Diversity. It’s one of America’s favorite buzzwords, yet I have never figured out exactly what it means, why some people become passionately angered by the subject, and why others spend so much of their time talking about it, but do nothing to make it a meaningful reality in their lives.
At a place like Washington University, administrators talk incessantly about their commitment to the cause of diversity. In admissions and other hiring processes, the focus has consistently been on bringing in students and faculty from different backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities. The result is a campus community filled with people from all over the country and the world, many with unique experiences that they can share with others.
Everyone from the chancellor on down emphasizes the University’s commitment to diversity through blanket statements of support and programming efforts. These programs, like Celebrations Weekend, expose multicultural students to the University who might not have an opportunity to see the campus otherwise. Similarly, the University spoke out on the issue of affirmative action earlier this year in light of the cases before the United States Supreme Court, reinforcing its pledge to ensure underrepresented communities are represented here.
In reality though, diversity has been and will always be just an idea. Commitment to diversity is not just saying the word or believing in it, or even having those “different” people hover around the periphery of your life; it’s being an active participant in understanding someone different from yourself.
Last Monday, Vijay Prashad, a professor at Trinity College and a noted author, alluded to the dangers of multiculturalism and diversity in a lecture that was part of the annual Campus Week of Dialogue on Race Relations.
He stated that the key risk of multiculturalism and diversity programs is that they offer up cultures and people for consumption. He gave a telling example in which someone who talked about ordering Chinese takeout food said “Let’s get a Chinese.” Clearly the person who used this phrase did not appreciate the great depth and contributions of the culture he was degrading. It became something he or she could consume, use and then discard.
Looking further into the issues Prashad raised, it occurred to me that the idea of diversity itself is part of the problem. It has become America’s politically correct Band-Aid: a way in which we can sugarcoat centuries of injustice and oppression and feel like we are somehow proactive in the quest for equality in our society. In the end, we can feel like we understand other types of people because they sit next to us in class, even if we do not make a concerted effort to learn about their cultures.
If we really are committed to learning from and experiencing other cultures, we should want to do these things without the aid of special programs. Saying there is support for diversity on this campus or in another type of professional environment will be a hollow statement if we are not willing to step up and actually talk to people different from ourselves.
I have known people who come away from cultural programs such as Diwali, Black Anthology, and Chinese New Year Festival feeling that they have “experienced” diversity. Watching a performance is not enough though. Take a step outside of your comfort zone and sit with someone who comes from a place that you have never heard of; have lunch with someone who does not share your beliefs or ideals.
Maintaining an interest in such dialogue and conversation is part of the solution. Then, perhaps, we will not be so caught up in the word “diversity,” and will actually be engaged in worthwhile activities that make it mean something.