We launch our website today with pride and hope. Pride in the work that cultural bridges to justice trainers have offered thousands of workshop participants since 1986; and hope that our training and resources can now reach greater numbers of active and passionate agents for social change.
Our website launches at a time when global economies falter and decisions by many world leaders threaten the health and spirit of this planet’s people, and indeed the planet itself. It is a time when more, not less, critical thought and action are required of each of us. All of us, individuals, corporations, institutions and governments, are accountable for the paths we choose.
“Hurt less – Affirm more” – this phrase has been the cultural bridges to justice core belief, our guiding mandate, our “prime directive” since our founding. In every interaction, in every decision, may we choose language or action that moves beyond “do no harm,” to affirming the value of the person in front of us.
How do we learn to hurt each other less and affirm more? We can eliminate the stereotypes, prejudicial language and assumptions we had learned about other people. We can work individually and in our organizations to build affirming environments that welcome diversity. We can learn to recognize the value of human diversity to our missions, just as we recognize the value of nature’s diversity to a healthy planet.
It is our deep hope that cultural bridges to justice trainings, and now our website, can offer the resources and inspiration for your work toward social justice, each person, each day, each moment.