Posted by Laura Nichols-Endres on Jan 19, 2022
President-elect David Dominick led the meeting at the University Club.  Linda Boss introduced guests and collected happy dollars.
 
Michael-jon Pease introduced Rita Dibble as speaker.  Rita is the VP of Advancement at Metropolitan State University.  It was a Rotary International Fellowship that brought Rita to the United States. 
 
Rita shared a very personal story of how she and her family have learned from her transgender son.  She shared her story of coming to Syracuse University, and then living and working in a small Pennsylvania town of 5700 people.  After Rita was threatened with racial violence after September 11, 2001, her church and community rallied around her.  Years later, when her child shared that he was transgender, Rita wondered how her community would rally around and accept her son.  Some found it difficult and others were highly supportive.
Rita shared that learning to accept and understand a transgender child is like learning a language.  Acceptance came at different paces, and her child was her teacher throughout this process.  This experience has helped her understand that we are all different from others in the room, even if we may look similar.  She also encourages us to empathize, even if we have no similar lived experience.   She encouraged us to walk with each other & be an ally.  Not having the answers, but having the open mindedness to learn is key.  Her son now lives and works in North Carolina with transgender and gay youth who have been imprisoned. 
 
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David Dominick also noted that four free covid tests are available at covidtests.gov
 
 
Laura Nichols-Endres
Scribe