Globalization is all around us— our electronics, food, popular culture, literature, and much more are all the result of intermingling between many different countries across the world. Different cultures and people will continue to share spaces, creating diversity within our communities. The Mission Viejo Library recognized the need to understand and appreciate diversity, which is why they hosted their Diversity Circle event with Don Han on 4/7.
When I signed up to participate in this event, I was unsure of what to expect. Although I had participated in various diversity events at school, most of them consisted of students watching a powerpoint and being taught about how to be mindful of our differences. However, the Diversity Circle immediately struck me as different. I actually walked right past the event as I was trying to find it— the set up was like that of an intimate conversation, and I thought that a meeting was going on as a glanced through the open door. When I finally found my way in, I saw the seats arranged in a small circle so that everyone could hear each other as they spoke.
Our conversation started with the question of why we thought diversity was important. As we went around in a circle, I was impressed by the unique responses from each of my peers, some of whom I recognized and others whom I did not. As we took turns speaking, we passed around a small ladybug rock, which indicated whose turn it was to speak. Mr. Han explained how it was customary for whoever initiated the meeting (in this case, it was him) to place emotionally significant items in a small wooden bowl in the middle of the circle. One item that particularly fascinated me was a thin cloth that the men of his people would wear in a variety of different ways; Mr. Han had taken it with him when he moved to the United States.
One question that particularly struck me was about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Mr. Han asked us if we thought DEI was relatively new or if it had already existed for a long time, and for the first time, we respectfully disagreed with one another. We explored this topic as both a specific policy and a general concept about inclusion, with some of us asking about past civil rights movements and whether that counted as a form of DEI.
I am grateful for this opportunity to become a more educated and conscientious member of my community as well as to engage in meaningful conversations. For those on the fence, I encourage you to learn more about diversity!
Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice 