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Every Tiger Has a Tale Upon winning the Masters Tournament, young golf pro Tiger Woods made comments expressing pride in his multicultural background. Tiger felt that every facet of his racial and cultural heritage was equally important, and contributed in some vital way toward how he defines himself today. THE PUZZLE PLACE, one of TV12's most popular children's shows, deals with similar issues of cultural diversity, appreciating differences, and conflict resolution. Last spring, I conducted a PUZZLE PLACE workshop for child care providers at Burlington County Community Action Program, in New Jersey. The workshop began as participants introduced themselves, and spoke briefly about their ethnic or cultural backgrounds. The results were amazing. About 35 cultural or ethnic groups were represented, including mixtures of Scots-Irish, English-Welsh, German-Italian, African-American/Seminole, African-American/Navajo, African-American/Puerto Rican, and many others. Some important realizations were: Diversity means more than just "black and white," and that there seems to be no such thing as simply a "white person" or a "black person."

Diversity Is Not Black and White The exercise underscored what we already know is happening: Not only is America changing demographically, so are Americans. The changes shown in U.S. Census reports mean a lot more than numbers. Many of us, perhaps even most, are descendants of mixed racial, religious, cultural or ethnic backgrounds. When people come together for some common purpose, speak to each other directly and look one another in the eye, they learn a little bit about each others' lives. Something magical happens: They stop being white people or black people or "those people;" and become just - people. At the workshop, though many people were not Jewish, it was impossible not to feel a touch of the pain and humanity of the courageous woman who spoke about her relatives who had died in concentration camps in Nazi Germany during World War II. Events frequently discounted as "ancient history" by others, are in reality, "family history" for some. This is often true for African-Americans and American Indians. The trials and tragedies that occurred to members of their families is something that can and should, never be forgotten. Descendants of many cultural, religious or ethnic groups, hear a whisper in their ears that says, "Never again." Perhaps it is the voice of an ancestor. For some families, the old saying: "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it," is not just a truism. It is true. THE PUZZLE PLACE is a wonderful program because it inspires children to be proud of their cultural heritage. But, equally important, it reminds them to be tolerant and appreciative of those who are different - physically, culturally or racially. Children's programs on TV12 have demonstrated positive interaction, learning, and sharing among people of difference races, religions and abilities for over 25 years. That's quite a record! Sowing the seeds of tolerance and understanding among children today brings the promise of a good crop of responsible citizens tomorrow. The respected scholar, John Hope Franklin, quoted an ancient proverb when he said, "If we can see farther today, it is because we are standing on the shoulders of giants who came before us." Children should be encouraged to learn about and be proud of their ancestors' sacrifices and achievements. Alex Haley, the famed author of Roots, once said, "Every family has a history." And every Tiger has a tale. Our family backgrounds provide a richer, more complete multicultural history of America, just as they make us more complete, multi-faceted, human beings. Tune in to TV12, where diverse peoples and their cultures are not only valued - they are celebrated. -- Samuel M. Lemon, M.S. Manager, WHYY Community Education Services link.html. Go toRelated Readings | New This Month!!! | Go to Media and Culture Links Page Return to RTL Service Home Page | About RTL | e-mail WHYY RTL Service