October 15, 2019 —By Frances Kolarek —
At a time when racial tension is at a fever pitch, I am so very grateful to Collington for the opportunity given me to make friends among our multi-racial, cosmopolitan residents and staff.
African-American Bishop John Walker of the Diocese of Washington, D.C., presided over Collington‘s creation and we are committed to racial, religious and economic diversity. The familial atmosphere, fostered by our first CEO, continues — we are all members of the Collington family.
Out in the Big World it is often difficult for us, as individuals, to make friends beyond our own racial context. Here, living among a host of African-Americans, contacts are frequent and cordial.
We rely on our deeply respected and admired African-American Chief Executive Officer, Marvell Adams, to keep us fiscally sound, and on our Security staff to keep us safe from harm. Leave your phone off the hook and soon a knock at the door comes from a security officer asking if you are okay.
Speaking personally, I enjoy a feeling of collegiality with our staff regardless of race, and relish our hasty verbal exchanges as we meet in the halls.
I am deeply grateful for having the opportunity to get to know so many African-American men and women whom I would otherwise never have known, but for Collington. It is a pleasure and a privilege.
From them I get more heartwarming hugs than I get from my own family. Keep them coming, please. I not only love you, I have the highest respect for all of you. I pray for a future where differences will one day disappear.