The Center for Courage and Renewal, founded by Parker J. Palmer, includes this in the “about” section of its website:
The mission of the Center for Courage & Renewal (CCR) is to nurture personal and professional integrity and the courage to act on it.
We do this by:
Helping people who wish to live and work more wholeheartedly renew themselves, reclaim their vocational vitality, and deepen their professional practice.
Supporting these people in becoming forces for positive change in their workplaces, professions, and communities, as well as in the lives of the people they serve.
Contributing to the growing national conversation about reclaiming integrity and courage in professional and public life.
In the spirit of this description, it is not surprising to find this blog post by Courtney E. Martin, who recounts a “beautiful conversation” at their board meeting. She writes:
Our circles got me thinking about a lot of my own experiences around privilege, power, and all the various -isms. Here are nine learnings I’ve had that I share in the spirit of continuing the dialogue about these issues with the larger CCR community:
1. Friendship is the most powerful “diversity strategy” there is.
There is nothing more important than creating meaningful and organic relationships with people across the various borders that have historically divided us. It is through these real relationships–whole, vulnerable, reciprocal–that we really learn about our own blind spots and the beauty of others’ perspectives.
2. Learn in public.
You will screw up. You will hurt people. You are human. The most courageous thing you can do is not to try to never hurt anyone, but to acknowledge the hurt you cause and try to learn from it….
6. Guilt isn’t productive; accountability is.
Guilt doesn’t put food on anyone’s table or opportunity at anyone’s doorstep. Move beyond it. Move to the discomfort of taking responsibility, of admitting your own capacity for hurt and confusion and insensitivity, and then start learning.
The complete list and thoughtful comments (some offering additional suggestions) is found at the complete post linked above.
What resonates with you, and what else do you think of?