Tell Us What You Think
We welcome your feedback about our Pauli Murray Project events and initiatives. We are interested in your experiences, comments, questions, and concerns. Please Tell Us What You Think.
We welcome your feedback about our Pauli Murray Project events and initiatives. We are interested in your experiences, comments, questions, and concerns. Please Tell Us What You Think.
Beth, I welcome your feedback. Pauli Murray’s work as a feminist deserves much celebration. I think the upcoming play we are collaborating on with Hidden Voices will give us all a chance to hear more about her feminist identity. A little bit of information about the play is included in our centennial calendar under the events and dialogues tab but more will be coming soon.
When I go out and speak about Pauli Murray to church groups and other organizations I always share Pauli Murray’s struggle with her lesbian identity, especially pointing to her unflagging self-knowledge of her love for women. I agree this is a part of her life and work we need to address more, especially in relation to our work on contemporary issues. I have been working with a small group of people who are interested in beginning an LGBTQ community documentation project in Durham as a part of the Pauli Murray Project. I hope, if this is something you might be interested in, that you contact me.
I invite you to join me in speaking up about Pauli’s lesbian identity, so far I have not met with many disapproving silences. But I agree that this is a part of Pauli’s life we can celebrate more.
I have seen the wonderful events around Pauli Murray and her life, and I have waned to join in. But amidst all the discussion of race, where is there a discussion of gender? Where is the acknowledgement of the fact that Pauli Murray was a lesbian, who was forced by her culture to agonize over accepting that for much of her life? I feel that if I spoke up and talked about her struggle with sexual identity, I would be met with stony and disapproving silence.
I thought it was wonderful. Just to see the diversity, communication, and respect that was shown to each and everyone that attended the desegregation dialog was so special. The stories were honest and hopefully opened up thoughts and the need to continue this type of program. We truely must accept the past in order to move on into a future of harmony among all races. Wouldn’t it be great when not only Durham, but the whole world can stand in PROUD SHOES. Pauli would be proud
Sunday Aug 22 event at Library was a fantastic experience. I am honored to be able to listen to all the variety of stories from main speakers and my own group. The leaders helped make it possible to discuss race in a way I have rarely experienced – learning from each other with wonder. Bringing history alive with particular details from my town and then bringing all this into the present has given me new things to think about and incorporate. I look forward to many more such events. And to seeing this “Paulie” energy bring about more change in me and in Durham.
Hi. What time this Sunday is the sharing of stories about desegration of Durham schools? And where? Thank you!
Nancy Sawhill
I attended the May 13 event at the Main Library. It was a most thought-provoking and enjoyable evening. The three “f”’s (food, facilitators and fun) were all in abundance! I was able to make lots of connections in my mind between little things that I have seen and experienced in Durham over the last quarter of a century (yikes!) and larger issues and themes that we need to discuss and address (not just as individuals but also as families, as residents of our own neighborhoods and as members of churches and the wider Durham community).
I do believe that the most important and lasting results from this project will be the small (and big) changes that take place in our minds and hearts…. and, although I know that it is always tempting to measure success by the number of interesting stories that emerge, it may be important to try to “capture” some of the more subtle, but more important, changes when evaluating this project.
Thanks again!
Tom
I attended the story telling event on Thursday evening (May 13, 2010) at the Main Library. I found it to be a wonderful experience. The sharing of stories about Durham and our lives in Durham was informative and inspiring. I look forward to Pauli Murray Project gatherings in the futur
When I first arrived I felt a little intimidated, but the facilitators did a super job of working the room and putting folks at ease. By the time we moved to telling stories in the larger group everyone seemed to have really gotten into the mood for sharing and talking. I would definitely like to attend more events like this.
I thought the mediators did an excellent job in building rapport and establishing a safe place to share.
I thought that this was done primarily through excellent communication and the “snowball” strategy of working with 1 partner, 3 partners,and then a small group, etc.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the May 13, 2010 community dialogue, it was an amazing event. Your time, your stories, your ideas, your energy are all very much appreciated!