ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER
HERITAGE MONTH
United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources
Conservation Service
May 12, 2008
2008 APA Heritage Theme:
LEADERSHIP, DIVERSITY, HARMONY – GATEWAY TO SUCCESS
Kanwal Prakash “KP” Singh
(Notes and Reflections)
In our present fast-changing world, the three major elements:
Leadership, Diversity, and Harmony in this year’s APA Heritage
theme are intimately interconnected. These significant components,
principal anchors in our increasingly diverse, fiercely competitive,
and interdependent world when thoughtfully integrated draw strength
and support from each other that can lead to surprisingly successful
outcomes.
As we examine each of these elements, we find some meaningful
pathways to success – at our workplace, in civic life, community
development, research, innovation, personal advancements, and
other important areas of human concern and interest.
LEADERSHIP: A KEYSTONE TO SUCCESS
One of the constants in life is change. A good leader recognizes,
appreciates, and embraces change; anticipates, foresees, identifies,
and manages change before it may overtake or overwhelm us. In
light of this, to accomplish important goals at any level, we
need leaders that exhibit sound judgment in formulating and implementing
the policies of an organization, institution, or state. Our leaders
should be persons of integrity, character, and breadth of vision;
understand the many dimensions and complexities of modern life
and times; and possess the all-important public relations and
people skills needed to succeed. Here are a few areas and attributes
to consider in a leader:
. Qualified, experienced, professional, responsive, and inspirational
. Fair, supportive, culturally sensitive, creative, and innovative
. Open to growth and change; willing to invite different perspectives
. Exemplifies openness, transparency, discipline, and team-spirit
. Exhibits understanding of our changing environment, trends,
and needs
. Appreciative and respectful of the growing ethnic, cultural,
and faith diversity
. Attracts the brightest and best talents; creates an environment
of trust
. Acknowledges and rewards the accomplishments, contribution of
others
. Implements policies fairly and without prejudice or personal
bias
. Does not permit discrimination, intolerance, harassment based
on gender or ethnicity
. Tries to prevent unwelcome suspicion, doubt, and resentments
before they occur
. Challenges us to strive for excellence and be the best that
we can be
. Sees learning, sharing, cultural enrichment as an important
investment
. Encourages networking, cooperation, mutual respect, and partnerships
. Makes room for special needs, reasonable expectations, cultural
and faith concerns
. Sets a positive example for others to follow, imitate, and implement
. Exemplifies and gives us cause to be proud and excel beyond
the expected
DIVERSITY: AN AMAZING NEW FRONTIER
Our growing ethnic, cultural, and faith diversity is a reality.
We are witnessing an unprecedented convergence of new pioneers
from distant lands to our shores. People are transcending traditional
boundaries, leaving known comfort zones on wing and prayer or
fleeing difficult and tragic circumstance or events, and are on
an adventure in search of big dreams, fresh beginnings. Asians
and others are arriving in large numbers with special talents,
experiences, hopes, and an amazing spirit to unfamiliar places
to discover their own promise and hopeful future for their children.
This diversity is our new frontier of opportunity and carries
with it incredible energy, pioneering spirit, and uncommon assets
to envision and build our shared future.
These newcomers are our bridge to global economies and marketplaces,
a resource for ideas and services needed for tomorrow’s
world. They represent unique language skills, cultural heritage,
different and rich perspectives on life and living that they inherited
and practiced in their countries of origin and now proudly transplanting
in our midst.
Many decades earlier, the English poet, William Blake had reminded
us “Clasp hands and know the thoughts of men in other lands.”
Today millions of brave souls from the remotest corners of our
earth are among us and we have an opportunity to know their thoughts,
culture, and spirit. There is much that we can learn and teach
each other as we struggle past the basic hurdles of unfounded
stereotype, physical appearance, mistaken identity, intolerance,
and indifference; engage in finding answers and solving the complex
problems of our time; and together trailblaze into uncharted spaces
taking our civilization to new heights of scientific inquiry,
discovery, and peace and prosperity.
FAÇADE AND SPIRIT OF DIVERSITY
We must see, there is much amidst this sudden and unfamiliar
reality, beyond the pink Sikh turban, Muslim hijab, a person’s
accent, or cultural uniqueness that threads our many shared hopes
and prayers, starting with our common humanity as One God’s
Children. The Sikh scriptures reveal and advocate a message of
unity and universality: “O mortal, recognize All Humanity
as One Race, One Brotherhood” reminding that “Every
living being is a repository of the same Divine Spirit. The Sikh
faith offers an unmistakable reminder: “No one is outside
the circle of God’s Love and Benevolence,” and therefore
each of us must extend the same spirit to one another as an act
of living our faith, honoring the gifts that God has entrusted
to us while we are on this earth. Similar messages reverberate
through major faiths and sacred traditions.
