Essay 858

From The Detroit Free Press…

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Howell looks racism in the eye and won’t blink

By DESIREE COOPER

Striving for diversity

Some residents of Howell have spent this summer -- and the past decade -- trying to end bigotry in their area.

“A healthy community is one that accepts diversity and that clearly and outwardly rejects racism,” said Lee Reeves, president of the Livingston 2001 Diversity Council.

Formed in 1989 by business, religious and community leaders, the council has tried to help the predominantly white county -- and Howell in particular -- become a more welcoming place for people from all walks of life. The group had hoped its work would be done by the time that year’s kindergarteners graduated from high school in 2001, hence its name. But experience has taught them that true racial reconciliation requires constant work.

First step: Talk it out

In June, the council completed a two-month Community Conversation about Diversity, cohosted by Howell and the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation. About 150 people attended four public discussions.

At first, the council was “concerned that it would be a bunch of white people talking about diversity,” said Pat Convery, a council member and president of the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce. “What do we know about the black experience in our city?”

So they encouraged diverse voices to attend the conversations. Facilitators from the Detroit chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice, an anti-bigotry organization, helped guide the dialogues.

One of the facilitators, Shea Howell, was impressed that a community like Howell, which according to the last census was 96% white, is focused upon addressing racism.

“It’s a community that could have chosen to stay in denial but hasn’t,” said Howell.

Everyone’s problem

For council members, denial isn’t an option.

“Our businesses were finding it difficult to hire the right people for jobs,” said Convery. “People of all colors and backgrounds won’t come here because of the perception that this community is close-minded.”

But the council feels its efforts have ushered in change.

“There are people who say, ‘I never thought of it like that,’ or ‘I never understood that,’” said Reeves.

“People aren’t deeply racist; they just don’t realize how hurtful behaviors can be. Anything we can do to prepare our kids for the diverse world is good.”

Howell agreed.

“People build communities based on the white, American dream,” she said. “But in our focus groups, their children are saying that the homogenous environments make them feel disadvantaged. They feel unprepared to deal with people who aren’t like them.”

The upshot has been to pull more people into standing committees that will report to the council bimonthly on their efforts to address diversity.

“If we keep moving forward,” said Reeves, “there will be a critical moment when we’ll arrive at the next level.”

If you ask me, they already have.

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The vision for Howell’s Community Conversation about Diversity is to create “a welcoming, open and economically vibrant community that embraces diversity and the inclusion of people from all walks of life, where the rights of everyone are honored.” To that end, it has suggested:

Creating a welcoming statement that businesses can display in support of diversity.

Inviting a leader in the area of diversity to address the community.

Supporting the diversity efforts of the public schools.

Organizing cultural exchanges with students and community leaders.