It's a buzz word. Well, at least it has seemed that way for the past nine years of my life, and I've definitely bought into it, so much so that I think I tend to annoy some people.
I believe that communities are stronger when they are diverse, and I'm sure people get sick of me talking about a lack of diversity. They are tired of hearing me talk about racism in the United States (and throughout the globe), and how it is a result of generations being raised without diversity. Several individuals are tired of hearing me say that I think it's wrong for a school to charge extra for students who need a Learning Specialist or ELL support, because I believe the presence of those students adds value to a learning community. I think my students are tired of me talking about how important the diversity of their experiences is and how a exposure to diversity of opinions makes them better (and more employable) people. One student shook her head like I was crazy when I said I needed her diverse view of God in order to learn something new about the character of my Lord. I'm sure I have many other annoying talking points to do with diversity.
To be honest though, this is one time when I don't really care if I'm annoying. Today as I sat in a seminar on supporting students with disabilities in education (from both a parent and educator viewpoint) I was reminded of this. How could schools be better, strengthened, more holistic if we had space for the children with Autism, Downs Syndrome, physical handicaps, and every other sort of learning challenge? How could they better reflect the Kingdom of God?
How has my family been strengthened and come to better reflect Christ in us through the diverse voices of the women my brothers have chosen to marry? How has my life been enriched and my opinions shifted from living cross-culturally? How has my faith been deepened through the faith life of someone from a different theological point of view? How has my world been transformed with each language I have learned? There are too many ways to count.
How has your life been transformed by diversity? What is the Christian mandate for diversity?
"It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and strength." Maya Angelou
