By John Wiley
On August 28, 1963, a crowd of over 250,000 marched on Washington D.C. in oneof the largest protests for human rights in American history. The mostly AfricanAmerican mass of people and their multiracial, interfaith allies converged onthe National Mall to demand economic equality and racial justice. This GreatMarch on Washington concluded with a stirring speech by Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr., who eloquently laid out a vision of a post-segregationist America. Inhis now famous "I Have a Dream" speech, King discussed the "fierce agency ofnow" and challenged Americans everywhere to act with a disobedient civilityagainst the forces of oppression.
Sixty years later and that fierce agency of now is more prevalent than ever.However, the charge to act with a disobedient civility has often beenoverlooked. But what did Dr. King mean by this? In order to make real thepromises of democracy, King understood that he had to delve deep intodifferences in order to get to a place of reciprocal understanding. To achievethis, systems of domination and oppression had to be disobeyed in order tobuild a more civil, moral society that embraced inclusion, equity, andbelonging. From the top of the Lincoln Memorial, King stated, “but there issomething that I must say to my people...In the process of gaining our rightfulplace, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds...We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline."
#Monarchs"ACE"Civility
Last month, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity undertook an aggressive campaign to promote several tenets of civility across the campus community: kindness, empathy, politeness, and respect. Nationally, August has been designated as Civility Month. Inspired by the principles of Dr. King, this campaign has been utilized to create an atmosphere of understanding and belonging.
Last month, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity undertook an aggressive campaign to promote several tenets of civility across the campus community: kindness, empathy, politeness, and respect. Nationally, August has been designated as Civility Month. Inspired by the principles of Dr. King, this campaign has been utilized to create an atmosphere of understanding and belonging.
At OIED, we realize that because of our unique and diverse experiences, what one deems as civil behavior may differ from someone else. Our task is building a collective understanding in order to find common ground. In this way, we begin to reconcile our differences. And this is why it is important for Monarchs to be AWARE, CULTURALLY COMPETENT, and ENGAGED with each other!
Just as the participants of the 1963 March on Washington united against the forces of oppression, we must unite under the moniker of civility to push forward the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Beloved Community is one of justice, equity, and inclusion.
OIED is committed to promoting civility across the campus community throughout the academic year. And as we continue this pursuit, please join us and the Center for Faculty Development October 31st as we host a panel discussion on "The Importance of Civility and Cultural Humility in the Academic Workplace." Check out our Civility Month campaign here.