Every now and then, I’m questioned about why the Chamber jumps on-board to recognize diverse cultures with specific months of the year. Even received a comment or two about our active involvement with the Susquehanna Valley United Way’s Diversity and Equity Committee. Had a concern expressed to me about the purpose of Leadership Susquehanna Valley’s program day set aside to focus in on bias, poverty, and privilege.
Typically, the root of these concerns goes along the lines of, “Shouldn’t this recognition be year-round? Shouldn’t these cultures, ethnicities and identities be integrated and inclusive—just one of us?” A couple of inquiries have dug deeper, with a veiled suggestion, “Do you do these month-long recognitions, attend meetings, spend just a single day as an excuse to ignore each other’s cultural history and contributions for the rest of the year? “Ouch!” is my only reply.
While I respect opposing views questioning the value of your Chamber’s involvement with cultural recognition months and our diversity work, I simultaneously believe that we need to do more. These cultural months and other activities hold value for our society at large because they draw people’s attention to specific times solely for reflection on the contributions of diverse peoples to the growth and prosperity of our valley and the entire United States.
It's important for your Chamber to endorse and celebrate these activities in an effort to help more people to recognize the different perspectives of the various cultural, ethnic and racial groups and to strengthen identities for historically underrepresented, mistreated and misunderstood local residents. The history of our valley is one of first-generation laborers working long hours, in extreme and often unsafe conditions. That, alone, is worthy of our celebration and pride.
Today we turn the calendar page to February which is Black History Month. While some among us may believe that equality has already been achieved as much as is practically possible. Sure, it’s true that we’re in the 60th year of the Civil Rights Act’s passage, and that Native Americans are now free to pursue untold riches through gambling casinos, a Latina sits on the Supreme Court and there was an African-American president. But much remains to be done.
But the fact remains that our immigration policies negatively impact the populations of people who could very well be a big part of solving our expanding labor shortages. This fact was solidly made in our recent visit by Congressman GT Thompson when he stated that a dream of his is to move the agricultural (H-2A) visas under the Ag Committee of which he chairs. He believes that his committee has the motivation to fix our nation’s long neglected and overdue immigration problems.
Cultural months are aimed at improving current situations. In these times, celebratory months play a key role in nurturing an acceptance of multicultural populations into the fabric of life here in the Greater Susquehanna Valley.
Please follow the activities and events throughout this coming month as your Chamber hitches onto Black History Month in an effort to make our valley a great place to live, work, and play for everyone.
In a time when there’s too much emphasis on division in our nation, your Chamber will embrace recognitions, such as Black History Month, to hopefully help heal and inspire a regional appreciation encompassing all races, cultures, and ethnicities. Until we reach the point where every valley resident celebrates and values the many individual groups of people who make up our neighborhoods, cultural recognition months, days and trainings serve an important purpose.
From Where I Sit
