Tuesday, June 22, 2010

It takes a village

I was eager to hear Rick Rodriguez speak on diversity issues today.
One of the best things that Rick said was how "journalism opened up the world for" him and took him "to views and places I have never been."
Many people, including Rick, have blamed the news media for its own lack of diversity
and and a lack of decent coverage over minority issues.
Others have pointed the finger at the minority people and their own priorities for education.
Still yet, teachers and college admissions have been taken to task.
I can see all of their points. Yet at the end of the day we should all step back to look in the mirror and examine our own efforts to support diversity in all its forms. Rick spoke several times of how he had support from peers and mentors to help advance him in his career.
We can learn so much from one another and although we can agree to disagree, we need to takes those first steps and reach out to people who are different than we are.
It's a whole new world. Want to come along?

Kellie Wagner
Journalism & Media Academy
Hartford, Conn.

3 comments:

  1. I appreciated what Rick had to say about "diversity of thought" in addition to the other elements that we associate with diversity (ethnicity, age, sexual orientation). My students are from a variety of backgrounds, but I'm not so sure that they reach out to others outside of their comfort zone, and I want to encourage them to do so, to seek out that diversity of thought as well.

    Jamalee Moret
    Alhambra High School
    Phoenix

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  2. I also was engaged by Rick's comments. I especially appreciated what he had to say about empathy. It does take someone putting themselves in the shoes of others to understand their perspective. I also hope to encourage my students to seek out diverse voices in and out of our school.

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  3. I too, found many of Mr. Rodriguez's points inspiring and thought provoking. We must reach out to our community, and work as a community to best serve our students.

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