Re: Diversity, what diversity?
From: MelaSilva (MelaSilvaaol.com)
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 12:26:59 -0500
In a message dated 96-07-03 12:41:59 EDT, Daniel Nachbar writes:

>I considered myself to be quite a tolerant fellow before cohousing.  Boy,
was
>I in for a shock.  Repeatedly, during my "early days", I found myself
>stomping around after meetings mumbling "What is WRONG with these people?"
>I came to the point where I could either give up on cohousing,
>or learn to live with others' "madness." I now consider having my own
tolerance levels >increased to be one of the primary, if unexpected, returns
on my investment.


Me too !!! I spent the first 2 years quilting during the meetings, because I
found keeping my hands busy was the best way to keep my mouth SHUT. Cohousing
is a process. I get very irritable in meetings, can't believe how slow it all
works. Many times I have felt like "I hate this group." But then as I went
around the group one by one in my head I realized that I love most of them
individually. And I can't think of any other way, any better way, to move
forward. Tolerance, and I would add, PATIENCE are the fruit of this work.

One thing about the diversity issue: it is the INTENT toward diversity that
matters. The suburbs are SO segregated. Block upon block of people who are
the same age, have exactly the same income and number of children. When I
found out that this group wanted to include low and moderate income folks, I
was thrilled.When it was clear we would need more money, it was made
negotiable, so that those who couldn't chip in were still members in good
standing.  We made sure that we had childcare for those with kids, and all
meetings were wheelchair accessable after one in which we had to carry Susan
up 20 steps. We tried  to increase our racial diversity, including leaflets
at the magnet school, going to churches, and getting write-ups in minority
newspapers. Our homes range from 1 to 5 bedrooms, family size from singles to
a 6 member 3 generation household. Show me a block in the suburbs that has
that kind of spread. 
 
Mela Silva
Southside Park,
Sacramento CA

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