The Summit!

What a week!  

The Dignity movement had its first-ever gathering, and it was a sell-out!  We called it a “leadership summit,” but it was more like a love fest—equal parts learning and inspiration; equal parts taking notes and taking names; equal parts listening to understand and sharing our truth as best we could. A few months ago, we wondered if anyone would come, but instead, we had to end registration when the room we’d reserved wasn’t big enough for more! If you missed it, keep an eye out for next year’s event.  

The pictures tell the story. We dove deeply into the Dignity Index as a tool for awakening us to the dignity within us and the dignity within everyone else, too. We learned about the role of dignity in ending violent conflict from the great Donna Hicks. We were inspired by the courage of people on all sides of the political spectrum who asked tough questions and challenged each other to live the ideals we proclaim. And we left with tools—guides, exercises, examples, videos, and more. 

What I loved most about the summit was the sense in which we were shoulder to shoulder with others—ready to join each other, eager to learn from one another, committed to working together. If there’s an important emotion that the dignity movement evokes, it’s togetherness. Once we see from the dignity lens, we tend to see possibilities in the other. And that sense of possibility makes belonging possible.  

In short, for a day and a half, we lived in a dignity counterculture, and it was wonderful! Thank you especially to my colleagues David Witt and Stephanie Wallace who made it all happen.

The summit started the week but for some of us, it was just the start. By the end of the week, Meghan Monroe and I were in New York City sharing the dignity movement with over 1000 educators, family members, young people, and school board members at The New York State School Boards Association Convention—another summit! Those educators were primed to be part of the dignity counter culture: Meghan conducted 3 separate breakout sessions for the convention and all were SRO.  

But that wasn’t the end of the week. On Saturday night, my wife Linda and I were honored to be invited to celebrate the 90th birthday party of Charlie Baskin and that was a summit too!  “Mr. Baskin,” as we called him, is the father to Tanya Baskin, who was a high school student when I was a teacher. In the years that followed, Tanya became a part of our family, babysitting for our children in the 80s and then working with me in New Haven and then in Special Olympics for 20 years on the way to getting her MBA and starting her own business.

But Mr. Baskin was more than Tanya’s dad.  He’s also Dad to 3 other children (all with college degrees), husband of 63 years to Florence, provider to his family and grandchildren, endlessly generous to his friends, and a standout member of the United States Postal Service for 40 years. Mr. Baskin was born in South Carolina almost 20 years before the Supreme Court ruled segregation illegal in 1954, and 30 years before the Civil Rights Act of 1965. All his children and grandchildren toasted him, and they were all terrific.

Tanya captured the moment when she said, “Dad, you grew up when it was tough to be a black man and you lived in a country that wasn’t fair or just or welcoming. But you were all those things. Tough, strong, fair, generous, welcoming, and humble too. When the world tried to keep you down, you just kept your dignity and made a life for yourself and for all of us. And you never once flinched or complained. You’re my hero.”

Mine too. Dignity is like that—it has a power to change us.  It’s like a force field that changes everyone and everything. Thank you Charlie Baskin.

One last note: Linda and I went to church on Sunday at St. Martin’s, and the presider was our friend Fr. Francis Gargani, who had attended the summit days earlier. And guess what Fr. Gargani made his topic? Dignity! He preached the whole sermon on how dignity is at the core of religious teaching. I was a little embarrassed but a lot thrilled. The whole church took Dignity Index cards home!

We had an amazing summit in Utah with leaders who inspired me anew. And New York educators inspired me too, and they’re on the move, ready to build dignity cultures at school. And Fr. Gargani was a beacon of hope all unto himself.

But my hero this week is Charlie Baskin and his wife Florence, who created their own counterculture by carrying themselves with strength, goodness, and dignity for almost a century.  

This week’s summits were all aligned: Dignity countercultures matter more than we know. Ours is waiting for you. Join us!

Tim

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Dignity in Action

The day after the Summit Tim kept the energy going with campus and community visits as part of his engagement as a University of Utah Impact Scholar. Events included a panel discussion with Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson and Higher Ed Board Chair Amanda Covington; meeting with university students at the Hinckley Institute of Politics; teaching a class of MBA and MPA students; and meeting with leaders of the Center of Economic Opportunity and Belonging.

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