Diversity

I have ALWAYS enjoyed learning about the views of other people, cultures, religions, etc.

I can prove it with my college transcript....or at least part of it.

ANTHR  101   002         Social/Cultural Anthropology    3.00        
  HUM    201   003         Western Humanities 1            3.00     
  REL C  356   002         Islam & the Gospel              1.00     

  REL C  351   002         Survey of World Religions       3.00     
  SOC W  200   001         Intro to Social Work            3.00     
SOC    323   001         Racial&Minority-Group Relatns   3.00  
REL C  355   002         Judaism & the Gospel            1.00      
  WS     222   001         Intro to Women's Studies        3.00  
NES    136   001         Intro to Near Eastern Studies   2.00    
  NES    398R  001         Adv Topcs NES                   1.00   
  NES    398R  002         Adv Topcs NES                   1.00  
HUM    202   008         Western Humanities 2            3.00     
  PSYCH  306   001         Psychology of Gender            3.00      
  PSYCH  352   001         Applied Social Psychology       3.00
 
I had some wonderful opportunities to study the world, travel, take classes and experience diversity first hand.
Here I am at the Steve Irwin Zoo learning about Diversity in Australia
Costa Rica
Springville Utah Hari Krishna Temple
San Francisco
Here I am learning about Diversity while branding cattle in Idaho.
Egypt
Jordan
And the place most near and dear to my heart...Israel.
Or some call it Palestine...but either way it was my favorite so it get's two pictures.   
I do not show these pictures or my transcript to brag, to say I am in expert in working with Diverse clients, or to make you think I fully understand the other cultures, religions, ages, economic circumstances, etc.
Instead it is quite the opposite. 
For a long time I saw diversity as simply the differences from myself that can be seen in the pictures above.
At other times I saw diversity like this...
It was STRUGGLE, TRIAL, PAIN, LACK OF OPPORTUNITY.
It was POOR, DOWNTRODDEN, DEFEATED, or OPPRESSED.
But as we sat in class the other day and discussed the topic of diversity I found that while it may truly be these things, or it may even be the recognition of differences that are pictured in the first group of pictures, diversity could also look like this...
These are some friends I made on a trip to Australia. 1 British Alcoholic who says he is "celebrating life", 1 Scottish Highlander who teaches 7th Grade British Literature, 1Finish Catholic who can't seem to find himself a home, 1 BYU social worker, 2 young Married Americans, and a dental Hygienist.
Diversity doesn't have to have a sad face. It doesn't have to have persecution, pain, or struggle. Diversity can be 8 young adults giving a thumbs up to a camera. And it doesn't have to be difficult. As I look at the above picture I see a group of people I am proud of. I see a group of people who are at times struggling through the difficulties of their own lives. As I met these people. I grew to love them. I saw how different we were and that became wonderful. I see now that I have seen "differences" as problems, concerns, trials, etc. Instead I now see that we aren't necessarily different instead we are all UNIQUE. And that uniqueness makes us wonderful. 

As a social worker I guess I now recognize that diversity needs to be seen through the eyes of a "strengths perspective". If we can approach differences as strengths, and if we can recognize that those unique-nesses and build on them the clients can work within their current systems of diversity to make the changes they desire. 

Moral of this story: I will continue to learn. I love every class in which I have been enrolled, and every trip 
I have taken. But most importantly I love the people I have learned about and met. I will work within the things I have learned not to only find their uniqueness but their similarities. And with that I can treat diversity.