AUBURN - One of children's most endearing and intriguing qualities is their insatiable curiosity.
As they grow up, every child asks “Why?” hundreds of times, building both intellectual and emotional strength as they learn just how the world works.
Abdur-Rahim Muhammad, a Cayuga County chaplain and youth counselor, believes that same curiosity in adults can solve many of society's race and diversity issues.
Muhammad, along with a dozen other area residents, was on hand at the Booker T. Washington Community Center Saturday afternoon for a community-wide dialogue program called “One Great Human Family Day.”
The session, that included poetry readings and a video presentation, was an extension of Auburn Community-Wide Dialogues, a local organization that regularly holds “dialogue circles” in which people meet weekly to discuss racism, Muhammad said Saturday during a break.
“Our dialogue groups usually have 10 to 14 people who meet two hours a week for six consecutive weeks, and we go through a structured program of reading about and discussing racism and how it extends to groups and institutions,” he said.
After each series of meetings, he explained, the groups are responsible for holding some type of activity to promote racial harmony.
“Today's program is an example of those activities,” he said.
The meeting began with guests enjoying hamburgers, hot dogs and snacks, then Muhammad showed a video that included speeches from famous leaders and clips of several movies, including “Glory,” a film about a black Civil War regiment.
The poetry readings were highlighted by Muhammad's recitation of his original poem “A Very Human Being” which was an appeal to people's consideration and humility.
“I bet I know the question every single one of you asked most when you were little. And that question was 'Why?'” Muhammad said after finishing the poem.
“That curiosity is something that moves us and allows us to act in our own thought. The challenge for us as adults is to ask why again and not be satisfied until we get an answer,” he said. “This allows our minds to grow yet again and we can more easily understand people's differences.”
Abdur-Rahim Muhammad, a Cayuga County chaplain and youth counselor, believes that same curiosity in adults can solve many of society's race and diversity issues.
Muhammad, along with a dozen other area residents, was on hand at the Booker T. Washington Community Center Saturday afternoon for a community-wide dialogue program called “One Great Human Family Day.”
The session, that included poetry readings and a video presentation, was an extension of Auburn Community-Wide Dialogues, a local organization that regularly holds “dialogue circles” in which people meet weekly to discuss racism, Muhammad said Saturday during a break.
“Our dialogue groups usually have 10 to 14 people who meet two hours a week for six consecutive weeks, and we go through a structured program of reading about and discussing racism and how it extends to groups and institutions,” he said.
After each series of meetings, he explained, the groups are responsible for holding some type of activity to promote racial harmony.
“Today's program is an example of those activities,” he said.
The meeting began with guests enjoying hamburgers, hot dogs and snacks, then Muhammad showed a video that included speeches from famous leaders and clips of several movies, including “Glory,” a film about a black Civil War regiment.
The poetry readings were highlighted by Muhammad's recitation of his original poem “A Very Human Being” which was an appeal to people's consideration and humility.
“I bet I know the question every single one of you asked most when you were little. And that question was 'Why?'” Muhammad said after finishing the poem.
“That curiosity is something that moves us and allows us to act in our own thought. The challenge for us as adults is to ask why again and not be satisfied until we get an answer,” he said. “This allows our minds to grow yet again and we can more easily understand people's differences.”
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