Encourage hopeful action amidst challenging times
As I planned my annual To A Higher Degree back-to-school message, I thought I would write an article about the intersection of youth culture and technology: an optimistic piece that reflected on the realities of today and the possibilities of tomorrow for young people and technology.
But as I sat down to write, I realized that I was overwhelmed with emotion for the individual lives and communities impacted by recent tragedies and the unrelenting political, social and cultural divisiveness. I was equally overcome with yearning for social progress and positive peace – for a better world for my children, the students in my care at the College of St. Benedict, and all the young people in our community.
I realized that addressing these harms and needs is only possible when we take action; action that is fueled by hope. As I think about the role of educators and of this column, I aspire to be a person who takes that hopeful action – who uses my voice to try to make the world a better place.
Today, I plead that we work to create peace in our community by embracing the diversity of culture, demographics, perspectives and lived experience of all among us. This call to an inclusive peace may feel daunting. But one powerful way educators can effect such change is by intentionally connecting with and nurturing hope in our young people.
As I think about the world I am privileged to inhabit – a world filled with young people – I am reminded that the most important work we do as educators is to consistently inspire, encourage and engage young people to be catalysts for good in the world. There are many forces that seek to reduce the role and voice of young adults and not enough that explicitly work to connect with and spark positive action in young people.
Yet in the absence of authentic human connection, young people – indeed, all people – lose hope. In the absence of hope all we have left to lean into are our fears. Fear is what is currently driving a narrative of hate, leaving many in our community disaffected and indifferent. Disaffected as we silently witness the promotion of violence toward groups different than us. Indifferent not just to the well-being of another, but to the actual humanity of others.
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The first remedy to the narrative of fear and rhetoric of hate is a reinstatement of hope. And that can only happen by engaging with one another. When we deny human connection and authentic communication in our roles as neighbors, educators and citizens, we abdicate our responsibility to empower young people, to help them have hope and to take action as they learn to think critically, lead courageously and advocate passionately. These life skills, which our world so desperately needs right now, can only be developed through human engagement.
In the face of tragedy or difficulty, the most important thing we can do is be present to, for, and with the young people in our care. We need to be present to them with love and with compassion. As citizens, as leaders and as educators, we must help the young people entrusted to us understand the importance of engaging in hopeful action with the world around us. We must speak out against a narrative of fear. We must speak out against hate. We must speak up for hope. Speak up for love. Speak up for justice. We must do this for, and with, them.
Join me as we educate and encourage young people to do — with hopeful action — that which our world needs most: reach out to comfort and support another; see and appreciate the humanity of those who are different from us; ask difficult questions and challenge assumptions in order to improve the common good; and, have hope for the future. That is what we need from one another, at this time of year and always.
This is the opinion of College of St. Benedict President Mary Dana Hinton. To A Higher Degree is published the fourth Sunday of the month and rotates among the presidents of the four largest Central Minnesota higher education institutions.