Leaders Need to Lead — When a Few College Kids Wanted Change We Made It Happen.

In the 90’s the Clinton Administration launched the “President’s Initiative on Race” — an effort to diffuse tensions following the LA riots and OJ Simpson verdict. It was a nationwide program to open dialog and find solutions to the problems that are so sadly left unresolved today.

Unfortunately the final report of the initiative was overshadowed by President Clinton’s personal misconduct. But the work of so many organizations around the country was recognized and compiled into a publication of “promising practices” in 1998.

Among the efforts profiled by the White House was something we as student leaders launched at the University of Hartford called the Mosaic Initiative.

The Mosaic Initiative provided funding for three student groups to host events together, with the rule being that two of the three could not have previously co-sponsored any programming together before. The funding was distributed at the discretion of a small committee I put together as the Student Body President so that the normal political processes we had for funding would not discourage groups from getting together.

So many wonderful events developed as a result of the initiative we launched. Among them was an African drum workshop co-sponsored by the Music and Arts Management Association, the Office of Multicultural Education, and Nationes Hispanics Unitas. Participants then put on a performance at the late-night campus cafeteria.

Another was a “Freedom Sedar” that brought Hillel together with Brothers and Sisters United and the University’s Women’s Center to share the struggles Jews, African Americans and women have faced throughout history.

Even some unexpected events popped up like a Magic the Gathering tournament sponsored by the Science Fiction Society, a popular fraternity on campus and another group I can’t recall right now.

What was amazing about that academic year was that these events built relationships and opened dialogs that eased tensions that had been brewing throughout my four years at the University.

We developed phone trees for student representatives to be notified immediately when a racist incident occurs on campus. When one did happen we got together and worked the problem productively and collaboratively. We checked in with each other, attended each other’s meetings, and most of all built relationships and trust.

That trust led to very frank discussions where we could safely explore our prejudices and learn about the very different experiences that define who we are. From that came understanding. I treasure that time and yearn for such an effort in our public life today.