Journey to Mosaic…. small step towards reconciliation by Tom Sine

A wake-up call…today’s college students will be the first generation to inhabit an America that is no longer dominantly white! So how can we all get ready to celebrate our richly multi-cultural future? This is a wonderful opportunity to Social Innovate and Join the Feast!

Journey to Mosaic is an important social innovation that our friends in the Covenant Church have created that is helping people from all kinds of backgrounds to take small steps not only toward reconciliation, but also the celebration of making new friends and experiencing the richness of other cultures.

Join Jocelyn and a bus load of her new friends from the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Covenant Church as they spent three days traveling together from Oakland California to Los Angeles. Jocelyn, our narrator, introduces herself as a 5th generation Chinese American who grew up in a largely white suburban community. Everyone on the bus is sitting next to a person from a different racial and cultural background.

The bus trip began by spending time hearing about the agendas and activism of those involved in the Black Panther Party. Next they headed to the Central Valley and spent time hearing the stories and struggles of farm workers. When they ended their trip in LA they met with older couples who have survived the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

After each stop Jocelyn and her seat mate discussed not only what they learned but also to what they experienced. She shared that she quickly moved from being a tourist to being a participant in a very engaging trip. She reflected, “For me, cherish the memories of talking with my brothers and sisters about the vitally important yet difficult topic of race. Along the way I was forced to consider and confess my own prejudices, realize the impact that being a minority has had on my own life, and reach for ways to level the playing field for all people.” a small step towards reconciliation – (source)

Send me your stories about innovation that is having an impact on your life and the lives of others…I want to share so we can learn from one another and stir-up new possibilities in times like these.

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Tom Sine is research guy at Mustard Seed Associates and hospitality guy at the Mustard Seed house. He has worked for many years as a consultant in futures research and planning for both Christian and secular organizations.