THE EXPERIENCES within Sustained Dialogue are notmonolithic. Critics misrepresent the nature of the organization and what it seeks to achieve.
Sustained Dialogue's dual agenda is to empower our participants to solve problems by healing broken and damaged relationships so that we can better and more honestly deconstruct historical inequities and institutional barriers.
SD does not, and never has, believed in a color-blind society.In fact, it recognizes race as profoundly influential in everyday life.However, SD does not provide an answer for race conflict; what we do is create a space that provides participants an avenue for discussion which we believe is not readily available.
Our's are not dialogues of tolerance nor do we teach tolerance -- we are an organization that promotes change.In actuality, numerous group dialogues have been devoted to speaking about how "tolerance" in our community is not enough.
Given the prevalence of race issues in our community, one would be mistaken to claim that not all students are affected by this issue. All members, minorities and non-minorities, are in dialogues to have an individual voice and not to teach.In that same vein, De-Stereotype Day seeks to create an opportunity to discuss stereotypes, which affect everyone, through conversations that would not occur otherwise.
Stereotypes exist.This is an indisputable fact. Bringing stereotypes to the surface is the only way to force people to address their prevalence and impact. De-Stereotype Day, a social action project started by a single dialogue group, does not create or reproduce these stereotypes but rather stimulates discussion about assumptions that are often not questioned.
Furthermore, the research that served as the basis for critics arguments are not only outdated, but also derived from hearsay and misunderstanding. From the inception of SD, the discussion of historical struggles and inequalities has been integral to all dialogues. Additionally, every year the dialogue process addresses theory and has been adapted to better meet the changes in these complex issues. Moderators are expected to connect their dialogues to race theory. Discussions on educational disparities, modern day minstrelsy, and the racial implications of the ways we conceive of crime are examples of some of our most fruitful and eye-opening dialogues.These discussions require an integration of experience and theory.While we stress the importance of sharing personal experiences, we do not discount the importance of theory.
Race theory is better understood by placing abstract claims in a humans experiential context.An approach which confronts racial attitudes and works for institutional reform is essential to achieving a society which, as of now, lives only in our dreams.
If you can't see yourself as affected by abstract theory then how applicable are they to us? An analogy can be drawn to international peace processes.While peace treaties may stop tangible conflict, they merely create a cold peace. It does not change attitudes and relationships between people.Sustained Dialogue wants members of our community to invest in more than superficial signatures and pledges; rather, we desire thoughtful consideration of our social reality.
Jamin An and Ava V. Baker are the current and former chairs of Sustained Dialogue, respectively.
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