Tag: dei
-
3 Ways to Stand Up Against Hate

Recently a group of people held a racist demonstration on a highway overpass in the St. Louis area, my hometown. It was a sad sight. The masked individuals held up Nazi flags and a banner proudly touting white supremacist language. Along with sadness, it was surreal for me to witness this deplorable sight. Unfortunately, I’m…
-
What is Psychological Safety?

All parents share a core desire for their children. My wife and I share in this as well. Many things are important to us including academic rigor, cultural development, and diversity are key. But the greatest and nonnegotiable factor for our children is safety. Wherever we send our little ones, we want certainty that they…
-
The Blessing of Disagreement

“Everything just looked blurry!” That’s what I told my mom and my kindergarten teacher. School was frustrating because I couldn’t see what was on the board, even when I sat in the front row and squinted. But, thankfully, things changed when I told others what I saw and that allowed them to help me. After…
-
People of Reconciliation

When you hear the term “reconciliation” what comes to mind? In America, “racial reconciliation” can be volatile and is usually hotly discussed, or avoided, depending on the setting. While race is a relatively modern concept (concurrent with the transatlantic slave trade), people have always found reasons to separate from each other. Some of these reasons…
-
Stigma Pressure

Can stereotypes be detrimental even if you don’t believe them? In Whistling Vivaldi, Dr. Claude Steele addresses the idea of stigma pressure. Some common stereotypes in America are: These and many other erroneous assumptions have wreaked havoc on our culture and continue to damage relationships. Further, the beliefs and assumptions of the general culture can…
-
3 Ways to Disagree Well

Do you feel like this when approaching conflict? Most people deal with conflict through avoidance or hostility. They either: There is a better way to deal with disagreements. Focusing on these three things will shift most of your conflict from hurtful to helpful conversations. 1. Focus on the main goal Conflict happens when coworkers or…
-
Unoffendable

As someone that regularly speaks on race and religion (somehow politics seems to sneak its way in too), I often find myself facilitating very polarized arguments. Our society is increasingly embracing the opposite of James 1:19 and instead embracing stubbornness in listening to others, and quickness in getting angry. In the middle of these discussions,…
-
This is a Man’s World?

In his 1966 classic James Brown sings: This is a man’s world, but it would be nothing without a woman or a girl Brown gets half of this line right. In this song he endeavors to list the achievements that men have developed over the course of history while noting the vital maternal roles that…
-
What is God’s View of Women?

Sadly, many competent and godly women have been hurt and their gifts have been undervalued due to ignorance or chauvinism. Yet, God created women to reflect His image just as much as men. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27…
