| My friend and brother Abdou Kattih asked me to speak at the Love Your Neighbor event yesterday (Sunday the 26th). I am including a copy of the speech below. It was an honor to speak at this event with such a diverse group of people listening. It was actually a bit intimidating too! Anyway, check it out. Abdou asked me a few weeks ago to speak for a minute at this great event. I must admit I am typically not intimidated or nervous but this was different. What do I say to a group of people that already get it? What can I possibly add to or encourage you with? I look across this group and I see MY community. I see people of every color, every origin, language, faith and more. All the reasons that people divide themselves and let the powers that be divide them. You are all here. NOT divided. Together. Celebrating each other, our differences, our collective uniqueness. And this reminds me of the first conversation I ever had with Abdou Kattih. We met because someone thought we should meet. We are not from the same place. We are not of the same faith. We are not the same color. But we are neighbors and have become brothers. Because we understand, like all of you do, that our community is stronger when we acknowledge and celebrate our differences within the context of our sameness. Abdou taught me in that first conversation that the old analogy of the great American melting pot (shout out to Schoolhouse Rocks) needed to be updated. Instead of everyone coming to America and melting away who they were and where they came from to become a homogenous boring mixture, we should instead become a big wonderful salad. Each part retaining its individual identity while simultaneously acknowledging how much better we are all mixed together. Yeah, you are still lettuce and lettuce is wonderful, but dang it is better with some tomato, cucumber, pickles, onions, croutons, dressing and cheese. And that ladies and gentlemen is what makes this community better. Acknowledging we are better and stronger together while still appreciating each flavorful contribution. That is community. That is loving your neighbor. That is what America should be striving for. So, as I land the ship, spend some time with each other. Learn something today. Get excited about someone’s “strange” or “weird” custom. Celebrate it. Remember it. Tell someone the story. Also, be proud of your story. Share it. I want to know it. I know others do too. Acknowledge those differences but also look for the ways we are all the same. How do we make community. How do we make the salad out of all these wonderful ingredients? We have the ability. We have the pieces. It is up to US to make it happen. |
