lewis isaac: builder of bridges
by kelle olwyler

Growing up in a household of 8, Lewis Isaac had a lot of first hand experience in what it means to respect others and value differences in opinion.

His four sisters, one brother and he were deeply influenced by their parents, and Lewis is grateful that his father taught him so much about the things that have shaped him and gotten him through a tumultuous world. “I have a Baptist mother and a Presbyterian father, two very different faiths” says Lewis. “I was raised in a family that believed you should love God and fear Him. It took me time to realize that I was not my parents, and to come to my own relationship with God and myself.” And his way of finding himself is to throw himself into whatever he does, fully, and ongoingly.

“My father was a huge influence in my life, and though our paths have been different, it was some of his teachings that gave me my own biblical philosophy about life and how to live it.” It was Lewis’ father who drilled into him, “Anyone can complain, so don’t you complain unless you’ve thought through a better alternative.” Lewis truly believes in “Love thy neighbor as thy would thyself be loved,” “May he who is without sin cast the first stone,” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It was his Sunday school teacher from years ago who caused him to do a double take when she said to him, “Whenever you point a finger at someone, remember there are three fingers pointing back at you.” (Think about it.)

The elders and the past were a strong influence on him, while simultaneously, the changes that were occurring in the country as he was coming into manhood in the 60’s equally shaped his life. “My icons, Martin Luther King. Jr., John F. Kennedy were given to me when I was a young boy, and taken away from me when I was in my early teens,” no easy thing for a boy to lose his heroes and the hope they brought to a nation. During integration in Mocksville, N.C., his home town, he was one of eight black students who chose to integrate into a high school that had been, up to then, white. It wasn’t easy, but he found a way to make it work for him and come out whole. He was, and still is at 54, a natural athlete, but went to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte on an academic scholarship. “I talk to young men these days about how hard it is to be the one of thousands to be accepted to a college on an athletic scholarship. I encourage them to go for the academics.” Unfortunately, not too many listen, and many are disappointed when the time comes.

Lewis arrived in Asheville in 1971 after being recruited by the Oteen VA Hospital. He thought it would be for a short time, but after 27 years there, he left his position as Director of Human Resources and is now the Training Coordinator for the City of Asheville. He’s not just a taker, but gives back one whole heck of a lot.

In Lewis fashion, he’s made his mark on Asheville, getting involved and contributing wherever he could. He’s served on fifteen boards and steering committees over the years. Right now, he is on the steering committee for Building Bridges, and is a facilitator for their twice a year programs on healing racism. He was so impressed with Building Bridges when he attended 6 years ago, that he has been involved ever since to bring it to as many people as possible. “Building Bridges opened my eyes about institutional racism and helped me see that I was perpetuating racism without being aware I was doing so.” This is something dear to his heart, and it all connects up to the additional five committees and boards he currently serves on: the Asheville City Board of Education, the BB&T Citizens Advisory Board, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, the YMCA and Central Services Board, and the North Carolina Council of Sickle Cell Syndrome. There’s a lot to do to bring apeaceful acceptance and embracing of differences between peoples in the Western North Carolina region.

He feels women are a doorway to the changes that need to come because women, from his observation, seem to adjust to change more quickly and more easily. Lewis teaches a class on Diversity in the Workplace for the City of Asheville. The founding principle is RESPECT, which seems to fit Lewis to a T. “Relationships are important, and you can’t have good ones without respect. If you’re tied down to someone or something being right or wrong, it’s hard to get very far along.” You’d think with all his involvements, he’d have time for little else. But Lewis is an avid tennis player and runner, and makes sure he reads all the Harry Potter books “ ... to stay one step ahead of my 10 year old grandson!” He’s proud of his one daughter and how she’s come into her own. And Lewis always finds the time for a friend.

Kelle Olwyler is a management consultant who helps small, medium and large companies save time, effort and money when implementing change. She also facilitates large group process for businesses and communities who are facing a new future and need to achieve clarity and unity about the best direction to take and how to move forward. [828-254-8049; kelbergan.com]