The Impact of Diversity from a Peculiar Perspective
one
two three four
five if i were to ask you to point out
the simplest similarity
between number three and number five
what’s the first thing that comes to
your mind
i know the first thing that comes to my
mind they’re black
and so am i good evening everyone my
name
is amani kaya and today i’ll be
discussing
about the impact of diversity
now you’re probably wondering to
yourself right now amani
what was the point of having those
images as your introduction
well let me explain in recent times when
i
or maybe yourself hear or see stories
about black people in the news
and interacting with other racial groups
were often flustered with the negative
experiences
bestowed upon them rarely have i or
maybe yourself
heard or seen a person of color discuss
about the positive
admirable and desirable experiences that
they’ve gained
while being black this got me to wonder
as to why this is and after much thought
and reflection i realized a substantial
factor
something that a lot of us in this dream
have been exposed to but a lot of
communities
are lacking diversity see nine years ago
when i first took a flight from
kenya a country which was largely the
majority to thailand
i became a minority it didn’t take much
intelligence
for my seven-year-old self to realize
that there had been a huge
cultural shift i remember my first day
here at isb
standing out for the panther looking
around and thinking
wow there are a lot of foreigners in
this place coming from a predominantly
black
school in kenya the sublime relationship
between students
regardless of their race or ethnicity
was in short fascinating to me
previously feeling like a black sheep
amongst a flock
when i first arrived at isb isp made me
feel
like a black sheep amongst a colorful
flock everyone
different everyone unique but everyone
accepting see when looking at the
factors that make diversity
so significant inclusion and belonging
are substantial diversity
is having a seat at the table inclusion
is having a voice let me say that one
more time so the older folks like my
parents
can hear that more clearly diversity is
having a seat
at the table inclusion is having a voice
from the moment i stepped on
to my classroom for the first time to
the moment i used the bathroom for the
first time
i was met with openness and welcome from
the peers
around me i felt included
according to researchers at dartmouth
university
uh kind actions not only create
positivity
but can alter the perception in which
one has towards another group of people
or in my experience the kind action
bestowed upon me by my peers
altered the perception i had for certain
racial
racial and ethnic groups needless to say
it was a shock when i found out that an
asian and a white boy
can not only run faster than me but jump
higher than me as well
but here at isb we’re different our
sense of belonging
derives from the fact that we are taught
to value others despite of the way they
look
we are taught to have an open mind we
are
taught to see diversity as an
opportunity
as i mentioned previously diversity is
having a seat at the table
inclusion is having a voice therefore
belonging
is having that voice be heard belonging
is a social support and acceptance that
one gains
from being a part of a group belonging
is one of the greatest struggles amongst
teenagers in a current
modern day and age
in a book written by carla shalaby
troublemakers she addresses
through her experience of being an
educator the flaws and trying to force
all students to conform to the societal
behavioral norms
set forth by not only their peers
but the school systems as well but here
at isb we’re different our sense of
belonging here
derives from the fact that we are taught
to value others despite the way they
look we are taught
to see diversity as an opportunity and
we are taught
to see diversity as not only an
opportunity but a privilege
as well dr kenneth of stanford explained
belonging is as much of a huma
as a need as food and shelter for we are
limited without the social support
of others especially when the different
ideas from our own
if it’s one thing that diversity has
taught me is to be a more critical
thinker
not only when interacting with others
but to be more critical and thoughtful
person when coming to my academics
seeing more than just meets the eye not
only with my academics but with people
as well
a smart man by malcolm forbes once said
diversity
is the art of thinking independently
together diversity of god allows us to
see a new standpoint into a situation
be more creative and crucial in creating
beneficial change
for society mahatma gandhi stated our
ability to reach unity and diversity
will be the beauty and the test
of our civilization the ability not to
judge one simply based on the
stereotypes you hear
the things we see but rather of the
experiences we generate
is a key component in which diversity
has taught me
i dare say that if diversity
could be spread amongst communities all
over the world those appalling stories
we read regarding racial injustices may
decrease
as people will start developing better
relationships
with one another and become more
comfortable with each other
in the survey conducted by gallup
analytics we surveyed over 155 000
individuals in 146 countries
asking them a rather odd but simple
question
have you helped a stranger recently and
what was found was that the individuals
from a more diverse community were more
likely to report
of having a stranger than those who are
not
showing diversity can create trust
diversity can create generosity
and more importantly diversity can
create a better sense
of community as we move
forward with our lives i challenge that
you seek diversity through a sense of
inclusion
and belonging knowing full well that
adversity may come no matter if you’re
black
white or asian now i can’t promise
that the world will be a welcoming a
place as isb
has been to me not many people have
grown up in an environment
that sees different perspectives as a
privilege or diversity
as an opportunity we are in
a special place but we you
and i can be the change we wish to seek
in our world by carrying forward the
values
we’ve learned that difference is
good that diversity leads to new ways of
thinking
that we are all
human and if our population can live in
unity
then better relationships and
individuals could be developed
as our strengths lie in our differences
not similarities so go
and grow together
thank you