Celebrating History and Things to Come
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
In February and March, A Better Way celebrated Black History Month and then Women’s History Month. And today, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson added an overdue chapter to both of these stories, by becoming the first black woman confirmed to the United States Supreme Court. I hope to live long enough to celebrate the day when a person’s race and sex are unremarkable details of such an event. But today, while racism and sexism are still all-to-prevalent, I will joyously celebrate the fact that a strong, capable African American woman has overcome intensive professional and societal challenges to ascend to the highest court in the land.
The scathing, biased, and ignorant questioning she faced from many Senators was reflective of the kind of societal obstacles and barriers that a black woman will face on such a journey. Senators Cory Booker and Alex Padilla were among those who offered respite from these attacks and who gave her a chance to reflect on her longer journey. At one point, Senator Padilla asked her, "What do you say to [young people] may doubt that they can one day achieve the same great heights that you have." In response she told a story about her earliest experience at Harvard Law School, where she did not encounter many people who looked like her. She said
"I was really questioning, ‘Do I belong here? Can I make it in this environment?’ I was walking through the yard in the evening and a Black woman I did not know was passing me on the sidewalk.
She looked at me and I guess she knew how I was feeling and she leaned over as we crossed and said, 'Persevere.'“
One word and one gesture from a passing stranger conveyed recognition, solidarity, encouragement, and hope. It said “I see you. Others have blazed trail. The path is there. Keep walking and you will find it. And your steps will make the path clearer for those who follow.”
When a person is facing a challenge… facing barriers visible and invisible… facing injustice and inequity… facing their own inner struggles… there are few things more helpful than having someone who shares their lived experience come a bit closer and tell them that they can persevere.
Like this country, A Better Way is not done with our journey toward equity and racial justice. But today we can celebrate the growing influence that lived expertise is having on our progress. More and more, lived experience and lived expertise are improving the services we provide, enriching our work culture, and contributing to the ongoing stewardship of our organization. Every day our Parent Advocates and Parent Partners help parents persevere through some of the greatest challenges they’ve every faced. Participants in our formal and informal affinity groups support and reassure one another. Our Cultural Humility Advisory Committee and our increasingly diverse Senior and Executive Leadership Teams help ensure that our organization is continuously working to see and support our clients and staff more effectively. And the former foster youth who sit on our Board of Directors help ensure that the entire board understands the heart of what we do.
Throughout the rest of 2022 A Better Way will be embarking on new initiatives to help elevate, honor, and expand the integration of lived experience and lived expertise. The goals are (1) to help create learning bridges between programs and roles; (2) to create new workforce development and professional growth pathways; & (3) to help integrate more relevant lived expertise into training, policy, and strategic decision-making. We will also be building partnerships with other organizations and institutions who are invested in this initiative.
Ketanji Brown Jackson’s merits as a Judge clearly qualify her as a Supreme Court Justice. Her commitment to the rule of law and to the constitution will make her a brilliant, impartial justice. It also seems safe to assume that – in addition to… and in harmony with… these capabilities, she will see parts of our nation with a kind of clarity and wisdom that have been missing from the court since it was established.
David Channer, LCSW 22065
President & CEO
A Better Way, Inc.