losing the utilization of comprehension with just quick visualization?  How obedient are we toward promotions with affirmations with representations in ethnic locations?  We do not have to be only in a classroom, office or on stage to become role models and mentors.

Fortunately, before my becoming a school’s supervisor and also while being a classroom teacher with summer breaks, I had many global experiences.  One example is when I became a volunteer international missionary in the country of Panama along with me grandson, Kory. (He knew more Spanish words that I did at that time.)  I had volunteered at what was considered and called an “English as a second and language School.”    

This school had the goal and theme known as “Constructionism.”  It soon became my understanding constructionism referred to there were no endings to ideas, conclusions, suggestions to also examples.  I saw this “focus “personally as, “Conclusions were prerequisites.”  When searching Checking the word via Google, the meaning was given “The result is interaction was summaries derived from their knowledge of ‘ISAP” which is defined as Italian in Specific Academic Purposes. 

I now acknowledge obtaining many ethnic similarities and desires sought, enhances closer and acknowledged relationships toward more understandings.  Political divisions require more attention and required and sought the goals toward democracy, both national and international. Those of us in or were especially in administration and leadership positions desperately must reinforce with pride obtained potentiality.

Yes, our elders and ancestors have” opened the door” to almost and many beginnings inspiring our concerns on how we utilize our knowledge and of our results, in other words, “What do we want to do with the knowledge?”  Are we equalized in our results?  “Are the doors open, now for all?

Personally, my career in the area of education, sociology, urbanization as well as my experiences in America and abroad (Internationally) has clarified my energy and interactions to go hand in hand.  Up from age of 18 and only attended segregated Chattanooga, I lived and served and work in the state of Connecticut for about sixty years.  I also raised four children and as you can guess, I was considered always “very active”.

Therefore,  this year and as we highlight African American History during the month of February, 2023. Let us intensify the opportunity to open our hearts as well as our feet and hands to integrate activities also ethnicity emphasizing, economic progress utilizing visualizing our pride, goals, character, spirituality, determination, empathy and inclusion as well as our legacies.

Let us intensify (…hold hands) while intensifying the provided and received opportunities to open our hearts, too along with our feet and hands integrating local and international activities while emphasizing our pride, goals, character, spirituality, sometimes empathy and inclusion also our legacies of both African Americans and others and remember expansive actions speak louder than words as we seek improvement and growth would be my request.

African Americans and others.  GOD MADE US ALL.  

“What did I do wrong?” asked Tyre Nichols – by Terry Howard

Mommy, when is daddy coming home?”

That’s the harrowing question that survivors of Tyre Nichols, a lanky 145 pound 29-year-old late – I repeat, late – father of a 4-year-old must answer. The other critical question is when will this senseless wiping out of Black people in America come to an end? Unfortunately, the answer to the latter question answers itself. You cannot erase history, can you?

So here we go again with another exhausting chapter in the convoluted history of race in the good ole USA. As the late civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer famously said, “we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired!” 

Continue reading “What did I do wrong?” asked Tyre Nichols – by Terry Howard