2/20/2023 0 Comments Are you listening to meIn moments like this, gap bridging surely seems impossible. Now we all know the experience of scrolling through Facebook and suddenly becoming red in the face while coming across a family member who has posted something that you strongly disagree with. Envision a world that’s currently polluted with dividers and walls, to be broken down to conversations had with understanding and empathy for one another. Then we can start to bridge the gap between us. Once we can recognize this truth, we can start to have courageous conversations with those who differ from us and seek to learn more about what values they hold and why they feel stronger or differently about certain issues. But we mustn’t forget that the candidates on both sides, along with their supporters, have values that they hold dear to their hearts. We have all likely sat down to watch the recent debates and only listened to the side that we identify with and dismissed the other. I think it is safe to assume that many of us have not used our listening skills during this highly emotional election season. Especially in times of such polarizing political contexts as we are currently in. Although listening may seem like a skill we should all be able to do flawlessly, many of us forget to use it. My recent participation in the BTG program is what changed my mindset and pushed me to have a challenging conversation with the student I previously mentioned. Bridging the Gap (BTG) is a program, founded by Simon Greer, that focuses on bridging divides through learning the art of listening and putting that learning into practice. This is the core of the Bridging the Gap model. We must have listening ears and fight the urge to attack with rebuttals and quick comebacks. Once we have a shared understanding of the need for deeper engagement, we must be willing to listen to the “other” whomever that “other” is. To see that the state of our nation is desperately in need of something new – a new way of engaging with one another. You must first have the will to want to have these conversations. What does it look like to move forward? How do we have more of these tough conversations? It starts with willingness. While the conversation was difficult and imperfect, it was a step in the right direction. It also allowed me to see him in a more humanistic way. Through this conversation, I had the opportunity to learn more about his life and experiences, and while his story did not excuse his comment, listening to him was a tool by which I was able to gain more insight. It wasn’t easy and it did not end in the two of us seeing eye to eye and living in perfect harmony, but, it was a start. But rather than remaining shocked and angry, I challenged myself to sit down with the student and have a conversation. I was shocked that someone that I saw every day on campus, could make such a hurtful and impactful statement. The comment was hurtful, and my classmates and I struggled to find the right words to say in the moment. He was referring to police brutality in America and comparing it to black on black crime. He said something along the lines of black people are focused on police killing them when they should stop killing each other. While attending Spring Arbor University, a classmate made a comment that caused the rest of our class to fall into complete silence. I can recall challenging myself recently to have a difficult conversation as a college student. Americans have become comfortable living within a frame informed entirely by assumptions instead of challenging themselves to look beneath the headlines and engage with others through conversations. Or, drive down a street and assume the driver ahead of you is anti-Black Lives Matter based upon their MAGA sticker. In the current climate of America, it is far too easy to go into a store and assume one’s political party based on a mask. Kristina Grace is a student-athlete at Spring Arbor University and is also a partnerships coordinator at Bridging the Gap.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |