soto1996
Jun 14, 2014
Undergraduate / 'my journey through a candy store' - entrance to a selective diversity program [3]
Why is diversity important to you?
My journey thought life has been like a journey through a candy store. Just as candies come in a variety shapes, sizes, colors, and wrappers - throughout my life, I have encountered a wide range of individuals of different races, ethnic backgrounds, ideologies, and socio-economic classes.
I grew up in a predominately white neighborhood, which also happened to be one of the most concentrated gay communities in the United States. Coming from a Hispanic background, I often felt very different from those around me, not because of the color of my skin but because of our distinctive culture understandings. Throughout my years in elementary and middle school, I attended a <censored> where the students were predominantly African-American, African and French; many of the students came from a lower social economic class. Each individual had their own culture and values, some resembled one another's and others were distinctive. As I moved into High School I was presented with a diverse group of students, this time middle class with a wide range of ethnic and religious backgrounds. It was easy for me to blend in with such a diverse group because of my past experiences. Throughout my high school years, I have encountered a countless amount of diverse people in volunteering activities, church groups and community events and have realized the important value it adds to human beings.
Diversity adds richness to life by presenting different perspectives, views and opinions. Growing up in such a diverse community has widened my perspective of my own life and has shaped who I am today. It has guided me towards being an open-minded and accepting person, full of ideas beyond those presented by homogenous groups of individuals. As I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate the gay community that I grew up in and the French school that I attend because those are the first places where I was able to grasp cultural diversity and values as well as learn the importance of cross- cultural interaction - not only in terms of ethnic backgrounds or religion, but also socio-economic cultures. My experience has been one of diversity, and that, in itself, is different. So many different communities and groups of people have influenced me that my view does not fall in line with just one, and has allowed for a broader understanding of the world around me.
Just as I was able to, and will continue to learn and experience the importance of diversity, I feel that it is important that others do the same. If diversity existed in the 195 countries of our world today, our world would be more unified; individuals would be open-minded and their understanding of people from different ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations would go beyond just their community, culture and society. Diversity is the solution to prejudicing, racism, and stereotyping.
Why is diversity important to you?
My journey thought life has been like a journey through a candy store. Just as candies come in a variety shapes, sizes, colors, and wrappers - throughout my life, I have encountered a wide range of individuals of different races, ethnic backgrounds, ideologies, and socio-economic classes.
I grew up in a predominately white neighborhood, which also happened to be one of the most concentrated gay communities in the United States. Coming from a Hispanic background, I often felt very different from those around me, not because of the color of my skin but because of our distinctive culture understandings. Throughout my years in elementary and middle school, I attended a <censored> where the students were predominantly African-American, African and French; many of the students came from a lower social economic class. Each individual had their own culture and values, some resembled one another's and others were distinctive. As I moved into High School I was presented with a diverse group of students, this time middle class with a wide range of ethnic and religious backgrounds. It was easy for me to blend in with such a diverse group because of my past experiences. Throughout my high school years, I have encountered a countless amount of diverse people in volunteering activities, church groups and community events and have realized the important value it adds to human beings.
Diversity adds richness to life by presenting different perspectives, views and opinions. Growing up in such a diverse community has widened my perspective of my own life and has shaped who I am today. It has guided me towards being an open-minded and accepting person, full of ideas beyond those presented by homogenous groups of individuals. As I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate the gay community that I grew up in and the French school that I attend because those are the first places where I was able to grasp cultural diversity and values as well as learn the importance of cross- cultural interaction - not only in terms of ethnic backgrounds or religion, but also socio-economic cultures. My experience has been one of diversity, and that, in itself, is different. So many different communities and groups of people have influenced me that my view does not fall in line with just one, and has allowed for a broader understanding of the world around me.
Just as I was able to, and will continue to learn and experience the importance of diversity, I feel that it is important that others do the same. If diversity existed in the 195 countries of our world today, our world would be more unified; individuals would be open-minded and their understanding of people from different ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations would go beyond just their community, culture and society. Diversity is the solution to prejudicing, racism, and stereotyping.
