Diversity Makes Us Stronger
I teach at a high school in the mid-Atlantic that is the very definition of diverse. The “majority” student group, not Caucasian, tops off at a whopping 44%. The main corridor of the school boasts a gallery of flags from students’ home countries. It is an impressive array. The staff is as diverse as the student body, and that diversity extends beyond race to faith background, gender/sexual identity, age, socioeconomic status, and more.
I am proud to be a part of such a diverse community. We are not perfect though; inequities exist.
The differences in economic privilege and academic opportunities between racial backgrounds are obvious. Our students live this painful reality. If an observer walks into a classroom, within seconds they can determine whether that particular class is an AP/GT class or standard level. The AP/GT have only a smattering of students of color. The staff recognize this and are working daily to support teaching and policy changes to balance our broken system.
The astounding feature of our school, however, is not the diversity, but rather that we (for the most part) get along. We are a family. In our community, students and teachers of all backgrounds genuinely enjoy each others’ company.
Yet, even more importantly, students and teachers recognize that the differences in our cultures make us stronger. Yes, there is no cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all description of any racial group. But, we recognize and celebrate the differences, just as we celebrate the uniqueness of the individual students.
We are not colorblind.
The safe, loving community the school provides makes this possible.
Many of our Latino students thrive learning cooperatively–students see their synchronicity and strive to follow their example.
Many of our black students are expressive. They speak their minds freely and easily. They yearn for opportunities for creative expression. Students watch and become emboldened to also freely speak and create.
Many of our Asian students are driven to achieve their personal best in the classroom. Students admire their dedication and learn from their strong work ethic.
Many of our white students have high hopes for their futures, and for many of them, very few road blocks lie in the way. They wake us up to how far the systems we have in place are from the ideal. We want their optimism for all.
And then there are those who don’t fit into the molds, who teach us that who a person is goes much deeper than any label. To genuinely love any member of our community, we must lay aside labels and be present with each other and with our stories.
The community, our school family, provides a place where fears can be laid aside, where what makes us unique is celebrated.
The Way of Howard Thurman
Not everyone can have a supportive community that embraces differences.
More than a century ago, in Florida, Howard Thurman had to travel by train to a black high school he would be allowed to attend. His culture, his people, were not welcome in his hometown high school.
Howard Thurman desired more–not just for his people, but for us all.
Thurman believed that racism could be healed by going inward. He taught that even when no safe community existed, a person, regardless of race, culture, or creed, could go inward to connect with God. They could enter a place where they are safe and fully loved within the quiet of their soul.
Thurman believed that from this place of connection, a hurting person can let go of the separate self/the ego and realize that every person they meet, including him or herself, is a unique creation of God, deserving of love and respect. Howard Thurman, a pastor, believed that the first step to healing is going within. From inner healing, reconciliation could begin.
He founded a purposefully interracial congregation where his dream could become a reality.
Though Thurman was active behind the scenes in the civil rights movement, you may not recognize his name. However, you have probably heard of one of his mentees…Martin Luther King, Jr.
I am a white woman of privilege
I cannot speak to the pain that my cultural group has inflicted on others and certainly do not have all the answers. However, I believe in the message of Howard Thurman. I believe we all need to go within and be healed by the Great Physician, and then extend that healing to others. Together we can create safe places where diversity is our strength, as it was meant to be.
We are all members of the Body of Christ. Let us not forget our value–both our own and that of those around us.