Who are we? What does community mean? What community (or communities) do we belong to? What do we care about in our community? What changes would we like to see in the community? What are we willing to do for our community?
These are the meaningful and difficult questions tackled in last week’s SparkTalk, sponsored by the Ohio Diversity Council. Rules of the road were simple: engage with full respect for the intent of each participant, get comfortable with being uncomfortable, interact in ways that reflect our common concern for the city of Columbus. As one of fourteen table facilitators, it was my job to keep the conversation focused, listen, question, demonstrate and encourage respect. Each table had two to three police officers (most in uniform) and four to five community leaders and members.
On the prep call, concern was expressed about how some people might behave. Would there be raised voices? Would there be protests? Would there be an air of defensiveness and divisiveness? How should facilitators respond? In this day and age, it was reasonable to wonder how a gathering of law enforcement and citizens might go.
The event turned out to be a most beautiful experience.
I can only speak for my table, but based on the many lingering conversations afterward, it seemed that all conversations were constructive. My table had men and women, various ages, light skin and dark skin, city dwellers and suburbanites, all well-educated. The group was interested and interesting.
We started with roundtable getting-to-know-you type questions. Then we settled in to engaging and meaningful conversation. Personal experiences and insights were shared. Concerns were raised, solutions offered. My group kept coming back to the challenges that children and teens face in the inner city. The officers listened carefully and shared honestly. They are compassionate, dedicated and concerned people. The citizens listened carefully, spoke from heart, and reflected the intent of the gathering. I was humbled to be part of the conversation.
I feel strongly that the community was strengthened through newly built bridges.
Imagine living in a world where everyone honored community as one of the officers defined it: anywhere people are gathered at the same time, in the same place, for any reason. Imagine if we remembered, as one citizen explained, that before any other way we define ourselves, we are all human, first. We have, at least, that much in common.
What might be possible if the SparkTalk ground rules guided us in our day-to-day? What if we engage with full respect for the intent of each person, get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and interact in ways that reflect our common concern for whatever community we are part of…and those we do not yet know?
