Feedback from Monday’s Community Breakfast to Honor Martin Luther King, Jr.

Submitted by Bedford Embraces Diversity

Bedford Embraces Diversity had three goals for its 2018 Martin Luther King Breakfast- to hear from recent graduates of Bedford High School’s METCO program who are currently in college, alumni who graduated from BHS in the 1990s and to get feedback from those in attendance. The breakfast’s final segment was a facilitated discussion led by Reggie Nichols -Director of Affirmative Action at Middlesex Community College. He led the audience in a conversation around themes that had emerged from the program’s presenters. At the very end of the program, Bedford Embraces Diversity asked the audience to share their reactions were to the morning’s program, what they learned from it, or what they felt.

Here are some of the comments, grouped by theme:

On Bedford’s METCO Program

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“My overarching reaction is how impressive the METCO graduates that spoke today are. The ability to interact well with others not like you is a tremendous strength.” – Anonymous

“Learned how important the METCO program is to Bedford, for both Bedford residents and those who came from Boston; also the need for more interaction with parents of kids in the program with families from the Bedford community.” – Anonymous

“Active Bedford seniors would be delighted to be mentors and hosts to METCO students to fill our empty bedrooms and create new connections.” – Anonymous

“I learned about the Bedford METCO program which I wasn’t aware of before. We can do a much better job educating our town on the value and opportunity to support this program and its students!” – Erin Dorr-Bedford Davis School parent

“Good to see the positive efforts of folks at the local level as a counterbalance to the national examples.” – Anonymous

“A wonderful opportunity to share perspectives and concerns on METCO and related topics. Loved the “‘two questions’ and putting our heads together. Keep it up. Let people know if $ are needed.” – Ginni Spencer

“I learned that people are really willing to help the METCO students. The suggestions about how to change the way Metco students and students of color are perceived is amazing and a step in the right direction.” – Naomi Robinson

“I could look around the room and see members of the League of Women Voters and faith groups who were the early advocates and fought for METCO coming to Bedford. I’m proud that we succeeded.” – Lois Pulliam

“We learned a lot about the METCO program. The METCO graduates were great-they embodied the diversity that METCO seeks to foster.” – Anonymous

Inspirational and Reflective

“We are not born with hate. We are not born with fear of each other. We must respect and appreciate each other and those in this room show that we teach our children to appreciate our differences and not fear them. “ – Anonymous

“Wonderful turnout! I do feel that our society has failed our original vision of an integrated society. Three generations of METCO is an accomplishment but in the 1960’s we founders had expected better integration than the US, Boston, and suburbs has achieved.“ – Brown Pulliam

“As a former public school educator, I was amazed at how little Bedford citizens without kids know about what’s going on in the schools. Schools need to reach out to the community more, not just to inform but to educate the community.” – Vito LaMura

“I believe teaching courses like “African-American History” only compounds the us-vs-them problem. Our schools must begin teaching courses that include all ethnic historical experiences.” – Ron Cordes

“These are important and crucial conversations to have in our community and this event was a great start in the process. Race impacts all our lives and pretending we are colorblind just masks the beauty and complexity that different races and cultures provide in our lives and gives us an excuse not to do the really hard work of creating anti-racist communities. Thank you to Bedford Embraces Diversity.” – Anonymous

“We all have to continue to listen to each other.” – Marge Heckman

“So reinforcing to see how we may look different from each other (which makes us interesting), but we have the same feelings and needs of the heart. So uplifting!” – Anonymous

“But how do we as individuals come together to chip away at systemic racism-discrimination in loaning money, pay, and promotion?” – Anonymous

On Bedford Embraces Diversity’s Program

“As a visitor to Bedford and during this program, I realize how much more my (very) upstate New York community should do to “catch up” to the activism level of Bedford. A wonderful program” – Anonymous

“This was a fabulous program; let’s do more! Thank you METCO families for sharing their wonderful children with the Bedford community-we are the lucky ones. – Anonymous

“This MLK celebration was so needed at this time of racial divisiveness. It warmed my heart to hear the positive experiences of former METCO students and how adverse experiences had prepared them for future leadership roles. I also appreciated the diverse attendance and support of the METCO program. Thank You!” – Anonymous

“ I like the idea of expanding this event to other minorities in Bedford( Indian, Asian and other cultures) The table discussion was good-really effective to share. Asking people to sit with people they don’t know is good.” If you are from First Parish that was a challenge!” – M.D.

“Great idea to discuss the diversity issues in the community. However, the discussion time was too limited. I would suggest releasing questions to the group beforehand in order to give attendees time to think about ideas.” – Liz Phipps

“Very nice program. I enjoyed hearing from the METCO students-both from a number of years ago and more recently. They were well spoken. Perhaps, another time have a white student talk about how his/her life has been changed or been influenced by knowing student s in the METCO program.” – Anonymous

“Thank you for having an event that brings multiple generations and racial groups together.” – Claudia Fox Tree

“The program was educational, fascinating and interesting. It was especially good to share experiences with a recent Metco graduate seated at my table. The program left me yearning for more.” – Dee Russell

From the Speakers

“As a speaker, I was honored to help  with this bridge-building event.” – Lennox Chase-90’s graduate

“Today was eye-opening. The people that came today were open and I am happy to see change happening. We need to make diversity more part of the education system.” – Master Sandy, college student

“Today was a great start to opening up the conversation about race, equality, and togetherness.“ – Akil Mondesir, BHS interim METCO Director

“More discussions of inclusion like this one need to happen worldwide. Once the conversation is started then there needs to be understanding.” – ML Bittle-90’s graduate

“As a beginning teacher in Bedford, my best mentors were Delores Reed and Irene Parker. Irene’s son, Terrence Parker, a 5th-grade student of mine continues to be my mentor. Delores motivated me to become an active member of the National Council of Negro Women”. – Anonymous

TO LEARN MORE: Click this link to view images from the breakfast, or this link to read The Citizen’s coverage of the event

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