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 Commentary:
Is Unity Possible?
from IELeadership Connections, Vol. 3, No. 1
For more articles like this
visit
https://www.bridges4kids.org.
One of the challenges of leadership in any organization (or
country) is how to respect and incorporate diverse viewpoints
and experiences while uniting behind a common vision in order to
reach common goals – and not allowing the process to be
derailed.
In the continuing examination of the Brown v. Board case that
IELC and others began last year, your editors have spotlighted
lingering or new concerns related to that decision. In that
light, the seed for this commentary was sown when your editors
attended a town hall meeting in August that was part of the 2004
UNITY: Journalists of Color Convention, which ultimately drew
almost 8000 African American, Asian, Latino, and Native American
journalism association members, plus a noticeable Caucasian
presence, albeit generally in the roles of (1) funders or (2)
managers there to interview and hire. The topic for the meeting
was “The New Multicultural Dynamic in Entertainment,” but the
issues and themes running around and through the discussion had
much broader application. Maria Hinojosa of CNN moderated a
panel comprised of Henry Cho, Gary Farmer, Doug E. Fresh,
Litefoot, Mo’nique, and Sandra Oh--musicians, actors, and
comedians who are blazing trails in their respective milieus,
yet, for the most part are not well known by mainstream America.
The major discussion issue was that stereotypes of minorities
are the norm in the arts in large part because of (1) who is in
control of media corporations, and (2) the demeaning way the
media tend to cover people of color (intentionally or not). This
in turn contributes to the lack of understanding and respect we
have for each other’s differences.
The panelists did not always agree with each other or feel that
people of color were any less responsible for their own roles in
changing (or maintaining) the status quo. All of the panelists
did passionately embrace UNITY’s goal for improving coverage of
people of color by dispelling stereotypes and myths and by
increasing understanding of other cultures. They also applauded
the organizational leadership that has managed to bring these
usually disassociated voices together as one for the third Unity
Convention since 1994.
One of the challenges of leadership in any organization (or
country) is how to respect and incorporate diverse viewpoints
and experiences while uniting behind a common vision in order to
reach common goals – and not allowing the process to be
derailed. One of the benefits of unity is the power and
influence that combined strengths bring to the goal (e.g., the
Unity convention drew public appearances of both presidential
candidates, something that the single associations most likely
would not have been able to accomplish).
As the election exemplifies, it seems harder and harder to unite
on common issues as the focus of the media and local discussions
continually shifts to our differences. Are you blue or red? Do
you support or condemn the war in Iraq? Do you think No Child
Left Behind should be scrapped or salvaged? Regardless of your
position, how tolerant are you of opposing viewpoints? Given the
tone of the exchanges, the answer to the latter question lately
seems to be not at all.
Whether unity is possible depends on your definition. Defined as
common ground, unity is very different from everyone thinking
and doing the same thing. Part of America’s great promise has
been its potential to learn the oftentimes tragic lessons of the
past and continue moving toward a society where many different
groups can find common ground while respecting individual rights
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The leader’s
role in this learning process is critical – from the micro-level
of families and teachers to America’s role itself on the global
front – and is at the heart of a lot of today’s debates.
The proof keeps coming that leadership can make or break any
situation or organization, from schools to the nation. A new
report from The Wallace Foundation, How Leadership Influences
Student Learning, reviews the evidence and finds that
“leadership not only matters: it is second only to teaching
among school-related factors in its impact on student learning.”
Moreover, “leadership’s impact tends to be greatest in schools
where the learning needs are most acute.” What do effective
leaders do? They set direction, develop people, and make the
organization work. To read the full report, go to
http://www.wallacefoundation.org/WF/KnowledgeCenter/KnowledgeTopics/
EducationLeadership/HowLeadershipInfluencesStudentLearning.htm.
Perhaps the unifying message here is that we all have a
leadership role in raising student achievement, beginning with
sharing our voices in a thoughtful way in our particular
milieus.
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