Re: New diversity statement
From: Tiffany Lee Brown (magdalen23gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:57:52 -0700 (PDT)
Carol and Crystal --

Thank you for taking the time to respond. A lot of us progressive, 
community-oriented white liberals need to be helped along in our understanding 
of what others experience. Our good intentions only go so far. I imagine it 
would be frustrating to watch us make assumptions and cast generalizations. I 
apologize for any such remarks I've made in this conversation so far... And 
again thank you for not giving up on us entirely.

-T in Oregon

Sent from the far shores of a distant land

> On Sep 27, 2016, at 11:16 AM, carol collier via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
> cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> blockquote, div.yahoo_quoted { margin-left: 0 !important; border-left:1px 
> #715FFA solid !important; padding-left:1ex !important; background-color:white 
> !important; }  I left this conversation long ago because it is typical. You 
> have a lot of people us what we think or feel based on some alleged 
> interaction, but the very people living the life are dismissed. 
> 
> 
> Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
> 
> 
> On Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 11:51 AM, Crystal Farmer <crystalbyrdfarmer 
> [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> It's fine to presume that the majority of black people don't want to live
> in cohousing, but you have at least two black people on this mailing list
> that say they do. We are also suggesting ways to make minorities more
> comfortable with learning about and living in cohousing. Are you going to
> discount those views because it takes too much work?
> 
> People of all races come by our tables at events and listen to my spiel
> about cohousing. It takes less than a minute. When they say, "That's a
> great idea!" I invite them to learn more. I don't say, "Well you probably
> already have a supportive community so you don't need us."
> 
> It is very typical for black people to be told what their experience is
> instead of others listening to them.
> 
> Crystal Farmer
> Charlotte Cohousing Community
> 
> Quote:
> Based on my experience managing outreach for a forming community in the DC
> area, I've come to the conclusion that cohousers may want diversity, but
> "minorities" (for lack of a better umbrella term) don't necessarily want
> more community. For starters, they're more likely to either stay close to
> home and family or bring family with them if they move. Either way, they'll
> also be deeply involved in cultural and/or religious organizations.
> 
> For example, your typical home-buying African American female in the DC
> area will have a demanding job, will have extended family in the area (or
> maybe in southern VA or NC, where she will visit often), will be very
> active in a church, and will also be involved with her college sorority. Is
> she really going to be looking for another set of commitments and
> activities when she comes home from a long day at work? Especially
> involving a bunch of earnest liberals trying to excise their white guilt?
> 
> White people are the ones who leave their families and move cross-country
> all by themselves and find themselves rootless and lonely and seeking
> community.
> 
> Of course there will be exceptions to everything I've said, and maybe I'm
> completely wrong, but I spent way too much time trying to explain cohousing
> to people who were clearly thinking "Why on earth would I want to get
> involved in something like that?" Then I started marketing to the LGBTQ
> community and got a much better reception.
> 
> Katie Henry
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