There are dozens of community conversations going on around the nation motivated by a desire for racial reconciliation. They’re happening in places of worship, in local government settings, often through book clubs and even inside civic organizations.
Rotary International recently updated its diversity, equity, and inclusion statement, first adopted in 2019. It begins with this line: “At Rotary, we understand that cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is essential to realizing our vision of a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change.” And it ends here: “In line with our value of integrity, we are committed to being honest and transparent about where we are in our DEI journey as an organization, and to continuing to learn and do better.”
The obvious implication: there is room to grow and there’s plenty to learn.
In Raleigh, one Rotarian, a white man, approached his friend, a Black woman, and asked her to join him in creating a program that would foster understanding and bring Black and white people closer – through a planned curriculum and conversation.
While it’s not a Rotary initiative, two Wilmington Rotarians went through the program and in 2020, they launched a local chapter of Our Stories: Brave Conversations on Race.
These two co-facilitators join us on this episode to talk about the program, what they’re learning, and what they see happening among the people who participate.
Terri Everett, a native North Carolinian, retired from thirty-six years of Federal Government service as a senior executive. She moved back to Wilmington in 2017. She is a member of the Wilmington Rotary Club.
Allen Quigley is a former co-owner of the Dixie Grill, a popular downtown Wilmington eatery. He is also a Rotary District Governor-Elect.
Resources:
Our Stories: Brave Conversations on Race
Wilmington, NC Chapter link:
