Embracing Differences: A Transformative Presentation by Dr. Michael Fowlin at AMS

This week, seventh and eighth-grade students at AMS had the opportunity to attend a presentation on tolerance, empathy, and self-reflection led by Dr. Michael Fowlin. He shared his personal journey, along with stories of fictional characters, to illustrate the challenges that children and young adults may face but often hide from the world.

Dr. Fowlin encouraged the students to be their true selves and to embrace both their uniqueness and that of others. He emphasized the importance of recognizing that others may be facing their own struggles, and that even small acts of kindness can make a significant difference.

His hope is that audience members will leave his performance "with that wonderful, awakening feeling of beauty: the beauty within one’s self and the beauty within others; the celebration of our differences, and the acceptance of our shared experiences."

Dr. Michael Fowlin's programs combine his professional acting talents and psychological training. His mission is to create an atmosphere of worldwide inclusion, not just tolerance, towards all people. He has worked extensively with all age groups in the United States and other countries. His work has included peer mediation, diversity training, gender equity workshops, and violence prevention seminars.

Families: please take a moment to speak with your child about their thoughts and experience regarding the program and what they learned. 

Here are a few conversation starters that may help open communication with your child:

• What is tolerance?
• What are a few specific examples of how we can demonstrate tolerance in our daily lives?