For many years, I’d been at war: active in the battle for civil rights of the 1960s, the struggle for Vietnam veterans, antiapartheid/divestment/colonialism in Southern Africa in the 1970s, and tenant/elderly rights during the 1980s.

In 2000, I became acquainted with IofC through Oregon Uniting and Hope in the Cities (HIC).The dynamism of these two initiatives was captivating. I immediately engaged to apply my 25 years of leadership and organizing skills. This experience significantly broadened my perspective on the struggle for human rights and dignity. It changed my attitude in a profound way. Oregon Uniting (now Uniting to Understand Racism) brings diverse people together in a safe environment to discuss the root cause of racial perceptions through the medium of a facilitated series of interracial dialogues. These discussions disclosed heartfelt and often gut-wrenching attitudes about race, prejudice and privilege. It was a powerful process by which to challenge and reassess long-term and well established conclusions about people. My take-away was to look behind/beyond the exterior, starting with me, to see and explore opportunities for change.

It was at one HIC gathering held in Richmond, VA, that I met a white, southern lady whose ancestors had owned slaves. At first I was suspicious, but my suspicion softened when I heard how her attitudes had changed. During a private conversation with her, I began to understand her heart, which caused me to question my own feelings about slavery, the Civil War and its aftermath. On our second meeting, she, as promised, took me for a private tour of the Virginia Capitol that served as the Capitol of the Confederacy. Her knowledge of the history of the period was without exception.

However, what left a lasting impression on me is the impact of this short white woman escorting me, a black male over six feet tall, through these hallowed halls of a different time. At this point, I understood that people could change. In my imagination, she and I joined to continue to fight the lingering attitude of an era whose time has passed. As we walked back to her car, I could not help but see her as a true change agent and role model. And by this I refer to the change she wrought in me.

In the years since, my involvement with IofC has taken me to other countries. Until my visit to India I thought I’d grown up poor. When I heard firsthand about the plight of Aboriginals in Australia, political and economic oppression in Zimbabwe and the insecurity and unrest in the Middle East, I gained a new appreciation for my life of privilege, hope and opportunity. I do not devalue my own struggles, for they were/are genuine but my perspective changed.

The experiences with IofC helped me see that change begins with me. Although the original experiences are now past, they still encourage me to live the change I want to see in the world. In this way, IofC principles continue to inspire me.