In 2013, the Superintendent of Grand Haven Area Public Schools, Keith Konarska, was hosting a podcast called Issues and Answers. In August, 2013, he facilitated a discussion on the Diversity Initiative of Northwest Ottawa County (DINOC). The discussion included the Executive Director of the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance (LEDA) Gail Harrison, the President and CEO of JSJ Corporation Nelson Jacobson, and Professor Associate Dean at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Shaily Menon. Gail Harrison was the leader of DINOC, and Menon, Konarska, and Jacobson were all co-chairs. This podcast from nine years ago very clearly shows how diversity, inclusion, and equity (DIE) initiatives were introduced to the Grand Haven community, and how leaders in non-profits, businesses, and education were all working together to transform the community of Grand Haven into their vision of the ideal.
During the discussion, JSJ Corporation CEO Jacobson explained, “We’re putting all of the pieces together. Instead of the work at the K-12 level, at the university level, and at the corporate level, with JSJ or the other peer companies, who are all trying to do this, we now have a holistic approach that will link these efforts, and I believe will bring us to a more effective community outcome, which is the ultimate goal; that individually we’ve all been striving to improve and become more inclusive and comfortable. I think that through this process, it feels that we’ll start to bring those pieces together and reach our ultimate goal of having an inclusive community.”
LEDA Executive Director Harrison, and Professor Menon clearly seemed to believe in their “work,” and were leading the way. Menon explained her personal motivation for participating in the initiative, “… to realize the importance of diversity and inclusion, and the importance of leadership in posturing those values. I saw this as a way for me to continue my work beyond the institution, and to bring it into the community.” She then explained her goals for GVSU students. “One of our strategic goals is to create an environment that is diverse, and prepares students to work in a global and diverse workplace. [] and to continue that experience in the community.”
CEO of JSJ Corporation Nelson Jacobson seemed to have a different motivation for doing “the work.” “It's vital for us to be successful as an Employer of Choice, that we have an open understanding and inclusive attitude.” Today we understand that the left’s definition of diversity refers to groups of various identity traits exhibiting a uniform viewpoint, but CEO Jacobson mentioned promoting “diversity of thought,” demonstrating that he did not understand exactly what he was advocating for during this meeting. Based on his definition of diversity, he was willing to push their agenda in anticipation of future business success. He stressed how important the initiative was. “It’s absolutely imperative that we come to the work with an open mind and thought process of inclusion, and it really is essential for success. As an organization, it is vital for us to attract and retain the best possible young people.” I wonder what he believes today?
Like CEO Jacobson, Superintendent Konarska also appeared to be following the recommendations of credentialed experts. He stated, “the vision of our school district is success for ALL students.” Being familiar with the language of the left, today we understand what this statement actually means. ALL – means some –For example, “Success for All”, in Woke terminology means marginalized students will receive special advantages, so the result of the educational program is equitable. It is doubtful that Superintendent Konarska understood this when making this statement nine years ago. The scary part is what he added: “From my perspective, in a K-12 school district, I don’t think there is anything we can do that is more important than preparing our kids to live in a more diversified world.”
Budding woke language is visible in this video. In addition to GHAPS Superintendent Konarska talking about “success for ALL students,” and the more common woke words of diversity, inclusion and equity, we hear the less common phrases such as “doing the work,” and “the need to be visible.” In addition, JSJ Corporation CEO Jacobson used the phrase, “looking at life through a different lens.”
Perhaps the most interesting example of foreshadowing in this podcast is the subtle reference to the collectivist social justice movement and cancel culture. In explaining how the community will work together to enforce the new social rules, LEDA Executive Director Harrison stated, “There is going to be such a loud voice saying, ‘Not in my town. Not here, not now, not ever again.’” Today we understand this as an example of the majority enforcing their idea of fair and equitable treatment of people through force, no matter if it violates individual rights.
Near the end of the podcast, LEDA Executive Director Gail Harrison shares a story of how Grand Haven Area Public School staff worked with LEDA to indoctrinate a student. “I remember one time Keith, when you sent a young man who had been involved in a racist behavior to our Calling All Colors program, and his response to the teacher/facilitator on the way home was, ‘I’ve learned to see the world through different eyes.’“ She continued, “being able to help build the knowledge base of your students and people that have those attitudes, those attitudes basically come from ignorance, and giving us the opportunity as a community to redefine that is going to be very helpful.”
From 2013, the introduction of wokism into the Grand Haven community has only spread like a virus. Residents have been made to feel guilty for being white, and living in a white community. They have been told they are systemically racist, unless they become activists and oppose racism. They have been brainwashed into believing that sexually explicit books are age-appropriate for school kids. Some have stayed true to their values and questioned so-called experts who have tried to lead them astray, some have stayed quiet hoping that the nonsense would fizzle out, while still others have blindly followed along, turning into robotic creatures that “resiliently” parrot narratives and new woke ideas from the left.