Diversity is a dynamic word that can bring either the joy of difference and a world of change, or a frown of disapproval and habits of separation. The latter is an unfortunate occurrence because I think we all have so much to unite with because of our differences.
As a part of the “Passport to Success” program taking place at DU through February, Dorado Kinney, director of Multi-Cultural Affairs, spoke Monday about diversity. He enlightened the small group of DU students on the many ways diversity can be manifed and what role we play in making that manifestation happen. Through a small activity of listing the many ways each of us brought diversity to the group, I was impressed that this extensive list did not separate us as individuals, but brought us together as people.
Although there were many commonalties revealed through the list, it was the many things that made us “different” that actually made us more whole.
Diversity is to be celebrated, and so is unity. We each have so much to offer, but that potential will be lost if we continue to treat diversity as a topic to avoid. As Kinney pointed out, we can only assume so much by appearance, and what we assume has a strong chance of being wrong. We must cultivate a community in which we unite through what makes us the same and grow from what makes us different.
Kinney suggested two things that might help us make this idea of an open, diverse community possible. First, he challenged us to attend an event that we would not usually attend. He said that when we see a flyer of an upcoming event that is unfamiliar to us, we shoud consider it a personal invitation to learn something new.
Second, we must seek to educate others about what we can bring to the table of diversity. Chances are high that the same false assumptions we are making about others are being made about us.
We can wonder and suppose about other people, but by communicating we will connect through our diversity.
I hope that one day the only fear we experience about diversity will be the fear of missing an opportunity to let someone know who we are, and to learn about them in return.
