Friday, May 22, 1998
Look beyond simplistic definitions
DIVERSITY: Varied resources, experiences – not skin tone,
culture – should be our defining characteristics
By Todd Alan Strickler
I have often wondered what it would have been like to go to a
different university, perhaps a school closer to home. I wonder
what common ideologies would be accepted by the student body if I
had attended a school in Virginia or South Dakota. Definitely, my
college experience would have been much different, but how
different? What would be the perspective if I had attended school
in a homogenous environment?
Honestly, I do not know if a homogenous environment really
exists. I have heard it many times before – those people in the
South and the Midwest do not really understand what diversity is
all about. What would it be like if I was not white, and I lived in
Indiana? I think that we all have something to share with each
other, if only we listen up. I have many friends who go to school
in Ohio, since that is where I am originally from. Sure, the
college population is predominantly white; "diversity" is virtually
nonexistent – or is it?
I have experienced many deep-impacting experiences at UCLA, and
I have enjoyed the education afforded me. This is a wonderful
institution which we attend, and it offers a breadth of resources
for education and development. I have been able to build wonderful
relationships with people of so many different backgrounds; I have
been challenged to think about the consequences of human actions
and study the relationship between humans and their communities. I
have been given an opportunity to challenge myself to become a
contributing member of society, and I am grateful for this
opportunity.
But amidst the laudable qualities of our university, there is a
repugnant undercurrent that I have observed for quite some time.
There seems to be a discontented feeling among many students
regarding various components of our education, particularly dealing
with diversity issues.
Diversity, in the definition of student groups at UCLA, is
defined by two major issues – race and culture. If one is asked to
describe oneself at UCLA, inevitably, that person will reveal these
things. There is nothing wrong with that; in fact, that is a good
starting point to embrace our differences. But that is usually
where it ends.
This is a travesty. Of the breadth and depth of resources on
campus, the varied experiences that all of us can share with each
other – it stops at skin color and cultural heritage? Does that
define me? In a strict sense, yes. I am white. Big deal. I really
don’t care. What does matter to me is that I am a second-generation
Hungarian, that I lived in Brazil and Peru when I was younger, that
I hail from Ohio, that I enjoy lots of different cultures, that I
have an insatiable thirst for knowledge and learning. But, I guess
that I am white.
I have seen this happen so many times; we stop learning about
each other before we ever begin. There is a subtle ignorance
exercised here, there is an underlying racism present. Why do we
impose limitations on ourselves when classifying each other?
Unfortunately, it happens more than I care to admit. College should
be a time of self-discovery, a time of personal exploration that
should create centered, sophisticated individuals able to
contribute to the greater good of society. I see many stunted
individuals walking around this campus, too involved in issues
surrounding their insular environment to notice the damage it is
doing to the campus community. There is so much more than just race
and culture; we are all so much more than that.
Perhaps I am discounting the opportunities that I have had, to
travel and live in various parts of the world. I have been able to
witness different peoples around the globe; I have been able to
step outside my protected world to get a perspective on humanity. I
have been lucky in that respect. What I have learned is that the
multiculturalism that we truly need to address is that of different
people. This is an individualistic thing; every person brings with
them an identity, and it is an identity that transcends physical
description. It is fruitless to stop the search before it has even
begun.
What if UCLA admitted more out-of-state students, maybe those
students from Virginia and South Dakota? What if UCLA admitted more
international students, students with an international perspective?
What if UCLA admitted more students concerned with developing
themselves to help their communities rather than students concerned
with the injustices that have wronged them? What if UCLA looked
beyond the squabbling and used its resources to draw from each
other and make us all better people? What if UCLA students actually
listened to each other without various forms of requital?
Would that help us all see the diversity that truly exists on
this campus, around this country and in this world? Would we
finally be able to see that the issues affecting us affect others
in a totally different way? Would we finally learn what it means to
be empathetic and understanding of each other? Ultimately, that is
the quest of true multiculturalism and diversity. Through
difference we learn similarity, through varied perspective, we see
the same world.