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Pastor Ross is a Guest Editorialist
with the Daily Herald Newspaper, Naperville, IL.
Rev. Ross is pastor of the Philip R. Cousin AME Church in Naperville
Click here to return to main news page.
Meeting the challenge of a new era of diversity in suburbs
Rev. Barbara A. Ross
Posted Wednesday, April 13, 2005
When one begins to observe the people they see in banks, doctor’s
offices, churches, grocery stores, shopping malls, recreational
facilities, in our schools and colleges, in the child care industry
— wherever our daily travel takes us — they will see that the
suburbs are becoming more and more diverse. We are in a new era, one
in which diversity presents new challenges to us all.
Diversity is good for us all. We must find ways to equip communities
with the ability and insight to meet these new challenges. We have
to find a way to reach the masses.
One idea I have is to establish new facilities with different
language rooms at which people could meet. These facilities would
accommodate a large group of people who speak different languages.
Each person could go into their particular language room. But by
means of technology, languages could be translated during the
meeting and people could exchange ideas in their own language.
Another idea is to establish exploratory committees, boards and
question and answer sessions to help overcome barriers necessary to
continuing to live together in unity and still be respectful of
different races, cultures, ethnic beliefs and religious beliefs.
We must be open-minded and accept this new era and be ready to face
the challenges that it presents. We must address those things that
prevent us from becoming unified communities, not separated by many
differences. This new era forces us to study and learn more about
our diversity, our strengths and our weaknesses. If this challenge
is left unmet we will not grow to reach our full potential in
producing strong, vibrant and healthy communities. There is no
better time than the present to get started, because it takes time
for us to adapt to change and reform. This new era is not just
affecting our communities now, but will have an impact long into the
future.
The first barrier to clear to take full advantage of diversity in
our communities is language differences. I have already suggested
how we can engage in conversation in native tongues through
technology. However, we can go further. We should offer foreign
language early in the education curriculum and make it a
prerequisite. This itself will tear down many of the other barriers.
One example of this, which the world is aware of now, is how the
late Pope John Paul II demonstrated how powerful a community, a
world, a nation can become when language barriers are overcome.
Because he spoke so many different languages, he was able to bridge
the gap that separated people. He was able to reach the masses by
bringing people together and build stronger individuals, stronger
families, stronger communities, a stronger world and a stronger
nation. His impact will be felt for generations to come as it
continues to bring unity to a very diverse world.
Once the Pope broke the barriers of many different languages, he was
able to meet the challenges that he was faced with in his 26 years
of leading the Catholic Church. By doing so, he raised the standards
for the next pope. We, too, will raise the standards when we conquer
the challenge of diversity in the suburbs.
Note that The Associated Colleges of Illinois will award North
Central College in Naperville a $500,000 grant over five years to
prepare teachers to serve urban, low-income students. The college
will collaborate with school districts in Chicago and East Aurora to
create a learning experience that will give teacher-candidates the
knowledge, skills, practical experiences, mentoring and supervision
needed to teach successfully in disadvantaged communities. This is
just another of many ways that our communities are beginning to face
the challenge of diversity. We must also provide affordable housing.
We have to somehow find a way to reach all people, not just our own
race. To win this challenge it will take all of us being involved.
Pastor Ross can be reached at pastorross@philiprcousinamec.org
Services for Philip R. Cousin AME Church are currently being held at
110 South Washington Street
Naperville, IL 60540
In the old Nichols Public Library
Also known as Truth Lutheran Church
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