Justice, equality, equity spark conversation at MLK Day

Justice, equality and equity were among the topics at Monday’s observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Owatonna. The topics were discussed by a panel from diverse backgrounds that included Sarah Sanchez, Gospel Kordah, Martha Sykes and Whitney Harvey.

Sanchez has lived in Owatonna since she was 4 years old and is deeply engaged in the community and civic life who regularly attends city council meetings and works to share information between local leaders and residents. She also assists area nonprofits as an interpreter and board member.

Kordah is a workforce development professional with SteeleCoWorks where he is focused on ensuring all students, regardless of background, have access to meaningful opportunities leading to stable careers and economic mobility.

Sykes is a Florida native and first-generation Liberian American committed to justice and empathy wherever she goes. She moved to Minnesota in 2021 and earned a Master of Public Health Degree from the University of Minnesota. Research she was doing while working on her degree led her to become involved with the Owatonna-based organization Alliance for Greater Equity and she lived in Owatonna while her husband was teaching in New Richland. She now works in public health in southeastern Minnesota and lives in Minneapolis.

Whitney Harvey is a senior program manager and specializes in building and maintaining inclusive workplaces.

“It’s important from time to time to stop and reflect on what’s important in life,” Mayor Matt Jessop said as he opened the program by calling for a time of silence for Renee Good. “It’s okay to disagree.” But he added, it’s important to take advantage of moments such as Martin Luther King Day and the Owatonna event to break bread together and get to know each other.

One of the questions asked of panelists was the difference between equality and equity. Equality, Sykes said, is that we all need the same thing where equity also understands that everyone does not start from the same point. Using a bicycle as an example, she said that one could say everyone needed a bicycle but there would be differences between one who would get a regular bike and someone in a wheelchair.

It’s often easier to understand when the differences are physical, she said, than when the differences are racial, or language and the equity aspect is harder.

Kordah added that for him the fact as a child he didn’t speak English was a “huge barrier” and his culture as an African was different from the culture of an African American. He recalled when he was in English as a Second Language classes and Mrs. Cooper was his third-grade teacher. “She took the time to take care of us,” he said. Having mentors and teachers, he said, is what makes you come back to school.

Sanchez said she was four when her family moved and “I’ve been very privileged to grow up in Owatonna.” She said she never felt disadvantaged and had good teachers and mentors. “As my children go through school,” she said, “I see support everywhere.” Still, she said, I had to work a little harder to get resources, but it gave me more grit.”

There is a political divide right now, she said, and if we could bridge that divide things would be better. “If we don’t reach across the aisle,” she said, “we won’t get anything done.”

We all need to get out of our bubbles, safe spaces,” said Harvey. “There are ways to break down silos,” she said. “It’s called work for a reason.”  The first step, she said, is to recognize there is a problem. Many, she said, don’t acknowledge that.

Sykes was asked “how did you feel when you moved to Owatonna? She said she and her husband came to the city when he was teaching in New Richland, and she was working on her degree from the University. She explained her research mainly dealt with the black community and when she arrived, she realized there “were not a lot of black people here.” She checked local Facebook pages looking for people to talk to about her research and some of the responses where less than positive.

“That is how I met the folks at AGE,” she said. She is currently the vice chair of the organization. She said there are really good people in Owatonna but sometimes they get “drowned out.”

In the end, all agreed that what is needed is to listen to each other. Listen and not just hear what one is saying.