Reply to What should we PS3 Liberal Activist Gentrifiers do, and not do?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP, don't let the haters get you down.  It is hard to be flip about a serious topic, but if more people didn't take themselves so seriously, DCUM might be more entertaining.  Or less, actually, as it's usually the humorless folks who unintentionally provide humor.

Anyway, been there and still there, though after 4 years we're definitely well accepted.  Here are some of my mistakes and thoughts:

1.  Assuming it was about race. It's not, really, it's about SES.  I didn't realize there would be higher income folks who were African American or Hispanic.  My mistake.  (the fact is, we do tend to hang out with people who we are more like.  I was more like the higher income folks, whether they were black, white brown or purple, and now have plenty of friends who look different than me, but have very similar life experiences.  I'm not yet really doing well making personal friends (ie, friends outside of school) with people who are really, really really different).  
2.  Realize kids don't notice AT ALL.  That was kinda surprising to me.  Kids truly are blind to all of it.  
3.  Listen more than talk at first.  
4.  Respect a huge thing in certain cultures.  Treating other people with deference and respect goes a long way.  
5.  Stick with it - I've heard "white people" muttered derisively under their breath by folks I've annoyed.  I've now heard some of those same people laugh "white people" out loud in a friendly, joking way (like, um, dance at the school dance.  What can I say).  Sometimes it takes time and familarity.  
6.  As many others have said, get to know the kids, and the rest will follow.  
7.  One of the things I really needed schooling on was understanding what everyone brought to the table.  I had my email and my eletronics and my business sense and raising money.  It took me a while to recognize the contribution others were making to the classroom and the school that were things I just wouldn't have thought of.  Some of the hispanic parents spent far more time in that classroom than I ever could and were more into the day to day activities and volunteering immediate needs, while I thought it was all PTA and raising money.  Neither is right or wrong, we need both.

You'll be fine.  There might be some uncomfortable moments, but overall it'll be fine.  [/quote]

#1 and #2 make me really sad. How you can get so far in life and not know there would be higher SES of other races?  Huh?[/quote]

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