Teaching others to think and look outside themselves

by Lolinda Turner, Program Manager for Dental Workforce Diversity and Inclusion at Delta Dental of Washington

Black History Month is not just a month of celebrating and remembering African Americans, it's about teaching others to think and look outside of their box. Black History Month fuels the fire, passion, and drive within so many Black and African Americans to keep pushing on even when we are tired. Tired of trying to justify our very existence. Acknowledging my heritage and those who have sacrificed to make it possible for me to love freely, live freely, and make a difference in the lives of others - freely.

My family and I celebrate our heritage every day, so the month of February is a sense of heightened awareness of how much we appreciate and love the skin we are in. We tend to walk with our heads held higher and are eager to greet other Black and African American’s when we see each other in public. We also tell more stories to our children of stories we were told about things our family members overcame and/or watch and learn more about our past that are not shown or told in mainstream media. Last year my husband and I did a tour of the south that included walking across the [1]Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama as registered voters.  This year, we will be headed to plantations in Georgia and South Carolina to continue our tour of the south.

Visiting the south reminds us of the barriers that are still there, and that we are still overcoming them every day. To say we overcame one barrier just means another one is right around the corner due to continued systemic racism in our communities, state, nation, and across the globe.

I’m passionate about my work around diversity, equity, and inclusion because I strongly feel that how we love and respect each other now, defines our children's future. We cannot undo the past, however, we certainly can learn from it and do better!

About Lolinda:

Lolinda (Lo) Turner has been with Delta Dental of Washington for 2.5 years and is currently the Program Manager for Dental Workforce Diversity & Inclusion. Lo, is focused on leading Delta Dental’s mission-driven efforts to expand diversity at all levels within the dental profession, progress the oral health industry toward a more inclusive culture, and increase oral health equity statewide with no one left behind.

Fun fact: Outside of work, Lo and her husband love to cook and take care of loved ones! Currently empty nesters, it has now allowed them the opportunity to travel and enjoy foods from different cultures. Lo also loves to listen to music and do things that involve working with her hands, like working on cars, crafts, and gardening.

References:

[1] The Edmund Pettus Bridge, now a National Historic Landmark, was the site of the brutal Bloody Sunday beatings of civil rights marchers during the first march for voting rights. On “Bloody Sunday,” March 7, 1965, some 600 civil rights marchers headed east out of Selma on U.S. Route 80. They got only as far as the Edmund Pettus Bridge six blocks away, where state and local lawmen attacked them with billy clubs and tear gas and drove them back into Selma. (What was the significance of the bridge in Selma? – SidmartinBio)