With this year's TEDxRochester preparations getting into full swing, my time is becoming increasingly fragmented (as is my brain, it feels at times!) But, I didn't want to put too much distance between myself and this the next program day without getting something on digital paper!
Program Day #4, Building Common Ground (but often nicknamed "Diversity Day"), was held at the Quaker Meeting House downtown. We started out, as we always do, with a former class member framing a day that has the purpose of our "examining our personal beliefs and attitudes and the effects on our behavior". Immediately after we watched the Carvin Eison film, "July '64", about the race riots in Rochester in 1964. It was a powerful and moving film, and one which gave a great grounding in the events of that month. I'd heard of the riots and read the historical accounts, but Eison's film was extremely powerful in message and execution. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn about this difficult time in our fair City's history.
One of the most powerful images for me was one of the National Guard herding rioters using their rifles with bayonets. I was reminded of the nonchalant attitude of the officer macing students at UC Davis during an Occupy Wall Street protest just a couple of years ago. It just goes to show that while institutional racism's hold is waning, we still have a long way to go on other fronts.
The movie was followed by a panel made up of people who were there during the riots, and some that may or may not have participated. While the movie was able to present the story in a "canned" fashion, having those who witnessed events be able to answer questions was a unique opportunity I won't soon forget.
After a short break, we proceeded to the first of two "Hurts & Healings" panel discussions. This first focused on the issues of some 20 somethings in our community. Of particular note was the young man that barely managed to escape killed, although was still shot, when rebels invaded his village in Africa, but survived at the cost of being separated from his family. Through an amazing series of events, he ended up in Rochester where the people who aided him on his arrival inspired him to him to return to his home and give back through the building of schools. Truly a remarkable individual!
We then broke for lunch (Unkl Moe's! Mmm!) followed by our next panel discussion which focused on an older generation of those affected by institutional racism. Again, amazing to hear in their own words being banned from movie theaters or unable to marry they person they loved because they weren't the same race. While these issues still remain, it's easy to take for granted what others went through just within living memory.
I will admit, this wasn't my favorite day. The program administrators admitted that normally there's more diversity in Diversity Day. As it stood, African-Americans and homosexuals were well represented, but that was about it. As the panels are made up of people who graciously give up their time to be with us, it happens. Our class just got a weird confluence of events that lead to our day being less diverse than in other years. I'm thinking I might volunteer my time for future instances of this program day just so I could relive it with a wider panel.
