I learned of the news in Ferguson while at the airport en route to what many still think of as a white man's institution and am so far, the only American-born Asian female I have met at a graduate/professional program with a black female student council president.
I'm not usually one to avoid painful things on a personal level, but I tend to stay away from this kind of big news when it first erupts because I lack the capacity to process what exactly is happening. That was last week, though, and tonight I find myself reflecting on the problems that plague this country. Over the past few days, as I settled into life in New Haven, I got updates about Ferguson mostly from friends posting about it on on Facebook, and my heart was troubled.
On a side note, promoting awareness of social issues via social media is a valid way to counteract the proliferation of self-promotion that goes on. My brother does this well, and I found his posts to be a timely (albeit indirect) answer to some of the musings in my earlier post about the use of Facebook.
As Orientation to Yale Divinity School began to unfold, I met many people (incoming class is nearly 150) from all walks of life and a huge variety of backgrounds. Besides the sea of white faces, there were also African-Americans, Jamaicans, Koreans, and other individuals of color whom I have noticed but have yet to meet. People here are very sure of their own Identity--where they come from; how their background has shaped them; what areas in which they have beliefs and what areas in which they don't; what their interests are; what they hope to do; and the best way they express themselves--without letting that sense of identity cloud their ability to accept and connect with other people.
At least, that's how everyone is quite successfully coming across in this First Impressions stage of the journey.
There is a lot to sort through as I settle in and figure out how I fit in to this environment. There are so many kinds of people represented at Yale Divinity School, and it's refreshing and overwhelming at the same time. I have always loved having different social circles and relating with people from different backgrounds, and there is great potential for that here. As draining as it can be for an introvert (as much as it annoys me and people around me, that is the Identity with which I label myself the most--yes I have a problem but ain't dealing with it just yet) I am determined to do whatever I can to be a bridge between the genders, classes, races, and ethnicities--or at least, less ambitiously, to contribute towards things that promote a healthy shaping of how people with Differences interact in this Space.
See, I'm already beginning to pick up Divinity School lingo… I'm sorry if you find it pretentious! Just experimenting with how I will appropriate the language that I've been hearing around me...
In all seriousness, though, I truly think that "bridging" is one of those things that has often found its way into my life whether I was looking for it or not. It certainly brings a lot of healthy tension to my inner being, despite the placid face I try to present to the world around me. As a naturally indecisive person, I am able to accommodate many viewpoints without having to quickly form opinions or judgements. As an empathetic listener, I also seem to invite people to reveal their problems to me. That hasn't begun happening just yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it does soon.
As my weekend begins and I find myself homework-less (and car-less) the weekend before school starts, my thoughts go out to the insane damage that has been wrought, and what in my younger years would have been anger that made me tremble convinces me today that there is work that needs to happen and that I need to be a part of it. I no longer have the energy to be avidly militant about injustice, but I know that I intend to get myself into a posture of supporting the Fight that others are engaged in and in aiding the Work that desperately needs to be done.
[A note on my use of words: I have yet to learn the language that best serves this kind of a discussion, so please forgive anything that has not been stated in the best manner possible]
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