How to Write About Diversity...If You're White

Xander Brown committed to Indiana's Purdue University today earning $105,440 over his four years there thanks in part to this essay which explains why diversity is imperative to American society.

And get this: He said it as a white guy.

But once this Michigander explains his nontraditional background, you get it--and him.

Xander first builds a cinematic hush, inserting the reader into the story alongside "cool nuns" before opening the door to his own life. Soon, you're "in relationship" with him. This allows him room to flesh out his belief system for you.

One more thing: There's a resume inserted here.

And, ooh, that treat at the end! SNAP.

Thanks, X., for giving me this opportunity to publish this. And congrats on your decision. You'll make a terrific Boilermaker.

Here you go, fans.

The sound of the Imam’s voice reverberated off the crisp, white walls of my local mosque as he chanted the Dhuhr prayer at midday. It was the second of the five daily prayers in Islam where a break in the workday is taken to again remember Allah and seek His guidance.

As I sat by the wall, watching my Muslim peers pray, I felt we were being let in on a secret: Not only were the Arabic prayers beautiful to hear but the English translation showed that they were incredibly similar to what my Episcopalian congregation prays, sings, and repeats each Sunday.

I was one of 22 teens that day who represented four different faith backgrounds from all over West Michigan. We were participating in a week-long interfaith experience through the Kaufman Interfaith Institute at Grand Valley State University. We had already hung out with some cool nuns at a Catholic convent and got to see beautifully illuminated Torah scrolls at the Reformed Jewish Temple the previous couple days. The following day we would visit a Hindu Temple and Sikh Gurdwara.

This seems like a crazy thing to do in an area known for its conservative political bent and deep roots in Calvinist and evangelical theologies, but for a kid like me—always questioning, probing, and wanting to learn more—I couldn’t get enough of it.

I’ve always been the type of person who loved fitting all the pieces together and looking at things from all angles. This gives me a 360-degree view that equips me to tackle my own problems and those faced in the world around me. Because let’s face it – it’s not healthy to rush into everything armed only with one’s own unchecked opinion.

One of the reasons I’m open to this concept is because I’ve spent my K-12 years in diverse schools that reflect global society versus my immediate community.

I will graduate from West Michigan Aviation Academy, a STEM-focused charter school with a student body that's minority-majority. Only 35 percent of students are white like me. Being around people with different views and backgrounds day in and day out has taught me curiosity and empathy. I can have a conversation with a classmate about the Ramadan tradition of fasting in one class period, spend lunch with a friend who lives in a rural area who explains “deer shining” to me, then give a first-generation American from a Nigerian family a ride home from school. Forming these relationships has opened doors in my life experience I didn’t know were shut. Seeking to understand different people and viewpoints pushes me to step back and see the bigger picture.

Asking questions and being open to hearing the answers has also shown me that at our core many of us value the same things. It’s taught me that some of my own beliefs—including political and religious beliefs—merely exist as a limit. I’ve also learned to tackle issues with empathy and compassion while standing on a firm base of knowledge and fact.

Standing in the mosque letting the sounds and sights of midday prayer wash over me, I realized I’m always called to learn more. In fact, I’m compelled to do that as a Christian, an American, and a member of Generation Z. If we all want to tackle the world’s issues, we must first understand each other and equip ourselves with the diverse perspectives of those around us.

For me, just reading about things isn’t enough. Forming relationships and having new experiences is the gateway through which I will always seek to understand.

I’d like to think my God—and theirs—would be equally proud.