Joe Dorman
The highlight of the 2021 Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy Heroes Ball came from the powerful message delivered by George Henderson, regarded as one of Oklahoma’s pioneers in race relations and civil rights. Since he joined the University of Oklahoma faculty in 1967, Henderson’s name has become synonymous with efforts to promote ethnic diversity and interracial understanding on the OU campus and throughout the country.
Henderson spoke about what we must do to improve society by breaking down the racial divide, and about how discussions affect children. To say he moved the audience, made up of conservative and liberal child advocates from across our state, would be an understatement. Despite being pre-recorded, his message earned a standing ovation.
I would strongly encourage you to listen to the 15-minute message. The video is available at https://oica.org/2021-heroes-ball-archive/.
Henderson implored the audience to have the “tough conversations” with children about the past, and to leave the “shaming, naming, and blaming” out. As he said, “The truth shall set us free, but it will first make us miserable.”
He courageously shared two tales of his own personal biases from youth toward others, and how he let prejudices sway him at an early age. As he grew older, he learned it was important to look inward and recognize the cruel and oppressive things we all have done, and to change as you learn. He learned quickly that labeling and generalizing, especially as a scholar, do harm. In essence, even scholars must remind themselves to not be “educated fools” when it comes to needed conversations of building toward a better society. We must do a better job of telling stories to the next generation, encouraging children to move beyond biases of the past while avoiding hateful terms that can corrupt. It is important they learn important lessons of tolerance by hearing adult conversations, as this is where children often develop their views of the world.
We must have those difficult conversations not only with children but between adults. It is important for each of us to try to be the best we can be, and understand that this will not come easy. From trying, only then will be do better, and from that children also will learn.
Joe Dorman is executive director of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy.
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August 17, 2021 at 04:11AM
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Dorman: Don't spare children difficult conversations – The Journal Record - Journal Record
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