The story of this Rotary peace initiative begins shortly after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., on August 9, 2014. A Rotarian by the name of Ron Swain recruited a group of Georgetown, Texas, citizens and asked, “What would we have to do to ensure that this doesn’t happen in our city?”
From this gathering emerged a “Courageous Conversations Movement,” committed to exploring the difficult issues around race. This movement has endured and evolved now for over six years with some positive outcomes, including an increasing willingness among community members to delve into subject matters that can be challenging to discuss.
 
After the death of George Floyd in May of 2020, George Lourigan, the president of The Rotary Club of Georgetown asked Ron to speak to the club on this difficult issue of race as one of our weekly programs. Ron spoke of his personal experiences growing up as an African-American in Macon, Ga., during the Jim Crow era. His story, told with emotion not normally apparent, but evoked by these recollections, so moved the club that leadership decided to explore issues where race and peace intersect. The Racial Unity Committee of The Rotary Club of Georgetown was formed in June of 2020. The committee has met weekly ever since with committed participation from 15 to 17 Rotarians. As we explore these issues within our nation, our community, and yes, ourselves, we have taken a relational approach, much in the way we build goodwill and friendships with Rotarians around the world.
 
The weekly meetings begin with a recitation of our vision and mission statements and the Rotary peace objectives. Our conversations are characterized by compassion, understanding, and acceptance that our relationships are neither invasive nor evasive. Our vision and mission statements are built around the Four-way test and a desire to live harmoniously with people of all races and ethnicities.
 
The key to a successful racial unity committee lies with a facilitator whose role is the creation and protection of a space where everyone can feel safe in expressing their opinions. The facilitator must understand that it is a solemn responsibility when they invite people to make themselves vulnerable in this manner and keep space safe. A second key is the realization and acceptance by all who participate that there is “no fixing, no advising, and no setting each other straight.” A simple rule, but actually hard to follow.
 
With leadership from members of the Racial Unity Committee, action steps involving weekly programs, communication with each other, and outreach to other clubs and organizations have become part of our club’s ongoing agenda for peace. We seek to be a model for other clubs. We have already discovered and engaged with other Rotary Clubs doing similar work.
 
What has enabled these Rotarians to maintain this commitment in the midst of their busy lives? The answer seems to be that this committee have developed relationships of trust in which no one is judged, criticized, or challenged as they reflect on historical racial injustice in America. The Rotarians of diverse backgrounds are intent on listening, learning, and ultimately acting to further the cause of racial unity first in our club, then in our community, and beyond. From the beginning, Ron asked, “If Rotary can have a goal, almost accomplished, of eradicating polio worldwide, why cannot Rotary, with our help, have a goal of eradicating racism worldwide?” 
 
For more information contact Ron Swain at ronlswain48@gmail.com or Jim Deuser at jdeuser1@gmail.com.