Driving around Holliston, I have noticed signs throughout town stating that June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the signs, there is a picture of Jesus facing forward, his hands up with a heart radiating out of his chest. The image of a heart open in compassion for all of humanity is a striking one juxtaposed with the current divisive climate in too many of our country’s cities, towns, and neighborhoods—a climate that lacks humanity.
The word “humanity,” as defined by The Oxford English Dictionary, is about the inherent characteristics and qualities that define humans as a species, including the capacity for emotion, reason, and connection. The emotive, reasonable, connected heart is also a striking polarity for me personally to the subtle and sometimes overt racism my family has experienced while residing in Holliston. Therefore, it is a balm to read and interview longtime Holliston resident, Robert Principe, about his new book, Excuse Me While I Skip a Beat: Working to Reinvent My Life and Leadership as a White Guy. While living, working, and parenting in a challenging climate, this book is a much-needed read.
Robert’s background includes being a musician and a musical director. Music making resonates a whole lot for him – always has, always will. Robert talks about the importance of being a good listener when developing a musical ensemble, and the importance of listening in the work of building greater inclusion and greater equity for more of us.
During our conversation, and as he emphasizes in the title of his book, he is a “white guy,” and he knows he needs to recognize that he has never been denied access to anything because of his identity. In the face of this reality, Robert has chosen to focus on building a richly meaningful career fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all the spaces he inhabits. His relentless focus on DEI leadership has been influential in creating change in places like the College of the Holy Cross, Beaver Country Day School, and the Massachusetts Trial Court, as well as through his DEI consulting work at many companies and organizations around the country.
For some, the very mention of DEI brings about a sense of resistance. It may conjure up an image of a professional development day spent deconstructing privilege, which, for many, is far too abstract an exercise. I assure you that Robert’s new book, Excuse Me While I Skip a Beat: Working to Reinvent My Life and Leadership as a White Guy, is not abstract. It presents a very real picture of how inequity negatively impacts too many Americans. Reading this book is difficult at times, especially when Robert touches upon racial trauma and its effects on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) American children. There are moments, personally, that resonated with me so deeply, I found it all heartbreaking.
There are also times when Robert’s in-depth overview of societal inequities feels overwhelming, but his book is still a worthwhile read. We must continue to uncover what we don’t know, so that we can refocus our social lens and keep understanding DEI and its importance to all of us on a deeper level.
As Robert mentioned to me in our interview, specifically regarding inequity, “If I don’t know the real issues, how can I act to effect change?” He talks about digging deeper into our socioeconomic system to know more about how inequity is “baked in,” for example, to our healthcare system, our financial system, and our ability to equally access affordable housing, a living wage, and a quality education. Robert’s book shares a number of examples of the negative impacts of this disparity. He also speaks of the toll that a lack of diverse voices at the table of decision-making has on American society at large.
This is a time in our shared history that is not about abstraction but instead needs to be about our shared actions. Robert points out that the real work of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is about giving us all “the tools for advancing greater representation, and realizing greater health and well-being for more of us, not just some of us.” He clearly affirms, “DEI is not an ideology; it’s a strategy.”
We need effective strategies for social change, perhaps now more than ever. Robert challenges himself, and he calls on all of us to be part of that change by more aggressively taking up our role as citizens and as stewards of our democracy. He states, “Let’s go on the offensive with the best of our humanity and act together for the change we need. Let’s do it!”
After reading the book and speaking with Robert, I was left thinking, whatever position we may be in—privileged or not, able to see and understand the brutal realities of inequity or not—we must go and act for change in our own “sphere of influence—personally, interpersonally, and socially.” The time is now for us to work to effect positive change in all the ways that we can—in our relationships, in our towns, where we work, even in our interactions with strangers. We must use our sense of compassion to bring about more humanity.
I walked away from my interview with Robert feeling like I’d had a conversation with a wise friend who has not let the pain of the current climate dishearten him or dampen his resolve. Robert remains committed to using his “mobility, stability, and safety” to create a more humane way and quality of life for a greater number of people from the wide diversity of identities, backgrounds, and life experiences that truly define us. We should all do the same.
Shortly after we spoke, as the idea of working within one’s sphere of influence was ringing in my ears, I was reading with horror about Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the 18-year-old honor student who has attended Milford public schools since he was 6 and was taken into ICE custody on his way to volleyball practice on Saturday, May 31. I responded by writing a long letter to our Governor. Perhaps one letter won’t make a difference, but if enough of us act within our sphere of influence, I believe we will see our way to a greater good for a greater number.
I feel that Robert’s new book, Excuse Me While I Skip a Beat: Working to Reinvent My Life and Leadership as a White Guy, can help us on this journey.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Robert’s book talk and signing on June 14, from 1-3 pm at Barnes & Noble in Bellingham. And here’s a spoiler alert: There will be a special musical guest performing before and after his book talk. I hope to see you there!
Excuse Me While I Skip a Beat: Working to Reinvent My Life and Leadership as a White Guy