Diversity Dialogues are small, casual
group gatherings which are
open and welcoming to all members of the CSB community. With the Diversity
Dialogues, we hope to engage in ongoing conversations exploring diversity,
multiculturalism, equity and justice. By diversity we mean topics within
multiculturalism which include but are not limited to race, religion,
socio-economics, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture, and ability.
All members of our community are encouraged to attend and there is no
membership requirement.
Goals of Diversity Dialogues:
- Provide opportunities
and experiences to trigger dialogue and reflection upon diverse topics.
- Deepen identification of
one’s own culture and heritage.
- Raise awareness and to
view situations from a variety of perspectives, thus deepening our level of
compassion.
- Strengthen our sense of
belonging, being valued and our sense of community.
- Contribute our ideas to
further strengthen the school community as a whole based upon our discussions
and insights.
- Windows and Mirrors –
the importance of seeing your culture reflected in the community and learning
from other cultures.
2010-2011 Dates:
Monday, October 18, 2010: 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Tarah Fleming, Start Dialog
Joint Diversity Dialogue/Community Night Event
Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 5:30-7:30 pm, 3rd Grade Classroom
Wednesday, January 12, 2011, 5:00-7:00 pm, 3rd Grade Classroom
Friday, March 4, 2011: 9:00-10:30 am, location TBD
Tuesday, May 10, 2011: 5:30-7:30 pm, 3rd Grade Classroom
2009-2010 Recap:
At our first Diversity Dialogue in September, 2009, we talked about identity as a broad topic and how it derives from point of view and how we communicate our own backgrounds with our children. We focused on integrating our understanding of identity within ourselves and within our families and how to carry those insights into the broader community.
During our second evening meeting in November, 2009, we discussed the challenges of talking or not talking about racial differences with our children. We brought to light a very likely factor for many of us, a fear of saying "the wrong thing". We continued to enlighten one another with our own stories. Again, teachers and administrators shared meaningful memories in their own lives and classroom experiences with parents.
During the course of the year, we found that the topic of socio-economic differences was one of the more challenging areas for parents and children to confront. As a result, we decided to devote our third Diversity Dialogue in January and our fourth Diversity Dialogue in April to this topic. During the course of the two meetings, we discussed the reality of socio-economic differences within the smaller community of our school and the larger world.
We found that we can influence our children more positively when we talk honestly about differences, encourage them to seek that which is intriguing in others and to look for and cultivate enduring qualities in themselves and others. We acknowledged how parents and the school support our children's increasing understanding of the needs of others.
During our final meeting in April, 2010, we discussed what success means to each of us, how uncomfortable feelings can arise at any point along the continuum of having access to financial resources. Finally, we encouraged each other to model for our children an authentic embrace of the community that we all share.