I have always thought of myself as a diverse personality, open to differences in race, color, creed, politics, and, on the silly side, fans of opposing sports teams. I was raised that way, even though my adopted parents were white Presbyterians with a black housekeeper, and we lived in a middle-class neighborhood. I went to a grade schools and junior highs that maybe had one black student, with little other ethnic interaction. I was taught to treat others like I would want to be treated myself, and have always followed that philosophy. Honestly, my toughest challenge has been with the fans of opposing teams. They make me angry, jealous, and frustrated when they show their true colors. My bias here is clear!
I had no close, black friends growing up, and any positive racial encounters, once I was on my own, were usually teammates or coworkers. I had one black teacher, no black bosses, joined a fraternity that was all white, worked with only a few non-white clients, and hired one African American employee. It doesn’t speak very highly of my efforts to integrate the world. In fact, it’s embarrassing once I think about it, as I can count the number of close black friends that I’ve greatly enjoyed getting to know on one hand. I wish there had been more opportunities to learn from each other.
I was listening to a sports radio show a few days ago and the subject was diversity. The radio station here in Portland where I finished my working career had only 1 black and 1 Mexican salesperson out of 200 employees. Unfortunately, this is reflective of Portland in general, with less than 3% of the total population composed of blacks and nearly 75% white dominance. The show co-hosts were talking about a diversity networking event in Georgia called “Come Meet a Black Person.” One thought it was a “silly idea,” while the other began reflecting on his experiences, as I just did, and felt that there were so few opportunities for whites and people of color to interact that maybe it was worth the effort. I understand that the response to the event has been phenomenal.
I’ve gone to so many networking events through the years, that I would probably not have attended, but I think that it’s important to create ways to make people of varying backgrounds and ethnicity to share experiences and frustrations. Policy alone can not change the world, but conversation can. I’ve learned a great deal in my first year of retirement about how religion, prejudice, and slavery have created great gaps in society. Wars have been fought and many have died over these issues. I believe in equality, but my track record does not reflect that I’ve been effective in making friends outside of my circle of white faces.
Many of my sports heroes have been black, including Walter Peyton of the Bears; Keith Smart, Isiah Thomas, and Antwaan Randle El of I.U.; Javy Baez, Ernie Banks, and Javier Baez of the Cubs; Minnie Minoso and Frank Thomas of the White Sox; and The Pacer’s Reggie Miller. Their pictures surround me in my office, but I never got to meet any of them. It seems so shallow that it’s sports that forms the black and white bond for me, but I guess that’s better than no connection at all.
I can remember my son saying to me many years ago that Michael Jackson was not black. He proudly could not see the difference in color, so I knew I was on the right track on raising him to be more diverse than myself. Many of my favorite musicians are black, and the good thing about music is that you can’t distinguish black and white from just listening. Music tends to bridge the racial communication gap by demonstrating that emotions are universal, regardless of your background. Artists like Buddy Guy, Diana Ross, Sammy Davis, B.B, King, Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, Jimi Hendrix, just to name a few, have had a great impact on my life. African American actors like Will Smith, Sidney Poitier, Eddie Murphy, Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, and Danny Glover have brought great joy into my life through motion pictures. Each of these stars have helped create positive links between black and white.
I ask you to start by thinking of your connections with the black community, or if you happen to be black, your historic interactions with the white community. I can actually remember that sadly in my home town, the railroad tracks did divide the city, and that there was a “wrong side of the tracks,” depending on your perspective. The tracks are still there, but I can only hope that there has been some progress in crossing from one side to the other. I left my home town long ago, but have found myself in cities like Austin, Texas and Portland, Oregon that have experienced an actual decline in African American populations that were shockingly low already.
Whenever I’m in New York City, I stop to enjoy a “Black and White” cookie. I often think that recently this has been the only diversity in my life. I’ve left behind close black friends in Indiana, Illinois, and Texas, but have not made connections and friendships here in Portland. The problem is that I don’t see them when I’m out and about, and it’s disturbing that we never cross paths. I’ll continue to keep an eye out, but I doubt that in this community that anyone will go out of their way to organize a “Come Meet a Black Person” event. I just hope that if we do meet, they are not wearing the colors of the opposition.