The Rev. Al Herring teaches Hill community how to shape our 'common humanity'

Tuesday, September 22 marked the inaugural event for the 2009-10 academic theme “A Common Humanity,” as Hill welcomed The Rev. Alvin Herring, the CEO and founder of an organization dedicated to teaching students to form stronger communities by embracing diversity. All students spent the morning and afternoon in a workshop, during which they engaged in activities designed to increase their awareness and help them embrace their differences.

Later in the evening, the Rev. Herring addressed the entire Hill community in the Center For the Arts. Jared Feinman ’10, a member of Hill's Diversity Committee, introduced the Rev. Herring. He said to his classmates, “After the fast-paced, dynamic, and fun workshop today, I want to say that I am proud of each and every one of you. I am proud that we have explored the meaning of diversity and the power of community.” He continued, “ I am proud that we have experienced how we all are different and we all are the same. I am proud that we now know we are all in this together.”

The Rev. Herring engaged the packed auditorium with high energy and enthusiasm, giving an insightful talk peppered with life experiences to serve as examples of how one person can bring change. Touching on this year’s theme, the Rev. Herring told the students the way to shape this common humanity is to “remember the work we accomplished today [in the workshop]. You hung in there and were committed to working together.” He said of the students’ willingness to open up during the workshops, “You heard things today that you never heard before, from different people.”

A Common Humanity: Hope, Love, Justice, Mercy

To achieve a common humanity, the Rev. Herring said there are four kinds of work we must master: hope, love, justice, and mercy.

“Hope is different from optimism,” he remarked. While he did say it was good to optimistic, optimism “won’t change the world.” Rather, we must “invest a significant amount of hope in ourselves and in our relationships.” He said we must be hopeful “even when things might not work out” because hope is “based on faith.”

“Hope is built on a bright golden thread that is knitting us together as one common humanity,” the Rev. Herring exclaimed with enthusiasm. “We are changing the world for the better as we become masters at weaving this golden thread together.”

He then instructed each person in the room to touch the shoulder of his or her neighbors, and when this was done, “instantly the energy in the room changed.” With the audience applauding and his powerful voice filling the room, The Rev. Herring exclaimed, “There is nothing we can’t do if we have hope! No challenge we can’t overcome. Don’t give up hope!”

Love, the Rev. Herring observed, is a term we use too often; however, it is the “most powerful force in the universe” as all great things “happened because of love.” At the root of it all, he said, “Love at its best is about service - the good you can do for someone else.” The Rev. Herring challenged the audience to “put yourself out there on behalf of someone else.” He added: “Serve someone and then you really will have the privilege of understanding love.”

When talking about justice, The Rev. Herring talked about the plight in our country – homelessness, joblessness, poverty, and the health-care related issues – that are affecting more people than most even realize. He noted, “If we want to build harmony, a common humanity knitted together, we have to be come committed to justice.” He acknowledged that many individuals in the room might think these issues are “too complex” and he or she cannot do enough because of a “sense of fear or hopelessness.”

Commanding the room’s attention, the Rev. Herring thundered, “You have everything to do with making this world just! There is a hurting world waiting for you.”

“Mercy is the toughest thing for us as human beings to master, ” stated the Rev. Herring. While he admitted it is tough for someone to say he or she is sorry, he acknowledged it is even tougher to say “I forgive you.” He said: “We have to each get better at giving each other mercy. We need to reconcile, repair, and renew.”

He then asked each person in the room to turn to his or her neighbor and say “I am sorry” and to then say “I forgive you” to illustrate that these simple words are not as difficult to say as people perceive.

The Rev. Herring concluded, “If we are going to build a common humanity -- be a better community, town, country, world -- we have to have hope, demonstrate service, have a commitment to justice, and seek and offer mercy!”

Following a standing ovation, The Rev. Herring met with sixth form students and faculty in the Boyer Gallery for a reception.

