The following note from Phil was published for the opening celebration of the Visibility: Lesbian and Gay People We Love photo exhibit. The exhibit is currently up in the Sixth Avenue auditorium and hallway and will be there until Spring Break. Please feel free to drop in and visit this wonderful show.Dear LREI Community.

Thank you for joining us for the opening of this year’s Visibility: Gay and Lesbian People We Love photo exhibit. I am sorry to miss this wonderful event. While not here in body, I am with you in spirit and as a fellow supporter of the School’s social justice mission. This mission was clearly present at the student organized opening at the high school last week.

Thank you to Keith and Kim, to the other members of the LGSA, to the many volunteers and to Chap for the time and energy and care that has gone into creating this show. Thank you, as well, to all who have contributed photos. Without your participation and, in many cases, your courage, this show would not be possible.

We host this exhibit every other year and are often asked the same two questions as we approach the opening. The first question concerns the goals for the exhibit. This is an excellent question and one that we spend a good deal of time discussing. As a school and as a community we need to support colleagues who are not afforded the same rights as others. LREI has always been active in the fight for equality and social justice. We host this exhibit to give voice and hope to those who must hide part of themselves from family, friends and colleagues. I have never had to hide who I love from anyone. As a matter of fact, society has always encouraged me to be very open about this part of my life—whether when I was in school or now as an adult. Yet many people risk rejection and injury for sharing this joy with family and friends. Often, when discussing the visibility exhibit, it is suggested that the prejudice against people who are lesbian or gay does not exist anymore. Unfortunately this is not so. Witness the tragic killing of Lawrence King in Oxnard, CA just a few weeks ago. King, a middle school student, was shot to death in school, reportedly because he was gay.

The second question often comes from parents of our youngest students. They ask about our sharing and discussing this exhibit with our youngest students. As you view the photos in the exhibit a number of themes will emerge for you–dignity, friendship, equality and courage, among others. But most of all, the theme or feeling or emotion that you will take away from viewing these beautiful photographs is love—love for family and friends and parents and children—and I can think of no reason that, of all things, we should ever question the appropriateness of love, the power of love, the importance of love and the right to love. This seems to me to be a wonderful topic for discussions with young children, and with people of all ages, for that matter.

Karamu is one way we celebrate the many cultures and life experiences of the members of our school community as well as the experiences of people around the world. Each year your children share wonderful information about their families and friends on Karamu cards posted throughout the sixth avenue building. This year children were asked to choose a family member or special friend and write something they found interesting about that person’s heritage, cultural background or hometown. Below are some of the things your children shared:

“This is my dad. He grew up in Queens. His family lived in New York since 1840. Before that they lived in Germany and Russia.”

“Grandpa grew up on a farm. There were lots of animals there like ducks and cows…When he was born he was little. He had to wake up very early to milk the cows.”

“My cousin was born in Hawaii two years ago. She is currently living in Hawaii, but in February she will be moving to Virginia. Her Dad is a navy officer. It’s interesting to know she will grow up in different parts of the country and maybe overseas.”

“My sister and I are African American, Irish, Cherokee and Cape Verdian. My sister was born in New York. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia.”

“This is my Baba. Baba means grandma in Japanese. My Baba is Japanese. She is special to me because she is nice and has two cats. She always has presents for me.”

“My Papa comes from Florence, Italy. I like Florence because it has very narrow streets and lots of Vespa’s and motor scooters. There is very good gelato.”

“My grandma is from Somalia. It is in East Africa. I love the costumes and jewelry. It is very colorful – pink, blue, green, yellow and purple with gold trimming with lots of gold jewelry. It is very beautiful.”

“These are my Chinese cousins. I love them!!! We were adopted on the same day and are from the same province. That is why they are affectionately called “my cousins.” My Chinese name is Ling Cai and that means ‘Rise High Emerald’.”

This is just a sampling of the rich culture and heritage of LREI families. Please stop by and read more Karamu cards as you walk the halls these next couple of weeks. You’ll be amazed by how much there is to learn about each other and about the assets you all bring to our school community.