Principle #7
IN 2000, I INVITED a group of established Latina leaders to talk about the need for additional reinforcements— particularly young women— to continue advancing our community. We realized that our hands-on, long-term experience had made us seasoned leaders. We had succeeded through mutual support, networking, working together, and being groomed by more established leaders. Quite frankly, we weren’t getting any younger, and we wanted to ensure continued Hispanic progress. We were passionate about passing on the leadership legacy established in our community. Thus was born the Circle of Latina Leadership, a year-and-a-half-long intergenerational program that prepares emerging leaders in their twenties and thirties to guide the future of Denver’s Hispanic community.
Bordas, Juana (2012-03-26). Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age (p. 142). Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Sounds to me like the community wasn’t being that all-inclusive, if they suddenly realized they had been omitting the younger generation from the circle. But she does emphasize that any group must look to the generations before and after if they are to keep the continuity of the group going. To do so, she concentrates on the Millennial generation that they are trying to bring into leadership, and the elements shaping it.
A closer look at the Millennial generation offers insights on how they are preparing to lead in this century and have a predilection for following the leadership principles of communities of color. They are an activist generation and by 2016 they will make up 33 percent of the electorate…
Forty percent of Millennials are already Black, Brown, Asian, and American Indian, and a growing percentage are beautiful mixed races. Millennial culture thrives on diversity. According to Jeff Rainer— a twenty-something who coauthored The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation with his boomer father Thom—“Diversity is simply our reality. It has always been a part of my life. Millennials have friends who look different, act different, and believe different. We are diverse.” Even when they say “I do,” one in five marries someone from another race, and a whopping 87 percent said they would be willing to. …
We know that Black, Latino, and American Indian communities have ancient kinships with people from many countries. These were once based on geography, race, culture, and nationality. Today, young people have blasted these relationships wide open. A new international culture is emerging: they dress similarly; listen to world music, with its indigenous fusion flair; download the same shows, news, and movies; and use social media networking to build community. They share concerns for the future, and they stay connected.
Bordas, Juana (2012-03-26). Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age (pp. 145-146). Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Kindle Edition.
I know that was another long quote, but I bring it up because it introduces another interesting situation – the Millenials are lauded for their diversity, and then we are told that they are all the same, a part of the same international culture. So are they diverse or not? Does becoming more diverse make them more alike? Do they sink to the lowest common denominator, or do they achieve greater diversity as they rise.
Which leads to the next quote: one of amazing promise, but one that seems to forget a lot of history, as well:
IN 2002, THE HOPI Indian elders prophesied that a universal tribe— a Rainbow Tribe—was coming that would reflect the iridescent beauty of humanity. This tribe would heal the earth, bring peace and understanding, and undo the damage done by the White civilization. Then the elders said, “The time is now … We are the ones we have been waiting for.” 38
Bordas, Juana (2012-03-26). Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age (p. 152). Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Pardon me for saying I feel slightly maligned by this one. A new tribe is going to come along and undo the damage caused by White civilization. Will this Rainbow be inclusive of Whites? And what damage is going to be undone? Let’s see, how about undoing the damage of: Modern medicine, plentiful food, lack of starvation, longer lifespans. Those close-to-the earth cultures of color were no 24/7 picnic where sweat of the brow labor was concerned.
Or let us consider poverty. It is nice the improvement that White civilization has brought to poverty: one can be in poverty and still have a cell phone, TV, roof over one’s head, etc. I am not against having better stewardship of the earth, I just think people who speak of “damage” don’t always have a full context to put it all in.
Intergenerational leadership also requires changing the way Anglo society relates to “old people.” The dominant culture needs both positive role models of aging— with beauty, strength, and grace —and real understanding of the potential contributions of older people . Fortunately, communities of color respect age and experience; historically, they have venerated older people for their wisdom and called them “elders.”
Bordas, Juana (2012-03-26). Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age (p. 153). Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Here again, I would demure that historically White communities have respected age and experience, through all our wisdom literature. It is only the modern area that has lost this – and those of us who were never moderns never lost it.
So now is a good time to list the 10 essential elements for cultivating intergenerational leadership. Due to length, I am not going to make many comments, just list them for consideration:
- Listen: Deep listening is an ancient tradition that enabled tribal people to reach consensus and craft a shared vision. Today cross-generational communication challenges us to listen and learn from different age groups.
- Be real and walk the talk
- Embrace mutuality and equality: Regardless of age, every person’s talent and experiences are respected and there is shared learning and support. Responsibility is distributed equally.
- Stoke up the network: Younger generations like to work in groups and be part of a network. Create a web of support between people of different ages.
- Tap into your passion and common interests
- Follow through with texting and social networking: Use Facebook, Twitter, and the like to stay in touch and share information, as well as access information on current issues, social causes, and political and social events, and, of course, to build your network.
- Put relationships first: Support and validation may be the most important thing people can offer one another.
- Think continuity: Relationships take time to grow. Family, tribe, village, and geographic community are continuous, lifelong relationships. Communities of color are intact and see relationships as ongoing.
- Remember the power of Sankofa: A historical perspective that helps young people understand and integrate past experiences is one of the great gifts a more mature person offers.
- Use the Seventh-Generation Rule: Listen to the guidance of Chief Sitting Bull: “Let us put our minds together and see what kind of future we can build for our children.”
Bordas, Juana (2012-03-26). Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age (p. 154)-156. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Kindle Edition.
At The Rainbow 