For many, this time of year is a sprint: full speed from Halloween, speed bumping through Thanksgiving on a headlong path to the Holidays and the end of the year. We pack in Star Wars costumes, overeating, travel, wrapping paper and revelry into the smallest window possible. However, for me, my entire immediate family and around 19 million other U.S. veterans, we also sneak in celebration of a holiday that should be ripe for pause and reflection for all of us.
Since I can remember, I’ve been taught to serve. First by my parents, who reminded me often that we “lift as we rise,” and that “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “it’s better to give than to receive,” but if you were to ask your co-workers, family, or friends what it means to give, and whether giving only makes an impact if it has monetary value, I’m sure each person would give you a different response, and it can be hard to identify the “right” way to give, and financial giving isn’t always an option for many families.
Growing up, I was always taught by my parents that in most aspects of life the sum of our parts was greater than the individual pieces. I was also taught that servant leadership – the act of leading and being a contributing member to a community by serving that community – was the way to honor those before you, support those around you, and advance everyone together.
When I think about community, unity, and giving back, what resonates the most with me is the need for our community to unite to better serve individuals and populations in Kansas City that are facing inequity in different areas of their lives.
A year has passed since the nation witnessed the brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police officers, forcing the world to face the undeniable truth that racism and discrimination against black people remains prevalent in society, and signifying there is still much work to be accomplished to achieve equity for our race.
My commitment to education stems from the fact that growing up, I considered a college education unattainable because of family size and income. My parents ensured that there was a home, food, clothes, and gifts for special occasions for seven children. I never felt deprived of anything significant
As the end of 2020 nears, all of us at SchoolSmartKC find ourselves reflecting on what has been one of the most difficult years and what the weeks, months, and years ahead might look like. The year started on an exuberant note with a Super Bowl win, but quickly turned disastrous with a global health pandemic and multiple, tragic events where black lives like George Floyd were cut short.
“To acknowledge our ancestors means we are aware that we did not make ourselves, that the line stretches all the way back, perhaps to God; or to Gods. We remember them because it is an easy thing to forget: that we are not the first to suffer, rebel, fight, love and die.”