As we watch the actions occurring in Washington D.C., we should be reminded of the thinking that says, “think globally, act locally.” In other words, understand and make the effort to understand the big picture—and the whys of that—but ensure you focus on the local issues that need to be addressed to enhance and build healthy communities and a quality of life for every person. If local needs exist and you can help to make a difference, act locally.
COMMUNITY VALUES
In the mid-1980s there was an effort by the communities that make up Eastern Carver County Schools to define a set of values that would guide future growth and development. This effort included the school district itself and Carver County.
At the end of this effort, eight core community values were adopted to provide this foundational development to and for our communities’ future.
These core values included: citizenship, environmentalism, generosity, human worth and dignity, integrity, learning, respect for others and responsibility.
As you can see, some of these values recognized the growth and change that would be occurring across our towns. These values recognized we were going to experience growth in our diversity and the importance of valuing and including every person as a respected member of our community. It meant we respected each other and were responsible to carry out the actions and behaviors that supported these values.
VALUES DRIVEN LEADERSHIP
Effective leadership embraces a belief system—values that build trust and confidence among those being led. Honesty and integrity are primary attributes of effective leaders. Today, we need to expect leaders at every level to place value on every person.
I’ve been drawn to a quote from Hubert H. Humphrey that says, “The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.”
ACT LOCALLY
As we watch the dismantling of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in Washington, we can act locally and say our communities are guided by valuing every person.
Our family knows the impact when our son, who is disabled, is treated equitably, valued, respected and included. So why wouldn’t this inclusion apply to those that are new to our community or to those that may look or sound different than you or me?
We can stand up for each other. I believe most people want to live in a community where they know their neighbors, where they care about each other and look out for each other—no matter their race, color or creed. This is a fundamental belief of America, that we will always respect and value each other.
LINCOLN
The potential and possibility of our country, one country. That is the hope of this message that we can follow the leadership of Abraham Lincoln.
As Lincoln in the face of the Civil War called for the nation to be “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal,” we should learn from our history and apply that same thinking today as we watch and try to understand all that we see going on around us.
It may take the courage to stand up for what we believe in at the local level to ensure we include and treat every person equitably with value and respect. It is what good, healthy communities stand for and what can maximize their potential and possibility.
Let us proudly stand on the shoulders of a leader that shared a message 160 years ago, one he thought the world would little note nor long remember, but powerfully applies today: the proposition that all men are created equal. And let us show that we will never forget, rather we will always remember, and always uphold that proposition.
