In 2017, I began taking painting lessons. It has been fascinating, exhilarating, challenging, and, more than anything, educational. I have a wonderful teacher. She’s encouraging and inspiring with a real sense of and ability to make the connections between painting and life. While having a competent teacher is vitally important, there are also lessons that …

LIFE LESSONS FROM PAINTING: YOUR SELF PORTRAIT IS NEVER FINISHED Read More »

““My father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I am going to stay here and have a part of it just like you.” — Paul Robeson A disturbingly prevalent pretext developing among White nationalists is the “The Replacement Theory,” which argues that nonwhite immigrants are being imported (sometimes the …

REPLACEMENT THEORY Read More »

In our increasingly fast-paced, interconnected global economy and world community, every issue we face is becoming more complex. Whether these issues are local or global, whether they relate to health care, the environment, governance, poverty, science, technology, or international relations, the challenges we face in this increasingly interconnected and multilayered world are becoming more complicated. …

A SPARK OF CREATIVITY AS THE ORIGINAL SEED OF ALL HUMAN ADVANCEMENT Read More »

The first words our first child heard were my wife’s who, in the middle of a C-section procedure, called out, “Get a chair; my husband’s goin’ down!” After regaining my senses, I was able to shake off this utter failure in my first test of Fatherhood because I was to be the stay-at-home parent. I’d …

EVERY DAY IS FATHER’S DAY Read More »

This isn’t Florida or Texas, so I was a bit surprised when informed that my request of a local bookstore (that will remain unnamed) to stock my most recent book, The Journey of an Old White Dude in the Age of Black Lives Matter: A Primer,” was denied. The reason cited was that “We have a diverse …

MY BOOK’S BEEN “BANNED”: DISAPPOINTMENT OR AN UNEXPECTED BADGE OF HONOR? Read More »

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our ability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences.” Audre Lorde Good sports coaches understand that maximum success requires fully leveraging and utilizing every player’s full range of talents. Each player has a different and unique skill set. The challenge is recognizing, analyzing, encouraging, developing, …

DIVERSITY EQUALS MATURITY AND STRENGTH Read More »

It’s often said that great leaders are born. I disagree. While there may be some for whom assuming leadership positions seems to come naturally, becoming an effective leader involves too much for it to simply “happen.” There are too many skills, habits, and necessary knowledge required to be an effective leader. Like other skills, disciplines, …

LEADERSHIP AS A LIFELONG CRAFT Read More »

“I hate the unfairness of injustice. Anyone who thinks they are better than others or ‘chosen’ or feel they have entitlement … be it through monarchy, government, or money. I think we are all born the same. We are entitled to an equal shot at life.” Liam Cunningham One of the major roadblocks in the …

BORN ON THIRD BASE Read More »

“The white man’s happiness cannot be purchased with the Black man’s misery.” Frederick Douglass Another battle in the fight against racism being fought is whether, and if so, how schools should teach the history of slavery and racism. Given that these issues remain particularly contentious, coupled with our increasingly polarized society, it is no surprise …

CRITICAL RACE THEORY Read More »