Let’s chat about diversity in America. This country is known as the melting pot of the world. It is the country with a collage of cultures and cuisines unlike any other. America is independent, it is bold, and it is so proudly colorful—or so we believe.
I used to think this way until I recognized just how color coordinated we are, and I’m not talking about fashion. We have white girls who seem to never find anybody but other white girls. We have Indian Americans who are only friends with other Indian Americans, and so on and so forth with groups of Black people, Latino people, Arab people, etc. I never could fit in with that monochromatic life.
Sure, I understand the argument of wanting to be with people who are similar to you, but when it’s not sometimes and rather always, then yeah, I think that’s a problem. We have so much strife in our country that comes from not understanding one another and making rash judgments about large bodies of people—why is that? Aren’t we such a melting pot? Aren’t we independent and free to spend time with whomever we choose to? Hmm. Let’s think on that.
Yes we are, but we are confined to our ideas of what the people around us should look like. I’m not talking to everyone; I know some people are like me and don’t care what their friends look like, and if you’re like that, great. The real test is to look at the people around you. How diverse are they? You’d be surprised. I know quite a few people who think they’re pretty open-minded and loving, but then surround themselves with replicas of what they see in their mirror.
How does America the great expect people to learn anything when they never leave themselves?
I grew up in a tight-knit community of Indian people, and it was wonderful. They were the family I didn’t have because my blood family lived in India. But as I’ve gotten older, it’s interesting hearing some of them chat about “the whites” or “those blacks” because I realize they’ve been talking like that for more than twenty years!!! Sure they look cultured because they are ethnic, but are they actually cultured with others besides themselves? I’m not talking about all Indian people, obviously—just a few that I’ve heard and bookmarked in my brain because I was so confused how we can be a minority but still not understand others.
And then there’s the temptation to turn yourself into the majority. And in this case, that’s white. I remember thinking how much easier life would be if I were white when I was in high school. The reasons for that ranged from people never saying my name right to making comments about the food I brought to being uncomfortable with the color of my skin. You might ask me why I would ever be tempted to do that, and the obvious reason is comfort. Fitting in. One of the many. Power in numbers.
But that didn’t sit well with me. I was proud of being Indian and all that my culture encompasses. I removed myself from that environment as soon as I graduated because it’s just not right or healthy to be around people who want to assimilate you. Me becoming more like you shouldn’t make me more liked.
As an adult, I can look back and be thankful that I didn’t give in to that, but I feel for the kids these days. America is a swirling pot, but I’m not sure everything has mixed so well. We need people from other backgrounds to link their primary cultures with the large dollop of white in the center, and we need white people to engage with others. There is a responsibility that comes with being a majority. There is a responsibility that comes with being a minority. It certainly takes two to tango, and once we all get on board, we might be able to slowly heal the gaping wound that is “diversity” in America.
