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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Inspired by Michael Baisden

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

Reprinted from iseecolor.com


Touched by your leadership


* Posted by Sarah Siegel on November 3, 2008 at 5:21pm

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent my employer's positions, strategies or opinions.

Recently, I heard Cornel West on your show, praising your leadership. I was first impressed by you when you played "I'll Be Around" by the Spinners when discussing helping gay, (lesbian, bisexual and transgender) youth to feel less alone. [Ed. Note: Thinking more about this, I think Michael Baisden was referring to how parents, or older relatives, could react lovingly to gay (GLBT) kids coming out, and then he announced this song and then played it.]

In 1987-90, when I lived in Chicago, I was a youth group advisor for a GLBT youth group and I know that all of the youth would have loved the inclusive message you sent by playing that song in the context of the discussion you were leading.

Tonight, on my way home to Montclair, New Jersey from Westchester County, I listened to you tell a caller that you're not interested in erasing color, but rather in continuing to notice it. I agree. Part of your point, I think, was that it'll never not be noticed anyhow.

My reason for wanting not to erase color is purely affirmative: It's the same as my not wanting to erase any differences among people. How boring the world would be if all of us tried to assimilate to a particular standard.

Please keep your strength and keep going with your messages!

Sincerely,

Sarah Siegel (http://sarahsiegelstories.blogspot.com)

Tags: color, difference, glbt, inclusion, race

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