The First Small Step

These words: at risk, underserved, vulnerable, disconnected, underprivileged and poor have been used by institutions to describe groups of individuals in "need."?While well-intentioned, these words were born out of an era where institutional and public policy was front-loaded with rhetoric, such as “the war on poverty, no child left behind and a nation at risk.”

Public and Social Institutions by their very nature impose structure, dictate behaviors and determine laws. Our civil society is based on, and perpetuated through, systems and policies. Where institutions made a wrong turn was when it became OK for assistance programs to be paired with snappy and emotional rhetoric in order to categorize events, groups, assumptions and norms. This resulted in the erosion of structural bonds between people and the very institutions that were established to support them.

The truth is, people do experience physical, emotional, economic, and social vulnerabilities when systems and the policies created neglect to affirm the inherent self-worth of every citizen. This is the disconnect which has laid threadbare our civility and placed us at tribal odds with each other. We need to restore balance, wherein people and institutions function as allies.

We are not at war with one another. We need to choose our words wisely and see each individual as a valuable and contributing asset to our institutions and our communities. ?

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