Greenville Magazine - June 2008 - (Page 28)

The Future Face of Change The opportunity for change that has him most excited is the implementation of the Greenville Youth Cross-Cultural Leadership Council (GYCCLC). For the past few weeks, a group of high school students from diverse backgrounds: white, African-American, Asian, Indian and Hispanic, have been meeting to work on a cross-cultural communications project called OUR Radio. The immediate goal is to create a radio program that will showcase the different cultures and bring them together. The students who are working together will handle every aspect of producing the show from organizing playlists of music to selling advertising. The long-term implication? “These kids are learning to work together, to recognize their differences and put them aside to make the show. We told them, ‘this is your project, your voice,’ asked them to designate a leader and learn how to work through conflict,” says Guy. He chuckles as he recalls that even he continues to have some biases. “I thought the leader was going to be this one, big guy. But I left the room as they were talking about it, and when I came back in the leader was little Treisy,” he says, shaking his head. “That is what happens,” he continues, “We are teaching them that there are no bad ideas. Just take it to the table and work it out.This will translate to the workplace someday.” “There is a difference between a diverse population and an integrated population,” says Cristina Schleifer, communications director for The Capital Corporation, an investment banking firm based in Greenville. She believes, especially in the financial business, that gender is as big a divider as race. “How do we get women and young girls interested in finance? It seems like a very segregated field,” she muses. Guy says that the experiment with OUR Radio will help break down those barriers. “This is not just a racial program, it encompasses everything.” Phyllis Martin, executive director of the YWCA and a co-moderator of the youth group says, “Teenagers are more willing to work with one another – to accept new ideas, thoughts and feelings, and to have candid and honest dialogue with a genuine openness.” “Having a program for youth is a good thing,” says Ava Smith, owner of HR Specialties, a human resources consulting firm. Smith is contracted to do diversity training for many corporate clients. She believes, “This is the first time we have all four generational groups in the work place: Builders, Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y, and the mixture is just growing. Approaching youth before they enter the workplace will set the mind to diversity vs. training later,” Smith says. “If they learn as youth it becomes a lifestyle, and it becomes easier to buy into value of diversity.” Creating a Safe Space Guy believes the teens’ openness is due to the non-judgmental environment and ground rules set by the moderators. Derrick Quarles, a 20-year-old student at Paine College in Augusta, Ga., and graduate of Southside High School is one of the members of the GYCCLC. He describes an initial situation that could have turned into a conflict, but instead became a learning experience. “One of the young men mistakenly called the Hispanic girls Mexican. They were a little offended at first, but then realized the only way to go forward was to just point out the mistake. They are Puerto Rican. They were able to tell the young man that there are many different cultures that fall under the Hispanic umbrella. Now he knows.” A similar opportunity arose between black and white participants.With direction from the moderators, the teens discussed some tough issues such as perception.Though the participants in this program must maintain good grades and have no disciplinary problems, they are well aware of those peers that are not successful in school. It is a fact that the majority of students in Greenville County schools that are suspended (both in-school and sent home) are African American. Guy explained how one young woman pointed out the confrontational nature of African American students’ responses to teachers. He was very proud of the way she explained that there was a way to handle conflict so that they wouldn’t be penalized for disagreeing. Quarles’ says his experience in the group has made him optimistic. “I don’t think race will matter in the future. Color won’t make a difference. I don’t think that the older generations will be as misunderstanding of younger people.” The radio show will air the first Sunday in May on 103.3 FM. Guy says he hopes it will be the first of many, and will be a forum to spark dialogue across the youth community in all parts of Greenville. Bottom Line = Time + Money Guy is as optimistic as the teens he moderates. “I really believe we can change perception and attitude about racism. I think we can transform the community. Over the long run we can all benefit.” One of those benefits is economic development. “Race and gender inequality are economic issues. It is very difficult to separate them from economics – or class,” asserts Phyllis Martin. She points out that women still make almost .30 less per dollar than men depending on industry – and African American women make even less. “If we worked to close the existing gender gap – that is to create pay parity for women, the result would be a gain $16.9 billion in household earnings annually in South Carolina.” The total includes both the increased earnings of women and the additional earnings that stand to be generated due to the expenditures of the new female earnings. Martin says another 144,000 jobs would be created again because of the new in-state spending supported by the new female earnings. Attitudes don’t change overnight, even with the prospect of more dollars in the local economy. Schleifer says, “I don’t know of any initiative taking place that has generated immediate results. Diversity is something that takes time. I’m not saying we shouldn’t strive for it, but we should be thinking, ‘how do we do this long term?’” Lissette Traynor, ESL program coordinator for Greenville Tech, asserts, “Today, everywhere you turn, you see faces of varying colors and many different languages spoken. What is definitely much more debatable is whether the attitudes are changing as well. Here is where our greatest challenge lies; not only do we need to incorporate these new ‘faces’ into our communities, but we need to see them as an asset to our own development.” GM 28 Greenville maGazine | may/june 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Greenville Magazine - June 2008

Greenville Magazine - June 2008 Contents From the Publisher My Greenville Everyday Heroes Tackling Diversity Greenville’s Gone Global In The Lead From the Pros Anderson Suburban Sprawl Wellness The REAL State of Real Estate Something to Bark About Minority-owned Business A Look Back 1-Tank Trips Private School Resource Guide After Hours The Bulletin Around Town Viewpoints

Greenville Magazine - June 2008

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