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This week I was asked by a colleague at the Race Project.org to comment on an experience he and his wife had recently on the train…

Stephen

My wife and I were climbing down into the Harrison Red Line subway station in our neighborhood in Chicago when we happened upon three young Black boys -- maybe 13 years old -- tagging the station walls with spray paint. It was particularly surprising because there are security cameras down there, yet the kids were dancing around and acting as if they didn't care if anyone saw what they were doing. I thought about it for a second or two and decided to let them know that I saw what they did. Rather than express disappointment or anger (I figured at that age, irrespective of race, they wouldn't care -- I wouldn't have!), I simply wanted them to know that they were not as quick or careful as they though they were. Even now, I'm not sure if I was trying to scare them or warn them that they could easily be caught, or if I was trying to discourage them from doing it again. In any case, they all denied having done anything wrong, and as we boarded the train, one of the boys stuck his head in the door before it closed, called me some names, and flipped me his middle finger while another boy spray painted on the window of the train as it pulled out of the station.

I spent the rest of the night thinking about whether there was anything I could have done to meaningfully intervene in those boys' lives. Since I am a White ally, I am very conscious about not wanting to be act like, feel like or be perceived as though I need to "save" (Dangerous Minds-style) persons of color. On the other hand, as an adult who wants to see all children succeed and who knows that sometimes getting in trouble is the best thing that can happen to turn someone's life around, I wonder if I should have tried to call a CTA employee or otherwise "bust" the kids. Further complicating the issue is the fact that with all the youth violence and gang activity in the area, saying anything to kids that age at all -- particularly while they are engaging in an illegal act -- probably isn't a particularly smart thing to do. Would I have felt the same or acted in the same way if I were Black (a man or a woman -- and would that matter) or if the kids were White? Would the kids have reacted to me differently? Did I act appropriately (do enough, do too much)?

And my response…
It would be all too easy for me as an African American male to categorize the angst my White brother felt over this incident as just another example of the privilege Whites enjoy – as it relates to race - to stand at a distance from the dirty work of confronting the tough realities racism creates and retreat to the sidelines where behaviors, motives and choices can be safely analyzed and timidly dissected. For sure, that is the choice of many White liberals, intending to sound like allies and then losing their voice when situations and circumstances call for a more vigorous assertion of solidarity.

But in the real world of race, no one gets a pass. Racism exists to systematically rob of us our humanity and psychically prepare us for the dirty work of denying to those deemed “less than” or “other than” opportunity, access, power, wealth and the very essentials of life itself. And racism doesn’t ever stand alone as a single issue but pulls in every other societal structure in around it, forcing us to contend with unholy combinations of race and other social dimensions such as class, gender or sexual orientation.

What has to be remembered is that race is the predicate, the root. Indeed, a racist system will never truly let you forget it. In the encounter with the boys making mischief on the train, the scenario is as it seems. No matter of intent, goodwill or progressive racial sentiment can alter the reality that a White man has stepped into foreign territory and entered the world of these Black boys without invitation. Their response is neither novel nor unexpected. They rebuke him and put him “in his place.” His angst is also part of the “script.” Was he right to express his displeasure at the boys or was his behavior based on race? Did they reject his correction because he was an adult censoring youth rebellion or did they interpret his actions as racist?

In a better world a grown-up should be able to confront misbehaving juveniles and have his intent be seen if not as helpful and corrective at least benign. But this is not a better world. It is the world that racism has created. In that world –our world – racism is an idol that must be worshipped and our desire for community is the sacrificial lamb.

How do we ever get past this? How do we meaningfully enter each other’s worlds and build real connections across race lines? The answers are not simple ones but they begin with a need for a universal recognition of what racism is and how it distorts the human heart and mind. It begins with Blacks and Whites each speaking to the ways our lives have been wounded by racism. Whites must summon the courage to acknowledge how they have been privileged by the oppression of people of color and undertake the work of dismantling that privilege by working for justice. Blacks must come to grips with centuries of rage and bitter resentment (much of which has been focused internally) and become earnest partners in forging a more just society.

Real community ought to be our goal, but to get there we are going to have to have the courage to step up to situations such as this and confront how incomplete our lives are in the shadow of structural racism. We’re going to have to finally reach that place where justice demands that we stop business as usual and get down to the real business of confronting racism.

