My Tribute to Dorothy Baker
Dot Baker's homecoming floods me with memories of my father. Why? As she was called in the family, Dot was my father's first cousin, officially my first cousin once removed.
First cousins, once removed, refer to a specific family relationship in which there is a one-generation difference between two people who would otherwise be first cousins.
In other words, because Dorothy Baker was my father's first cousin, she was also my first cousin once removed. We shared the same great-grandparents, but we are one generation apart. A generation apart, like my father, she lived through the Civic Rights Movement. Obviously, this is a very significant period in American history. This period emphasized equal rights for everyone, regardless of race or gender. I must say that Dot advocated equal rights to the point that she even opposed her first cousin, once removed (me) on a particular agenda item.
Remember, once removed, it means there's a generational gap between cousins. Dot and I experienced a shift in generational thinking. For instance, Dot served on the City Council while I was on the Abbeville Boys and Girls Club board. I had written a grant that needed the Council's approval. So, the Club chairperson and I attended the City Council meeting, during which the proposal became an agenda item for approval. My presentation was outstanding, I thought. However, Dot questioned the personnel section about how we would hire part-time staff to manage the grant. Part-time employees with no benefits will become disenfranchised more than those receiving aid, according to Dot. From that perspective, Dot refused to approve the proposal. Even though I agreed with her, she didn't realize that we could only allocate a certain percentage of funds to salaries and benefits. As I rethink her message about the disenfranchisement of hiring a person part-time, I realize that I misinterpreted her objection. Hindsight tells me now that Dot wanted me to rewrite the position as a full-time position, creating a supplement from the City of Abbeville toward the salary and benefits. Despite this, I became perturbed by the generational gap and could not present a counterargument to her request. Therefore, it was denied when the Club submitted the grant by the funding source.
Now I ask myself, did my generation learn anything from the Civic Rights generation who demanded equal rights and benefits? Perhaps we misunderstand the values and struggles of older generations, failing to appreciate the depth of their experiences and the lessons they offer. This disconnect can lead to missed opportunities for collaboration and growth across age groups.
Rest, my first cousin, once removed. Disenfranchisement is a thing of the past in your heavenly abode. You can rest now that we have your message of equal rights and benefits, Dorothy Baker.