"...We mistakenly ascribe external, physical attributes as prerequisites for leadership – things like gender (generally, male), education (MBA), height (tall), race (white), family background (you get the idea). This is a very biased – and ineffective – way of choosing leaders. And we are suffering for it."
“…on the surface, most Americans abhor hurtful bias. But when we pay attention, we can see that we are all guilty.”
"If we really wanted to have an honest discussion about what matters most to our silent generation, I have seven areas to focus our attention on..."
"...we must renew and reaffirm our uniquely American commitment as a nation of immigrants with zest, pride and humane values..."
...She did not whip out prayer when it was advantageous. Her life was a prayer.
Reflections from the year on core value priorities: love, collaboration, family, honesty, contribution, wellness, truth-telling, listening, presence, liberation, trustworthiness, equity, joy, creativity, peace, justice, belonging, community, civic engagement, service, tolerance, empathy, integrity and beyond.
"...Not only are we afraid to talk about ‘race,’ we are also unwilling to listen - really listen - to each other, and open ourselves to being transformed by someone else’s perspective on what ‘race’ is or means, based on life experience that is different from our own..."
“It is an advocacy that I cannot support, having grown past my bubble, talked to the people I affected, read more widely, and realized the necessary impact my actions had on people I never wanted to harm...”
“Only by coming to terms with history can we free ourselves to create a more just world.” –Drew Gilpin Faust (Harvard’s 28th president, in a speech acknowledging the university’s early ties to slavery)
…empathy does not require agreement… Until empathy is restored, words like justice, fear, mercy, and even “greatness” will be to some, like “chichi” was to me… a wall that’s in the way of understanding rather than a bridge toward it.
