As we enter Black History Month this February, it’s important to pause—not just to recognize history, but to reflect on how our personal experiences shape the work we do each day.
Long before I became the first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator at Franklin County DD, the matter was personal for me. As the father of a biracial young man, I have centered my life on making sure my son grows up knowing diversity, equity and inclusion not as theory, but as lived experiences. In how he treats people. In how people treat him. In the environments he is welcomed into and the opportunities he has access to.
That personal lens is the same one I bring to my job. People trust Franklin County DD to create systems, services and spaces where dignity, respect and belonging are not optional; they are foundational.
In April of 2016, I had the opportunity to hear the educator Jane Elliott speak at Columbus State Community College. Elliott created the “blue eyes/brown eyes” exercise following the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., using eye color instead of skin color to teach her all-white classroom what discrimination feels like. The lesson became famous, and Elliott kept doing work that is uncomfortable, challenging and impossible to forget. The day I met her was no different.
At the time, I didn’t realize that experience was preparing me for the work I would later do here at Franklin County DD—work that requires us to confront bias, examine systems, and ask hard questions about equity and access. This work is not always comfortable, but it is necessary if we are serious about serving all people well.
I wore my I Have a Dream sweatshirt to Elliott’s presentation, and left with a photo of a moment whose meaning I wouldn’t fully understand until years later.
Black History Month reminds us that progress doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people are willing to learn, reflect and take responsibility for creating better systems. At Franklin County DD, this commitment shows up in how we serve individuals, support families, collaborate and hold ourselves accountable.
This month and every month, I encourage us all to consider how personal stories influence professional impact, and how we can contribute to a culture where everyone belongs.
Sean Patterson served as a Franklin County DD service coordinator for 14 years. He was named the agency’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator in 2023.
