On September 20, during the Tuesday co-curricular short courses, Andrews University Latino Association (AULA) held an informative presentation on colorism and racism within the Hispanic community at Buller Hall. Dr. Maxwell, the speaker, is the founder and CEO of Destined2Excel, an executive and life coaching firm in operation for almost 20 years. He earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Development Psychology with an emphasis in Executive Coaching, a Master's degree in Fine Arts. He is a Master's Certified Coach and Certified Coach Practitioner. Mr. Maxwell is a member of several organizations, including the World Coach Institute (WCI) and the Certified Coaches Federation (CCF). He was born in Panama and identifies as Afro-Latino.
Dr. Maxwell began his presentation by acknowledging God’s creativity: “God is a very curious God,” he said. “Look at the variety of animals He created—they are all of different shapes and sizes, and they have different interests.” This observation can also be applied to humans. We are multifaceted, hold various worldviews, and have unique phenotypes. This is generally a positive aspect of our complexities as a species but at times our preconceived orientations can prevent us from understanding other perspectives. A very important point he made is that humans can choose to be closed-minded or open-minded. Testimonials were shared for the purpose of painting a picture of the world we live in. While we are all unique some people groups are elevated more than others. We live in a world where some people valued more than others due to their sexual orientation, skin color, ethnicity, and more.
After the presentation, during the question and answer session, I asked Dr. Maxwell, “Aren’t you tired of asserting yourself in society?” He responded, “No, I am not. I make it my mission that people are educated on the current state of the world so that no one can live in a state of negligence.” It’s safe to say that his attitude towards sharing the story of marginalized people is a resolve that we should all have. Dr. Maxwell ended his presentation by encouraging the students to travel—and during our travels, we should go where the real people are. Travel is a tool that can help us to acquaint ourselves with the struggles of different people and our responsibility to aid their cause. To the question, “Should people of color be on guard against society so that when racism strikes, we are not deeply affected?” Dr. Maxwell responded, “Don’t anticipate racism; develop a thick skin against it, deal with the problem at hand, and don’t go looking for one.” The application of Dr. Maxwell's advice is helpful for encountering those who choose to remain ignorant to the voice of subaltern people groups.
Only by getting to know the people can you understand them and experience their beauty. As a writer, student, and a person of color, I was blessed to not have encountered experiences where the world has been unkind to me because of my skin color. But even if I do in the future, I have a new outlook because of Dr. Maxwell’s presentation.
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