Topeka Mayor Michelle de la Isla had advice on “Leading from Where You’re At” during Emporia State University’s annual Bonner and Bonner Diversity Lecture Series on Thursday night.
De la Isla spoke with local media before her speech, spending much of her time on the emotional state of race relations today. She says part of the reason why civility has apparently disappeared is actually rooted in some of America’s cultural norms dating back generations.
Having said that, de la Isla says it is a good thing the inclusion discussion continues at this time. She says there have been some positive results, even with the charged atmosphere.
De la Isla was born in New York, but her mother took her and her brother to Puerto Rico on an emergency basis at an early age. She was also homeless at age 17 and pregnant at age 19. De la Isla moved to Kansas in 2000, graduated from Wichita State and later worked for groups like Upward Bound and Topeka’s Habitat for Humanity. She was elected to Topeka’s City Council in 2013.
Dr. Thomas and Mary Bonner, Emporia State’s first black faculty members, started the Bonner and Bonner Lecture Series in 1992. Three years ago, the mission of the lecture series expanded to include civic leadership for the common good.
