Tweets Posts l Tom Horsman @ TomHorsman Great job by @GCRTA on the new Lee-Van Aken station. Lots of TOD potential in @ShakerOnline. n Meg Christie, SHHS, Class of ‘85 I attended a community conversation on race and performance in Maine. Was enlightened, saddened, excited and confused. I’m so happy that the conversation is happening, and… there is so much anger, fear and outrage that it’s hard to find room for the compassion and acceptance that were the hallmark of my experience of growing up. I want to acknowledge and validate the painful feelings AND make space for compassion. So, this is a shout out to the community of 14 SHAKERONLINE.COM | SPRING 2016 actors, musicians, performers of all kinds and friends who supported these efforts from my home town of Shaker Heights. I am holding you all in my heart tonight and sending gratitude for you… and the amazing gifts and blessings of an experience of growing up in a community that started with trying to accept people however they show up… n SHHS, Grad 1 Wow Meg. We were incredibly lucky to be raised where we were. Wasn’t always easy, but it was a time when people were at least trying to connect. n SHHS, Grad 2 I thank God for how I was raised and where I was raised. I agree 100%. We were blessed to be surrounded by creative people of various ethnicities. As a result many of us “Shakerites” have a much broader understanding of people than many other folks across the nation. You, and other friends like you, make me a better person. For years, I took my childhood for granted… now I know better. n SHHS, Grad 3 What a blessing it was to have spent our formative years in such a positive, nurturing, and supportive environment that was both immune to, and devoid of the racism commonly found in other places, where people of different races & religions live elbow to elbow. You are absolutely correct in specifically pointing out artists, and even the parents of the artists, who were transcendent when it came to tolerance, when it came to cultural, racial and sexual orientation. Some cynics call our little corner of the world unrealistic…I’ll take that…I find solace now when facing the racism and cruelty I see day to day in knowing that there is indeed, a place that I once knew, and was even a part of, where those issues and problems… were something that I only read about happening… somewhere else. I love you guys and always will. RED RAIDERS FOR LIFE!!! n Meg Christie Unrealistic? We lived it and continue to experience the reality of that place in the acceptance and compassion of our friendships. Take a look at the posts of almost anyone we graduated with, look into the lives of the people who were raised in that “unrealistic” place. It is real. The challenging question is how do we make it real for the larger community? n SHHS, Grad 4 Shaker planted seeds in me that grew into a lifetime commitment to social justice and a view of the world that I’m still amazed is unusual… I’m grateful for our time together and for what we all offered each other. n SHHS, Grad 5 I, too, had no idea that Shaker was so unusual/such a bubble… My mother always said, if she did one thing right, it was raise us in Shaker and I agree with all my heart. So many wonderful experiences and friends. SL
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