11/20/2022
Two Parades = An Opportunity for Community Conversation and Celebration
By Amy Everhart and Audrey Solis, Taylor DEI Committee Co-Chairs
Last week, a Jewish woman in our community emailed the Taylor Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee expressing her feelings of discrimination, fear and frustration about the planned Christmas parade. With antisemitism on the rise across the country again, she had reason to be scared. The annual Taylor tradition sparked controversy when the organizers added discriminatory language to their parade application.
The City had a decision to make.
The Taylor Area Ministerial Alliance (TAMA) has organized the parade for the last several years, and has always accepted applications from all who wish to participate. This year, however, their application stated that floats needed to be “biblical” in nature. This led people to ask, “How does one define ‘biblical’?” “Does that mean No Santa?” “Will there be a float of the Seven Deadly Sins?”
Taylor PRIDE, an organization made up of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, alerted the City to TAMA’s revised application. Since the City is a co-sponsor of the event, they could not legally allow blatant discrimination nor any violations of the Constitution. Ultimately, city staff decided to allow the TAMA parade to move forward while also launching a second, all-inclusive parade that would follow the first - with spectators being none the wiser.
Of course, that’s not how this is playing out on social media - and this is far from an ideal situation. The megaphones of the self-righteous are causing others to feel marginalized, and it’s clear this goes well beyond a public spat between TAMA and Taylor PRIDE. The brave Jewish woman who reached out to us wanted to know who was going to stand with her.
The answer is, the City of Taylor stands with her and with all residents of our community. Our city is a beautifully diverse place to raise a family, start a business, build relationships, and enjoy small-town life. Our community is made up of people of all faiths, racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds. Embracing this fact, the City made a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by creating the DEI Committee and setting goals within city government a couple years ago.
So where does this leave us?
Clearly, this has opened up a dialogue. We have a choice: the loudest Taylorites can continue to yell past each other, or we can have a meaningful community conversation about our differences and celebrate our cultural diversity. We are blessed to have a truly multicultural community, and we have a unique opportunity to open our hearts, minds, and eyes and learn from our brothers and sisters.
This year’s double parade is unique, and hopefully an anomaly. Let’s look to the future and plan a truly inclusive celebration going forward. Many businesses, organizations, and even Taylor ISD have expressed discomfort at having to “choose sides.” Though it’s a difficult situation, we encourage everyone to embrace the holiday spirit and participate - whether you build a float or watch from the sidewalk.
Taylor strives to be a welcoming place for all, and we should not allow anyone to feel left out. As you see your fellow community members at the parade or around town this season, remember that you have an opportunity to broaden your understanding and appreciate the diverse cultures, religions, and backgrounds of your neighbors that make this community so strong.
