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200 have frank talk about race
Forum provides time for opinions on tough subject
Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by EMILY BARNES
Angela Dion, author of "Let's Talk About Race," gives the keynote address at the "Unity in Our Community: Building Bridges Through Dialogue and Conversation" forum at the La Plata campus of the College of Southern Maryland Saturday.
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Five years ago, arson fires and a wave of graffiti occurred in Charles County — "things the NAACP perceived as outright hatred …," William Braxton, president of the local chapter of the group, said at the "Unity in Our Community: Building Bridges Through Dialogue and Conversation" diversity forum Saturday.
"We felt like no one was speaking out [at the time]," he said, leading the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People branch to call a press conference on the steps of the government building and ask the county's leadership "to stand up, speak out and bring some of these things to an end. Believe me, a bridge was built that day."
That same day, Braxton received a call from Del. Murray D. Levy, the conversation was rather heated, Braxton said.
Levy (D-Charles) told him, "Don't forget who your friends are," he said, meaning "tone it down and we can get through this."
This triggered an "awesome movement," Braxton said. "We aren't where we need to be, but I think the mindset and commitment is genuine."
Nearly 200 people engaged in active and healthy discussions about race at the diversity forum hosted by the Blue Ribbon Commission for Diversity and Inter-Group Relations, the College of Southern Maryland, Charles County commissioners and government agencies at the college's La Plata campus.
Many of Saturday's guest speakers shared motivational words.
U.S. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) suggested residents use the forum "to educate us and hopefully educate our children, to bring us together to talk and to overcome … to condemn acts of bigotry," he said.
Waldorf author Angela Dion, who wrote "Let's Talk About Race," served as the event's keynote speaker and discussed what she and her husband, Marc, witnessed as an interracial couple in Charles County.
About 16 years ago, the pair decided "not to be a part of the problem and [more importantly] not to be part of the silence," she said.
She went on to promote open, honest conversations about race and suggested folks "be willing to listen, be willing to recognize your own stuff, be intentional, be willing to laugh, speak something you haven't spoken yet [such as hesitancies and fears]. This is a safe place for you to express honestly."
According to Dion, who led a breakout session, that's exactly what happened.
Participants separated into nine small groups, all of which set out to answer the question, "What racial issue, if solved, would have the most positive impact on Charles County?" said Amy Calvin, county government spokeswoman. "Inevitably, each group [had] a different discussion."
"I was pleased with the level of participation, people were passionate, people were honest," Dion said Monday. "Not everyone agreed, which was great. It wasn't at all politically correct. It was just honest conversation."
As a result, "We have some concrete ideas on how we can improve race relations in Charles County," she said, such as hosting diversity forums at schools and churches and offering them more than once a year at the college.
"We talked a lot about educating teenagers and teachers even. … A couple of people talked about having specific issues in high school with people saying certain things and treating them a certain way and a feeling that teachers didn't know how to properly address what was going on."
Gloria Roberson who has lived in the county for five years believes "diversity is very important," she said, adding that it was her first time attending a diversity forum.
"People were very honest in terms of sharing their personal experiences and what they really thought about diversity and how they react in different situations," she said, adding that "it was very interesting."
People of different skin colors and ethnic groups or backgrounds react differently given the same situation, Roberson said.
Roberson's group also looked at the economic issues in Charles County and the justice system and suggested diversity training for people in various positions as a possible solution.
For Kayleen Edwards, the diversity forum served as a way for her to learn about the community, she said. Edwards moved to Charles County from Knoxville, Tenn., about four months ago.
Although she didn't agree with everything that was said, she liked that it was a controlled environment.
"I think the speakers were awesome," she said. "They spoke louder to me than the group session."
She too, thought "once a year for such a topic as this is too little," she said. "Don't let it stop here. Why not have small groups in homes?"
