Demone Carter, Urbanism XXXVI
(photo credit: Lan Nguyen)
Reminders of how cruel human beings can be bombard us every day. From wars abroad to mass shootings at home, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that violence is an immutable part of human nature. But, when we look at humankind aspirationally, we usually only see our best selves –diplomats marshaling peace without bloodshed, community organizers sparking nonviolent social change, sworn enemies finding a way to coexist. In the best versions of ourselves, we talk shit out.
The belief in humanity’s positive potential was embodied in Joseph Jaworki’s original vision for the American Leadership Forum (ALF) — that is, to bring together leaders from multiple sectors to build deep trust and learn how diverse people can coalesce around issues and discover new possibilities.
My ALF class experience was in line with Jaworski’s original intent. I had dedicated time and space to build relationships with leaders who I may not have otherwise met and with whom I definitely didn’t always agree. Through my ALF experience, I came to better understand the power of creating a container for conversations that don’t typically happen. As all senior fellows know, the ALF approach is very methodical and for good reason. After all, the type of talk that we need to engage in takes time and multiple conversations.
We also know that as leaders in Silicon Valley, one luxury we do not have in 2019 is time. Change is coming at an unprecedented pace. The housing crisis and the attendant spike in homelessness is just one example of a rapidly mushrooming problem that shows no signs of abating. With this in mind, it is worth asking what should the tone and pace of our conversations be when the proverbial house is on fire?
For example, in my role as Senior Program Manager for the School of Arts and Culture at MHP (a creative and cultural institution in the predominantly working-class immigrant community of East San Jose), I work with folks facing the intersectional threats of displacement, cultural erasure, deportation, and substandard education. As such, when I engage with leaders from the ALF network, I want to push for solutions in real-time. I know that our network alone cannot solve everyone’s problems. Yet, my fear is that we can become too self-satisfied with just having a civil dialogue. Often, I am left with the feeling that the positional power of the people in the ALF Silicon Valley chapter could be leveraged for greater social impact. I believe that we can do more.
We must move beyond dialogue. We must act. Whether it is galvanizing cross-sector partners to push across policies that redress historical wrongs, address discrimination, and protect our most vulnerable communities OR using one’s positional power to make systems more equitable. Dialogue is a starting point, action gets us across the finish line.
Our region is world-renowned for being innovative, with many of the leaders in ALF leading the charge to bring new things into the world. How might that approach to innovation positively impact the lives of Silicon Valley’s most vulnerable residents? It behooves us to find out before it is too late.
Demone Carter is the Senior Program Manager with the School of Arts and Culture, a creative and cultural hub in East San Jose. He is also an arts advocate, rapper and host of the DAD BOD RAP POD.
