Topic: The Power of Diversity in the Community (Grades 9 & 10)
Third Place
Title: The Competence of Present Diversity
By: Rayhana Choudhury of Fair Lawn, NJ
Within a society, diversity is inevitable. Humans, within the general realm of the universe, are characterized through a doctrine in which our physical and rational traits are variant from person-to-person. It is important to note that while these differences are more prominent in some than others in a community, diversity in all forms aids the charter of a stable society, as much as it enhances it. Despite our current state of existence, in which some of our differences are subject to discrimination, the sheer richness that a diverse community withholds is simply indomitable. By embracing, rather than rejecting diversity, our bands of fellowship may be nurtured in a manner that is beneficial to our causes.
Diversity within a community is evident through a series of traits that pertain to being unique to a person. Whether it be one’s physical nature or the way one speaks and acts towards those around them, through these defining characteristics, this notion of diversity is able to coexist with the unity of a community. In vague essence, however, the question arises as to how such diversity is beneficial to a society’s well being. To answer, it is necessary to demonstrate how throughout history, diversity has been labeled and portrayed as a concept that instead stimulates social unrest. To give a specific instance, within the constraints of American society, marginalization and prejudice have been recurring themes between those of a certain trait that caused them to feel superior towards others who did not align with such traits. Frankly, from the treatment of Native-Americans by European Settlers entering the region, to the heavily advocated Civil Rights Movement for colored people ascending beyond their confinements of preconception and detriment by white supremacy, diversity resulted in a great sum of imbalance in the overall environment of the United States. One may even proceed towards the extent of declaring that these disturbances of residential conduct would not have occurred if the United States consisted of one sort of people, yet that brings us again to the certainty of diversity within an established field.
In the face of these regarded situations, diversity has allowed our enclosed societies to inherit a source of tranquility. Without diversity, the individuals in society possess an incapacity to build tolerance towards one another. Diversity brings about acceptance and greater forms of intelligence among individuals. As mentioned by a Berkeley source regarding the impact of diversity on general intelligence, “Being with similar others leads us to think we all hold the same information and share the same perspective” (Phillips 2017). It is suggested that a collective entity of people who have endured different experiences throughout their lives will perform better in problem solving, formulating ideas, and maintaining efficiency than groups of people who are relatively like-minded. Communities are strengthened in this way, as they are able to recuperate from crisis collectively and to construct a far more inclusive and practical system that allows for the equity of all people, gradually eliminating misconduct and bigotry.
The forever omnipotent existence of diversity within human civilization has coexisted as knowledge and tolerance has progressed. Our ability to embrace differences and variety within our society has allowed us to determine our similarities in merit and determination, rather than our physical characteristics and forefront traits. Though minorities in a community, in many instances, experience misconduct based on their identities, society as a collective has been learning to seize the benefit that lies in enduring a distinct assortment of individuals and ideals. By luminary standards that are sought, diversity is essential in creating the fundamental enhancements of our present and past societies.