According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a definition of diversity is as follows:

“The condition of having or being composed of differing elements.  Variety; especially:  the inclusion of different types of people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization <programs intended to promote diversity in schools>”

Inclusion is a key word in this definition, that puts into action what should be happening in schools or communities.  Sadly, this isn’t the case that I have seen, or I am seeing currently.   I believe that we are in a state in which I like to call, Segregated Diversity.

During my college career I transferred Universities, and during that transfer I began to truly notice this phenomenon.  To note the contrast, I was coming from a smaller university that had a wonderful amount of international students, who are now some of my dearest friends.  When I went to my next university, I was overwhelmed by the very distinct groups of individuals and the lack of inclusion of diversity in those groups.

Diversity is more than the numbers and percentages of race, sexual orientation and cultural differences.  It is the collaboration of these differences and experiences, that are supposed to be coming together to find the intersect of new ideas.  In a school and community who prides itself on having different walks of life, I’d never seen anything so divided.  It also stems from more than a simple observation, but is a movement that is put into action.  For example, when I first decided to go through recruitment to join a Panhellenic Sorority I had someone say to me: “You know, there aren’t very many black women or women of color in sororities that aren’t multicultural.” This is a perfect example of how this segregation is initiated and supported among schools and communities.

Statements like these are laced with discouragement to branch out and be curious, or to explore and understand something or someone we may not seem to have a connection with on the outside.  Comments like these may mean well, but are holding us back by denying permission to see beyond the outside of a person or group of people.

So I’m back in my home town Cedar Falls, Iowa where 6.6% of the area is a race other than Caucasian, and not even 15 minutes away in Waterloo 22.7% of the area is a race other than Caucasian.   For those who like to see numbers, this is a clear representation of demographics in how segregated we still really are.  How as more and more children who are growing up and becoming part of multiple races are an anomaly, and being expected to choose one way or another.

So to the adults, teachers, law enforcement, city officials who interact with multiple walks of life.  Encourage the inclusion of everyone’s differences, that they can coexist in the same schools and communities.  Because with everything going on politically, if groups begin to close themselves off there will be no understanding, and no learning.  There will be no progress forward, or intersection that blossoms new ideas.  It simply doesn’t take one person or one group to make effort, rather everyone to let go of what they believe others’ hidden agendas are.  Otherwise we will all forever be living in Segregated Diversity.

Alex Pircer

Percentages calculated from the Census Bureau