OneWorld, Inc Celebrates 13 Years of Conversations & Forums
On June 9, 1996, the organization now known as OneWorld Progressive Institute, Inc. was born as a television program intended to address what was then a lack of meaningful public community conversations around issues that people cared about. We started with looking at people in our community who were doing good work in the trenches. Our first community profiles were of:
- Elsie Cofield for her work with AIDS Interfaith;
- Anne Calabresi for LEAP, and state senator
- Toni Harp for her work in the legislative trenches trying to make a difference by focusing on accountability in govt and getting people positively involved in local government.
We moved on to Sheff V O’Neil, the school desegregation case. I was one of the state facilitators and I had responsibility for Region 1: Danbury and the 11 adjoining towns. It was a challenging and daunting task. For the first meeting my co-facilitator, who was Caucasian, and I arrived in separate cars. My car was surrounded by a group of demonstrably hostile Caucasians who demanded to know if I was there to destroy their community. My co-facilitator was not asked any such questions. Thankfully, there were many more Caucasians who participated in our planning and coordination programs, and who made it possible for meaningful agreements to be reached. My hope is that 15 years after those set of experiences we have moved forward and that the predominant forces continue to be the positive ones. However, those experiences and what was going on in schools across CT helped to form the backdrop for our first TV programs called “Looking Into The 21st Century.” Today makes it 13 years of learning, and the challenges are just as daunting. However, if we give up it will only get worse. We must be resilient.
We conducted several forums on the case of Sheff V O’Neil. In those days it was easy to get education officials, teachers and parents to participate. The discussions were honest, civilized and passionate. I learned a great deal, and I believe the participants learned from each other. Today getting education adminstrators to the table for open and honest dialogue is not as easy; people have reservations. Some want ”a script” before agreeing to a conversation. However, when we step back and look at the total picture, we can empathize. We have gained somethings and lost others; the essential question is – have we made overall advancements in ways that are meaningful to our children and to the broader society? I think we have; we also have a long way to go to being at our BEST. It takes courage to stand up for what we believe is right. However, all that is necessary for evil to flourish is for people of goodwill to do nothing. As a community we need to pay attention and be supportive of those doing good (such as Curtis Hill who is using older computers to try and close the divital divide) for the benefit of all.
In 2009 the price of being honest and open seems to be greater. In many instances and in costly ways CYNICISM has taken the place of commitment to community and to the GREATER GOOD. There is a meanness in areas of our community that is extremely costly to many who can least afford the price; as a result our entire community suffers. When we lack the courage to stand up against tyranny we are all the worst off. Maya Angelou in her recent poem talks about the Haters in our midst. Let us NOT allow hate and pittiness to flourish. The good among and about us is far greater than that which is negative. When people of goodwill stand together evil cannot flourish. Cynicism weakens us.
As we move into our 14th year, we invite the community to join us in presenting positive opportunities for the boader community to come together to actualize what is BEST about us. Today our TV programs called “21st Century Conversations” focus on health literacy, education at-every-level and on civic engagement. We are on many public access stations. If you do not see us, ask your public access station to carry the program. We make VHS and DVD copies available free to public access stations throughout CT. We thank all those who help us every day to make our programs the best that they can be. Copies of all of our educational programs are available to the public for a very small fee. Please call us or send an email. Please browse our web site to learn more.
N’Zinga Shani, Executive Director OneWorld Progressive Institute, Inc.