the curve

life is full of surprises. you may think you're on one path and a slight curve changes the trajectory. a few years ago i took on a leadership volunteer role at zach's school. it was not something i sought out and initially there was resistance to my accepting the post. i have a full time job, am a single parent and my son was only in the lower school (meaning i didn't have knowledge of the middle or high schools).

the position was head of the parents association and anyone who knows me knows i love a challenge. fast forward and i'm president of the pa and thinking: why did i do this? i knew why. the challenge.  this is where the slight curve appeared. i made time to meet with each committee to acquaint myself with committee chairs and their charge. i met with the 2 diversity committees and within a short period of time realized this was an area that needed more of my involvement.

i'm a white jewish woman raised on the upper east side and i spent 3 years learning all there was to about diversity and diversifying a school - the pros, the cons. i knew the school was watching out for the kids and training the faculty. the parents were a bit out there in left field and knew we could use help. so many assumptions were made by so many people. "are you the nanny?' i heard a few white women ask black women who in actuality were the mom. i still hear myself gasp.

wwcd:  now diversity is not just part of my volunteer commitments, i found a way to make it part of my work life too