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Side By Side(Part 1)

I am launching this blog for a singular reason; to inspire hope in this generation of young people. My entire work career, spanning some 30 years, has been as a guardian of the dreams of the young. I have counseled young people, cooked and cleaned for them, taught them at nearly every level, listened to them, scolded and cajoled them. I have been their confessor, their preacher, their administrator, their friend and on many occasions I have had the great opportunity to be their student. I have stood in witness of their tremendous capacity for truth telling, their amazing resilience, and their open and tender hearts. I have been loved well by young people and I have loved them well in return. So as I turn the corner on this great race through life I have but one mission yet to accomplish with young people. I want to help them build a better world. A world that has at its core a true sense of community. A world built around the noblest concepts of peace and social justice. A world that is alive with all the bright ideas and deep wisdom that humanity possesses. A world that is grounded in the love of self, love of humanity and love of the planet.

I know through experience but more importantly through intuition that if the young will build such a world they will need help from the rest of us. They can’t stand apart from us; they can’t be seen as somehow not needed until a later date. They must be supported, loved, trained, educated and encouraged to lead now. The old notions of young people better seen than heard will have to give way and a new appreciation of the young will have to emerge. A compact will have to be struck with the young that agrees to show them what we have seen (those of us who are older) and invite them to tell us what they are seeing. We will have to figure out together how to reach across the generational divides and become allies and co-creators in a better world.

What of this better world? What is the vision? There have been some promising signs that a better world is possible. The most recent presidential election in the United States and the protests in Iran over questionable election results tell a compelling story. In both instances the motivated work of the young has had a transformative impact. Countless young people labored for a year or more in the campaign to change the direction of this country. They worked phone banks, canvassed neighborhoods, held sit-ins and teach-ins and get-out-and-vote rallies all across the country. They were passionate, they were determined and they were driven by an expert conveyors of a powerful message. A message that resounded with hope and possibility that change was possible. They held us all up, especially those of us who are a little battle-worn and even a little bit cynical.

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Side By Side(Part 2)

I won‘t forget the huge dose of hopefulness that I got when attending a presidential rally in Cincinnati, Ohio on the weekend before the general election last fall. As I stood in the long line that had formed at the gate of the arena where the event was held I was met by a fired up group of young campaign workers. They welcomed me to the event and shared that they were fired up for their candidate.They asked if I wanted to share my email address with them so that I could get personal updates from the campaign as the election progressed. They looked tired, and several shared that they had been working all day in support of the event.Others said that they had traveled a long distance just so they could labor the ten to twelve hours of the event. Yet through it all what was striking was that each and every one of those young people were alive with passion, excitement and hope. I talked to as many of these kids as I could. I asked them why they were there and what they hoped to get from the experience. Almost all of them stated that they were there because they were driven by a conviction that change was possible.

There were elections this summer in Iran. It appears the results were warped by the ruling regime that through its actions nullified the will of the people and gave the election to the incumbent. The people reacted strongly and took to the streets to register their protests. The government did what most governments do when confronted with the exertion of will on the part of the people. They recoiled in fear and let loose the police to threaten, harass, beat and even kill the protestors. Among the protestors, most of whom were young people, was a young woman named Neda. It was reported that she never considered herself an activist but took to the streets on the fateful day she lost her life because she was compelled to add her voice to those who were standing up for the ideal of justice and free democratic elections. She stood up and she showed up. She understood that she could make a difference and contributed her part to making her country and the world a better place. Though she lost her life she reminded a jaded world that young people are prepared now to lead and hold us all accountable to our ideals.

How does all of this signal a better world is possible and that young people possess a window into that world? Well, I think in these instances and in so many others young people are asserting an uncanny faith. Faith not in the traditional sense and not in the traditional institutions but faith in the notion that working on behalf of freedom, social justice, fair elections a better environment and many other causes can result in change and can transform everything in its midst. And I must say with resounding affirmation I completely agree. I believe the work starts with self and migrates out from there. I believe the work requires sacrifice and perseverance. And I believe this generation is up for the challenge! That’s why I am dedicating this blog site and my work at Side By Side to young people here and around the world who want to make this world a better place.

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The Big Community

The Big Community

Our work at Side By side is informed by our concern for peace and social justice… period! That’s what it is all about for us! Where we might be different from others who have similar interests is that we go about our work with a sense of hope and optimism. Our work is grounded in the belief that united in community people can push for change and construct a world that is more just and more peace abiding. We believe that community is key.

