E Pluribus Unum Nature Explore

Dr. Stan Howard is the President and Founder of the Law and Civics Reading and Writing Institute for Urban Males in Chicago, Illinois. He is a member of the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation Board and as part of our Many Minds Series he shares his unique perspective on what Nature Explore means to him.  

“Translated roughly from its Latin roots, E Pluribus Unum means “from many comes one.” Aside from being the proposed original motto of the United States, some experts believe that E Pluribus Unum also was the animating spirit of the “We The People” civic invocation inserted into the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. Thus, in ratifying the Constitution in 1789 the framers were also seeking to give vitality to the idea that Americans should see themselves as emerging “from many to one” in all matters necessary to grow and develop the fledgling young republic. History has revealed that over the course of America’s relatively short life as a nation, hundreds of thousands of noble spirits have sacrificed dearly for the realization of the aspirational sentiments embodied in these words—words meant to inspire, elevate and connect Americans beyond the superficial and artificial differences that are legendary for separating ourselves from oneness.

In this brief note I humbly submit for your consideration the idea that similar to the constitutional framers conception of E Pluribus Unum, the concept of Nature Explore is also an animating sentiment seeking to inspire, elevate and connect noble spirits beyond superficial and artificial differences. However, unlike the almost 4 millions constituting the E Pluribus Unum “many” of 1789 America, the “many” comprising the 2012 Nature Explore are represented by tens of millions of Americans, and billions within our human family who are disconnected from the mesmerizingly awesome and ennobling educational wonders manifesting within, and emanating from Mother Earth each and every nano-second. From this perspective then Nature Explore becomes the organizing principle offered to gather and inspire over 7 billion people on the planet, both children and adults, to grow their natural human intelligence and empathy through the understanding that, notwithstanding our superficial and artificial differences, we are all truly “one” people, inhabiting only “one” biosphere, and interconnected to only “one” destiny.  Yes Indeed, From Many Comes One.