How we treat others indicative of how we treat ourselves.

Use every opportunity to seek spiritual healing, peace, and justice. (on Georgia Tech campus)

OPINION: In an attempt to foster positive changes against poverty, racism and sexism, I want to share some reactions I had after attending two local events. How I was treated at both these events almost negates what was trying to be expressed as countering injustice, for how can we tell others not to treat blacks, poor people and women inhumanely if we don't practice what we preach?

Both reactions occurred early at each event and could have hampered constructive learning. Regardless of what I witnessed and how I was treated, however, I gained positive insight into problems we face and how we can overcome them.

The first event was held on the Georgia Tech campus inside the Bill Moore Student Success Center and was sponsored by the Pan-African Ahmadiyya Muslim Association USA. The theme: "Journey to Justice and True Islam." It was billed as a Black History event. The second event was the Cobb County SCLC Chapter's 13th Annual MLK Gala, entitled "Crime, Recidivism and its Effect on Our Families and Communities."

At Georgia Tech, my first encounter was with a man telling me to sit on the other side of the hall because where I was sitting was reserved for men only. I had not thought about separate seating arrangements, and just found an empty seat up front. I told him I was not moving, and he didn't have a problem with that.

At the SCLC Gala, after introducing myself to another guest, I was told that I needed to not interrupt a man when he is speaking and to take cues on how a wife should act from his wife. I quickly asked to be seated at another table. When I told my host what had happened, he said, "Oh, that's just his personality."

Both staying put in the first instance and moving in the second instance were my own choices. If I had been a slave, I would not have had a choice.

In the next few days, I will be finishing my news posts on these two events, so stay tuned.