By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Arto Woodley isn’t big on labels. Not deadbeat dads. Not thugs. Not rednecks. Not baby mamas.
He is big on respect.
As a child, Woodley remembered when his family was the second black household to move onto Nebraska Avenue in Toledo. A woman from the heavy Polish neighborhood approached his mom and asked what she wanted to be called. Negro? Colored? Black?
His mom stood tall and replied, “You can call me Mrs. Woodley.”
Decades later, Mrs. Woodley’s son is now the one to stand tall. On Friday afternoon, he stood at the podium as the keynote speaker for the 28th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Lutheran King Jr. Tribute in Bowling Green.
Woodley also isn’t big on giving up. Where some see roadblocks, he sees glorious opportunities.
Woodley, a scholar-in-residence for civic and social responsibility at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, has served in higher education, social services, government and ministry. He received his first degree at Bowling Green State University, where he traveled around the country with then BGSU President Paul Olscamp to recruit first generation college students.
“This place made me,” Woodley said. “I came here a young man, but I left here a man and a professional.”
Woodley chose the title of a book by King for his talk: “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?”
“Aren’t we facing that very same thing?” he said to the crowd in the library atrium. “We look at these times and think we’ve never seen it before.”
King tribute filled library atrium
When people reflect back on King, they often remember his speeches and marches. It is sometimes forgotten that his house was bombed, he was stabbed, he was relentlessly harassed, and suffered from depression, Woodley said.
“There’s always a sacrifice,” he said.
While the Civil Rights movement made progress in the South, it lagged in the North where the discrimination was less overt. “We hadn’t changed the culture,” Woodley said.
The flagrant abuses of the South, with attack dogs and water hoses, were ended. But the feelings of many didn’t change. “They really hadn’t mustered the will to change the culture.”
Eventually, King realized the issue went beyond race. “It’s really about the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots,’” Woodley said.
The enduring lesson King left behind was to never lose hope. What happened five decades ago and what is happening now can be seen as a “glorious opportunity.”
“We have an opportunity together to forge a new day,” Woodley said.
The speaker told his audience to focus on power – the power of purpose, community and leadership.
First, the power of purpose. “We all want to be significant,” he said. “You have a purpose that’s planted in you. If you fulfill that purpose, our community is stronger.”
Second, the power of community. “That does not just mean that you live together,” he said. A community shares values, vision and an ability to communicate civilly. “We are caught up in a bundle of humanity. We’re all connected.”
Finally, the power of leadership. Children must be taught early to be leaders, in their homes, schools, churches, neighborhoods. Then they can ascend to be leaders like mayors or legislators.
But right now too many of the nation’s leaders don’t feel that accountability to their communities, Woodley said.
The speaker gave his audience tasks to work on. Discover a purpose and help someone else develop their purpose.
Become a community bridge builder. “Begin to talk to people who are not like you. If you only talk to people like you, you will never ever grow,” Woodley said.
And mentor someone. “You’re never too young and never too old to mentor someone.”
On Thursday, Woodley led a workshop for city and university leaders that was arranged by the BGSU Office of Multicultural Affairs and co-sponsored by the Human Rights Commission.
The King tribute was sponsored by the Bowling Green Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Bowling Green Mayor, the Bowling Green Police Command Officers’ Association and the Wood County District Public Library.
The event featured music by Sheila, Angelo and Carla Brown; the Bowling Green High School Madrigals; and Ed Duling.
(A story will appear later this weekend on the Drum Major for Peace Award presented at the event.)
