small communities we’ve all seen them
then a part of them at one point or
another I’m not just talking a small
town here small communities can be
anything from a workplace to a sports
team a club or even a classroom they’re
anywhere any place or just about
everybody knows everybody now think
about that
all those little communities you’ve been
a part of in the past what comes to mind
when you think about those places is it
a diversity of interests of Ages of
likes and dislikes and hobbies now what
probably comes to your mind is their
uniformity of a group of people that
have commonalities people that think
alike dress alike and or maybe do
similar things because of this you
probably notice things about your
community members right and maybe you
say something hey John
get a haircut loving it or whoa Jane
rocking those new boots but the comments
aren’t always positive you got a bad
spray tan or news of a messy family
incident has reached the ears of you
community someone singles you out about
it in a negative way or perhaps they
don’t say anything at all a silence
stares that can be just as bad as any
Snyder knows you can’t matter I’m a
resident of the few small communities I
play sports I live in a small town and I
attend a school that has an average
grade size of 50 to 60 kids most aspects
of my life have a small community feel
to them and I’ve seen the good and the
bad I mean what better way to get
noticed then in a small setting where
everybody sees you and the way you are
noticed doesn’t always inspire warm
happy feelings it can be harsh and mean
and stifle self-expression it can make
you scared to act or be a certain way
perhaps it’s not intentional it’s last
thing on your community members minds
but it can still
like you one day you don’t like feel
like getting out of your pajamas or just
have the urge to wear your onesie to
school there’s no regulation in place to
stop you but you decide not to anyways
why because you’re scared scared of the
judgment from your peers afraid they
will make fun of you or not be accepting
but then again maybe you do wear your
onesie because well the heck with them
or you’re just not expecting any
judgement at all it depends on the
person then Mitch you fit into are you
the one they expect quirkiness from the
one they encourage to show up with your
cow slippers on or the one they give the
side-eye to even then all these
individuals they’re making choices they
are choosing to do something different
but not everybody has a choice and when
they get noticed it’s not because they
want to small communities can be
fantastic they can foster truly warm and
safe feeling environments but they can
also blow small things way out of
proportion
so let me leave you with this thought
this task the next time you are in one
of your small communities be conscious
of what is happening around you watch
and listen dissect the things being said
by yourself and others was that comment
that may seem funny to you funny to the
person it was said – is the way you’re
acting towards the people in that room
er nice
remember when in a small community
judgement can hit harder than intended
there are less opinions to go around the
few you hear that you give out can be
far more powerful and all you out there
if you just want to wear your onesies
express yourself go for it because the
only opinion that really matters is
yours [Applause]
then a part of them at one point or
another I’m not just talking a small
town here small communities can be
anything from a workplace to a sports
team a club or even a classroom they’re
anywhere any place or just about
everybody knows everybody now think
about that
all those little communities you’ve been
a part of in the past what comes to mind
when you think about those places is it
a diversity of interests of Ages of
likes and dislikes and hobbies now what
probably comes to your mind is their
uniformity of a group of people that
have commonalities people that think
alike dress alike and or maybe do
similar things because of this you
probably notice things about your
community members right and maybe you
say something hey John
get a haircut loving it or whoa Jane
rocking those new boots but the comments
aren’t always positive you got a bad
spray tan or news of a messy family
incident has reached the ears of you
community someone singles you out about
it in a negative way or perhaps they
don’t say anything at all a silence
stares that can be just as bad as any
Snyder knows you can’t matter I’m a
resident of the few small communities I
play sports I live in a small town and I
attend a school that has an average
grade size of 50 to 60 kids most aspects
of my life have a small community feel
to them and I’ve seen the good and the
bad I mean what better way to get
noticed then in a small setting where
everybody sees you and the way you are
noticed doesn’t always inspire warm
happy feelings it can be harsh and mean
and stifle self-expression it can make
you scared to act or be a certain way
perhaps it’s not intentional it’s last
thing on your community members minds
but it can still
like you one day you don’t like feel
like getting out of your pajamas or just
have the urge to wear your onesie to
school there’s no regulation in place to
stop you but you decide not to anyways
why because you’re scared scared of the
judgment from your peers afraid they
will make fun of you or not be accepting
but then again maybe you do wear your
onesie because well the heck with them
or you’re just not expecting any
judgement at all it depends on the
person then Mitch you fit into are you
the one they expect quirkiness from the
one they encourage to show up with your
cow slippers on or the one they give the
side-eye to even then all these
individuals they’re making choices they
are choosing to do something different
but not everybody has a choice and when
they get noticed it’s not because they
want to small communities can be
fantastic they can foster truly warm and
safe feeling environments but they can
also blow small things way out of
proportion
so let me leave you with this thought
this task the next time you are in one
of your small communities be conscious
of what is happening around you watch
and listen dissect the things being said
by yourself and others was that comment
that may seem funny to you funny to the
person it was said – is the way you’re
acting towards the people in that room
er nice
remember when in a small community
judgement can hit harder than intended
there are less opinions to go around the
few you hear that you give out can be
far more powerful and all you out there
if you just want to wear your onesies
express yourself go for it because the
only opinion that really matters is
yours [Applause]
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