Conections by Deborah Spears Moorehead 1deborahspearsmoorehead@wordpress.com paintedarrow2@yahoo.om
There were many connections, of significance for me as I met fellow colleagues at Goucher College who, as I am, are studying for the Masters of Arts in Cultural and Traditional Sustainability. I was inspired to listen to their ideas of what this degree meant to them, and how they would use their education to reach their goals.
One of our assignments was to read the book “ The Gift ” written by Lewis Hyde ,
While reading this book I found truths of my own heart’s validity within my own reality of identity as , a creative person. I realized being different is not different at all. In my thoughts of reflection I realized that we are all the same in so many ways .This book, broke the ice for me to feel comfortable meeting new people who are my colleagues in the Masters Program. I connected to this writer with thoughts of my own capabilities , and humilities to realize a personal need for continued reflection in order to grow as a person.
In these places of reflection , I feel extremely privileged and humbled to be granted time away from my routine life to be a thinker studying for a Masters Degree. I am not a person who enjoys having to make a living with what I consider mindless physical labor. Some people thrive on punching in and out at their jobs, not having to bring or think about work at home. At this point in my life my work is studying, teaching, singing composing , writing , acting and making works of Art. I don’t know how long I would survive at a job without being able to be working at something creative .
As I labor though concepts of the meaning of Cultural Sustainability. My hopes are that I may see a glimpse of the Creator’s glory and magnitude somewhere along the journey.
My belief when I arrived on campus was that I was right where I needed to be in the realm of my place and role in the universe. Since my arrival to Goucher College I have been taught that there may be variables that change my knowledge of truths and beliefs.
Susan Meehan is my friend . We call friends Netomps in our native language . She is Mohegan from Connecticut , also a graduate student in the MAC program. She began her studies just one semester before our class. She had told me to apply for this degree because it is a degree that fits perfectly with my, as well as her, life’s passions, to sustain our nations cultural traditions. I wasn’t sure what she meant when she first told me to apply , but since I’ve taken these classes I’ve realize she was right on.
I am familiar with many subjects that are discussed in Dr. Rory Turners class. This is why I find these studies to be so engaging. Dr Rory Turner created an environment that was exceptional for self motivation, to learn , feel safe , to share and grow in our knowledge of Cultural Sustainabilty.
I have many years experience of the issues he discusses and have already put these techniques of dealing with these subjects into practice. It is great to learn more useful tools to assist in cultural sustainability projects as well as learning the terminology to speak the language of the experts in this field of knowledge.
I’ ve worked with native communities , assessed the needs wrote grants and was blessed to see and reap the positive affects of the outcomes .
An example of a program that involved the subjects discussed in Dr. Turner’s class was an Academic Advising Program I co – designed for native youth. I worked as a liaison for the tribal nation in at least twenty schools public and private, working through issues and differences between the school system and the tribal nation while advising the youth
I’ve lived and felt the pain myself as an at risk native youth so that is where I developed my passion to assist native youth to overcome problems with decision making to succeed.
I chose to be a substitute teacher because of flexibility to choose where , when to work at whatever school. This gives me time to do my creative work and projects , teach art as well as visit the schools so that the native youth see a native teacher , role model, that they can talk to . Also If I see a problem , I know their parents well enough to give them a call. There has been huge problems in the past for native youth. I let them know that they have some one in their corner who understands them, I assist with decision making that will have a win win affect for both parties. This is not a program. It is something I do because I see the need. It doesn’t pay much. I roll up my sleeves and get to work . The funny thing is it doesn’t feel like work.
Our reading assignments keep emphasizing that there is a need and the people doing Cultural Sustainability have endurance to roll their sleeves up and get the work done.
I ‘ve painted many murals for various communities and had to let them tell me what they wanted painted on their wall, that would depict their stories.
Excuse me at the risk of sounding arrogant but I never officially reflected on the success of the outcomes of my students lives or successful grant projects. I just cried when they shared their successful lives stories to me . I was just happy to see that my programs or projects assisted in improving someone’s life. I didn’t see it as data but now I do. I never saw myself the way I saw Michelle, who is a Cultural Sustainability graduate student in my class, beam as she watched her students conduct plays in Guatemala. Seeing Michelle at her work was like seeing a glimpse of the Creators magnitude . The funny thing was that when I thought I was helping someone else I was also helping my self grow too .
The End
Deborah Spears Moorehead Talking Water
1deborahspearsmoorehead's Blog 