We are also aware that there is a “system” in place that wields power and control over the lives of people here and around the world. The system holds hostage the real desires of people everywhere to live in peace and harmony and respect. This is not the “bogeyman” for in many respects we are the system because it is so deeply sewn into the fabric of our daily lives. The building of community can defeat the system.

On a regular basis I’ll post some of my thoughts about The System here:

The System
Alvin Herring © 1998-2009


Systems of human relationships have always been global but only now do we have the technology to see and feel the extent to which all of our lives are part of an interdependent web. The present global system is governed by a set of simple rules that generate a staggering complexity; one that requires a massive amount of power and resource to maintain.

There are primary human needs that all people are trying to meet:

o Physiological Needs - physical sustenance;
o Safety Needs - shelter, work, energy
o Social Needs - family/clan/kinship/lineage identity, relationships, work,
esteem

•There are some needs that only those with resource, power and opportunity get to meet. Those are the self-actualization needs.

•There is an imposed and false competition for the resources to meet the primary needs.

•This competition is governed by power, race, gender, class, age, physical ability, social status, nationality, religion.

•The numerical minority has become the holder of power and determines the rules of the system, hands out the rewards, and impose the sanctions.

•The numerical majority are made to get in line and accept handouts of resources, access and power.

•The world system is presently constructed to involve us in competitive and destructive relationships with each other.

•The system has us believe that resources are scarce and we must compete with each other – even to the point of death - to get our share.

•The system is governed by and is a slave to a “market mentality” –everything is reduced to a commodity and all relationships are defined by market rules of interaction.

•The system does not value all life equally…value is allocated along power and resource lines defined by the market and assessed value by the system.

•The system dictates to us what our fair share should be. We are convinced to seek more than we presently have but never enough for true parity and power.

•The system reinforces the submergence of our innate human need for connection and community and replaces that with an egocentric self-absorption and indifference to the needs of others .

•The system touts a “rugged individualism” and sanctions any attempt to unify the people across identity lines.


•The system is based on a power standard that reinforces that “might makes right.”

•The system presents materialism as a moral and ethical code.

•The system teaches that it is better to consume – even over-consume - than to produce.

•The system teaches us to view the planet as a resource factory with an infinite capacity to withstand the destructive changes we make to it; to be used, exploited, dominated and then cast off.

•The system encourages a schizophrenic relationship with spiritual faith or moral guidance - embracing it on the surface, abandoning it when economic or power interests are involved or creating warped versions of it to conquer and subdue.

•The system uses war and violence as tools of oppression and coercion and plays on our fears of the “other” to get us to go along.

•The system requires markets for economic expansion and uses the machinery of war to open those markets.

•The system seems not to value peace because conditions of peace do not allow for the best environment for unilateral market penetration, market expansion and market hegemony.

•Aggression; violence; war, religious fundamentalism; zealous nationalism; ethnocentrism; gender oppression; ageism; sexual identity phobias; “able-bodiness;” and environmental degradation are the preferred tools the systems uses to impose order, create false dichotomies, set up unfair competition, exploit resources, transfer wealth from the powerless to the powerful and disabuse the powerless from challenging the system.

•The system has determined that war is better than peace; more is better than less, all is better than some, aggression is better than reason.

•The system abhors diversity and elevates one sense of cultural expression over others, ultimately seeking to obliterate difference. To execute this, the system foments fear and suspicion among groups and offers “culturelessness” and color-blindness as “safer” substitutes.

•The system teaches a deep and abiding dissatisfaction with life and the living process encouraging us to seek shallow resolutions to majestic questions and pursue immediate personal gratification over a conscientious search for what is right.

•The system does not value the lives of women and sees them as commodities to exploit and dominate.

•The system does not value children and sees them as commodities to exploit and dominate.

•The system does not value the elderly and sees them as resource consumers, expendable, and “in the way.”

•The system uses men as tools and teaches them to disregard life, living, loving and being. Men of color, economically oppressed men, men with mental and other disabilities and men who are damaged by war are warehoused in money making prisons without the hope of rehabilitation and subject to state execution.

•The system places humanity on an island, alone in the universe, afraid of our mortality and in denial of our linkages to each other, the planet and then universe.

You and I must change the system … isn’t it time for a change?

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