I acknowledge that my role as President is not to engage in a conversation about politics. It is my role, however, to set the tone for what The Chicago School stands for, and what we do not stand for. I regularly draw back all events, both internally and externally, to our values. It was those values that drew me to The Chicago School as a student in 1995, a fresh immigrant from Ireland. It has been those values that sustained my deep commitment to The Chicago School ever since. It is from this perspective that I share my thoughts below.
While the events of January 6 were an unsuccessful attempt to subvert the will of millions of voters, they succeeded in fomenting fear and uncertainty in the rest of the country, my living room included. The day showed us the strength of America’s democracy, but also its fragility. It is a reminder to us that we must continue to uphold the values of critical thinking, inclusion, compassion, and respect for others.
The democracy of the United States was tested, and I am personally hopeful that it will be made stronger from the effort. The siege was a reminder that racism, classism, and the feelings of being left behind or unheard are deep-rooted problems in this country, problems that we all need to recognize and deal with. I urge all in the The Chicago School community that when you reflect on what has happened, discuss it through the lens of those issues. Ask yourself how the event played out for those in our community who have been marginalized because of race, gender, sexuality, or religion. Remember our values of diversity and inclusion and look forward to change, knowing that the task of ensuring that social justice is achieved and our democracy is strengthened belongs not just to a chosen few, but to all of us.
As you do that, continue to take care of your and your families’ emotional wellbeing. Right now, there is so much to deal with, and just as we think nothing can be added to the current layers of stress, something new comes our way. Keep yourself balanced and centered in the face of so much adversity as so many of us had to learn to do in 2020. Our own Dr. Cynthia Langtiw offered some great advice in her interview with NPR’s “The 21st Show”, including letting yourself experience the full array of your emotions, regrouping when you need to, and knowing that you are not helpless. You can take meaningful and helpful action.
In closing, I’d like to remind us all that we didn’t just see a mob waving the Confederate flag in the Capitol Building this week, we also saw Georgia elect both its first Black and Jewish senators. We grow, we learn, and we change. When I walked out of the door of O’Hare airport in 1994 as a newcomer to America, it was with the ideals that this is the greatest country on Earth, a beacon of hope, and an exemplar for all nations. I still believe that. I still experience that at The Chicago School, we are a place that is mission and value-driven, we are a place where our efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion is authentically more than aspirational, we are a place where we have come together to contribute to American society in one valued way after another.