This makes each of us the heart and spirit, a facade and symbol
of this colorful diversity scattered across the temporal and celestial
landscape. We can begin by acknowledging our diversity, with all
its mysterious auras, textures, and complexities, as a part of
our common evolving universe. Past generations witnessed the waves
of other immigrants arriving and settling in America, and in time
contributing to our collective strengths, prosperity, greatness
as a nation, and further perfect our “Union.” To answer
our call, we must know the person next to us at our workplace,
in our neighborhood, at a public forum or community event, dispel
our fear of the stranger, learn about what he or she brings as
special gifts to our world, and work towards new promising vision
and common purpose.
HARMONY: A PEACEFUL PURSUIT OF COMMON CAUSE
Understanding the nature and character of people, their interests,
motivating passions, and not just their physical skills, appearance,
or ethno-cultural origins can offer us amazing insights into an
all-important sense of what makes us who we are. We cannot afford
to ignore the ultimate inherent power that guides our energy,
gifts, and spirit. Knowing, understanding, and nurturing this
facet of our being, is to foster a true sense of belonging and
pride in the place, tasks, and the challenges before us. Our sense
of harmony flows from our being accorded the same basic rights
and dignity, being fairly rewarded without prejudice or distinction
of race, nationality, or gender for our contributions, exceptional
efforts, exemplary conduct, and outstanding achievements.
LEARNING ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US
We must learn about the world of which we are a part before
we can compete in this tough, unpredictable emerging global environment.
Our personal commitment expands multi-fold and in multiple dimensions,
when our sense of being an outsider is broken and we are treated
as valued partners. It all begins with our leadership inspiring
us with their example and conduct in dispelling the negative and
reinforcing the positive. In such an environment, we tend more
readily to place our resources, idealism, and pioneering energy
to achieve great things; we strive to seek and give the most to
life. An open and friendly spirit can greatly facilitate our mainstreaming
into our changing realities.
GATEWAY TO SUCCESS
Our long-term and lasting success comes from our investment
in people. It must be sincere, transparent, fair, and positive.
We must reinforce pride, promote a level of trust, define and
advocate our personal stake, strengthen team spirit, and our responsibility
in the success of the project. To assure successful outcome, stress
the need for each of us to pull in the same direction, rather
than work at cross-purposes. Create and expand opportunities for
dialogue that includes cultural and humanitarian ideas and ideals
and introduction to festive traditions and celebrations that today
enrich our community.
To attract the best talents, skills and services, we have to
offer an environment that promotes bold new initiatives, opportunities
for independent and innovative contributions, and just rewards.
Once here, we need to identify and tap into their uncommon experiences,
insights, the language of their and our culture and spirit, and
integrate our collective gifts and passions into future strategies
and framework.
The principal gateway to success is the human capital. One way
to expand our reach into this fast-transforming ethnic-cultural-spiritual
community fabric, is to strengthen our sense of community where
the legitimate concerns of each and other untended oversights
are addressed in timely fashion; serious tensions, with their
multiple origins and causes, handled with respect and cultural
sensitivity; and conscious efforts are made to dispel unfounded
ignorance and stereotype. Seeing ourselves as part of a higher
purpose, above personal glory and narrow projections, we often
immeasurably enhance our collective gifts and promise. Imagine
a world, as the great Indian poet, humanitarian, and brilliant
teacher Rabindranath Tagore envisioned, “Where the mind
is without fear, and the head is held high; where knowledge is
free and the world is not broken up into fragments by narrow domestic
wall… Into that haven of freedom, let my country awake.”
The poet reminds us of the inalienable essentials of human dignity
and freedoms, absence of fear and dispelling of ignorance, and
the unity of spirit. Moving forward, with inspirations and guidance
from generations of enlightened teachers, daily lessons and ancient
wisdom arriving at our shores, and diverse experiences enriching
our national tapestry, we are at a threshold to unimagined “fields
of dreams.” This enlightened and daring gateway leads to
new adventures into the American and our civilization’s
brilliant future.
Kanwal Prakash “KP” Singh
Indianapolis, Indiana USA
www.KPSinghDesigns.com
