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Teaching Acceptance and Respect:
United Methodist Community Center Works with Children from Many Cultures

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 By David Okimoto

David Okimoto is executive director of Atlantic Street Center, Seattle, Washington, one of more than 90 United Methodist-related community centers throughout the country. He describes how the center helps to build community by teaching children of different races and backgrounds to live and act with mutual respect for one another.

Race relations is a topic much in the news. There is considerable work to be done to bring together the multitude of races and cultures in our world. Much of this work begins with our children. It is during our formative years that we develop the beliefs that guide our decisions and our day-to-day behavior once we become adults. Therefore, teaching acceptance and respect for differences and diversity needs to start early.

An effective, yet simple approach is to provide our youth with as many opportunities as possible to meet, get to know, and interact with individuals of different nationalities and backgrounds. It is these early connections that help young people recognize that we are all individuals with similar hopes, dreams, failings, and responsibilities. No one person is defined by her or his race or culture alone. Children (and adults) can best learn through one-on-one relationships in which they get to know individuals for who they are, not for the stereotypes our society creates.

At Atlantic Street Center we work with children and families from many nationalities and cultures. In our after-school weekend programs we bring these children together to share social, educational, and cultural activities. For example, youth from Cambodia have worked side-by-side with youth from East Africa, India, and the United States on community beautification projects, at skill-building camps, and at community celebrations. In our Summer Academy, multi-ethnic youth volunteers from public, private, and United Methodist groups tutor African American, East African, Asian, Native American and Spanish-speaking students. Through such interaction they learn to value others as individuals, and for the perspectives, ideas, and insights they contribute to make the group stronger and more complete.

We can learn a great deal from these young people, and will benefit greatly when as adults they become leaders in bringing about racial harmony in our society.

October 18, 2001
General Board of Global Ministries
United Methodist Church
475 Riverside Drive - New York, New York 10115
1-800-UMC-GBGM