By CAROLYN DRYER, Editor | 0 comments News
MLK keynote speaker: Work with others to bring positive change
Photo by Carolyn Dryer Harold Bailey
Harold Bailey told the audience at
last week's "An Evening with a King" dinner celebrating the life and
legacy of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. it would take "all of us in
unison" to teach diversity in schools. arold Bailey has experienced it all
in his lifetime. As a black man growing up in the 1960s, he came face to face
with prejudice, and stared it down. Throughout his career in education, he has
attempted to teach others about the benefits of "working with others"
to bring about positive changes in society.
He told the audience at last week's
"An Evening with a King" dinner celebrating the life and legacy of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. it would take "all of us in unison" to
teach diversity in schools. He also said people need to become "21st
century abolitionists, evaluate our own attitude before we ask others to change
theirs.
"We must come together as
one," Bailey said, instead of continuing to be in conflict with each other
"just because."
Bailey said, "There are bigger
things than one's own culture. If we are to get further along the road, we have
to help each other."
Although he sports impressive
credentials all the way from the governor's office in New Mexico to university
professor, Bailey said he was not in Peoria on an intellectual journey.
Instead, he spoke of the need for all people to become community activists and
work in concert with minority groups, work toward diversity, inclusion,
respect, equality, and justice.
"Most of us have the spirit of
Dr. King within," he said. "Diversity must be embraced."
He said all of us need to find a
young person to mentor - "We all need someone to look up to" - and be
collectively responsible for community outreach. Bailey also said teachers in
classrooms need to teach multiculturalism.
"Leave personal egos at home,"
he said.
Bailey emphasized that it takes a
group effort of people from different cultures when he said, "The first
black president was elected because he had a diverse coalition".
Harold Bailey told the audience at
last week's "An Evening with a King" dinner celebrating the life and
legacy of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. it would take "all of us in
unison" to teach diversity in schools. arold Bailey has experienced it all
in his lifetime. As a black man growing up in the 1960s, he came face to face
with prejudice, and stared it down. Throughout his career in education, he has
attempted to teach others about the benefits of "working with others"
to bring about positive changes in society.
He told the audience at last week's
"An Evening with a King" dinner celebrating the life and legacy of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. it would take "all of us in unison" to
teach diversity in schools. He also said people need to become "21st
century abolitionists, evaluate our own attitude before we ask others to change
theirs.
"We must come together as
one," Bailey said, instead of continuing to be in conflict with each other
"just because."
Bailey said, "There are bigger
things than one's own culture. If we are to get further along the road, we have
to help each other."
Although he sports impressive
credentials all the way from the governor's office in New Mexico to university
professor, Bailey said he was not in Peoria on an intellectual journey.
Instead, he spoke of the need for all people to become community activists and
work in concert with minority groups, work toward diversity, inclusion,
respect, equality, and justice.
"Most of us have the spirit of
Dr. King within," he said. "Diversity must be embraced."
He said all of us need to find a
young person to mentor - "We all need someone to look up to" - and be
collectively responsible for community outreach. Bailey also said teachers in
classrooms need to teach multiculturalism.
"Leave personal egos at home,"
he said.
Bailey emphasized that it takes a
group effort of people from different cultures when he said, "The first
black president was elected because he had a diverse coalition."
