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As a white doctoral student at a historically black college (Howard University), my world and knowledge of diversity expanded exponentially.  My doctoral studies focused on race and ethnic relations, both in the U.S. and abroad.  At Howard, I became much more aware of my own cultural encapsulation.  I developed a lifelong commitment to understanding human differences more fully and using that knowledge to leave this world a better place.

For the last 35 years, I have taught at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), a historically black urban college serving some of the poorest and brightest students in the state of Maryland.  This global educational laboratory has promoted my diversity consciousness in ways I never could have imagined.  For example, I remember giving an assignment to class one day, asking students to name 3 goals they hope to achieve in the next five years.  One student wrote, “I hope to live to be 25 years of age.”  That student’s comment “blew me away” and made me much more aware of my “privileged background.”  Experiences such as these occur constantly, and I feel like a “sponge” waiting to soak up all of the life's lessons in my midst.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention my family background.  I am a father of three children, two daughters and one son.  My wife is a high school math teacher who has an extensive background teaching extremely diverse and needy student populations.  My daughters, who are two of the kindest people I know, both work and live in the D.C. area.  My son, who has autism and lives nearby in an adult living facility, has been instrumental in expanding my awareness, understanding, and skills in the area of diversity.  All of my children have taught me so much about life’s priorities, the importance of faith, the millennial generation, balancing work and family, and the list goes on and on.

I provide this information about myself because I draw on all my life experiences and all my "bridges of understanding" when I speak, train, teach, and consult.