I believe that the messages that women of color bring to our college campus are the same as the importance and benefits of cultural diversity. Appropriate positive messages on multiculturalism are essential to ensure successful communication between students on our campus. Discussing the advantages and impact of diversity is necessary because these discussions teach students to respect differences and appreciate and value other people’s experiences (Kruse et al., 2017). I believe these are the messages that should be promoted on our campuses. Everyone is essential, and we can learn something valuable from everyone we meet, mainly if they belong to a culture that differs from ours. As long as diversity is promoted and discussed with students, they will be able to learn and work in a positive, friendly environment.
I have thought about other people’s perceptions of me and the diverse areas I represent. My experiences have been different over the years, as were people’s perceptions of me. I think I am not unique in this way since, at some point, all people reflect on what others think of them. My behaviors and responses to what other people thought or said about me also differed depending on how they expressed their feelings and how they made me feel. I try not to get angry when people act or speak in a way that makes me feel uncomfortable or annoyed. I remind myself that, although I cannot control other people’s behaviors, I can control how I think of them, and how I behave can make a difference.
I do not think that we need to worry about what others think about us because we can become too obsessed with it and start living our lives from the perspective of other people. We can surely pay attention to some opinions, especially those of our loved ones. However, I do not think we should let other people’s judgment or ideas define us.
Reference
Kruse, S. D., Rakha, S., & Calderone, S. (2017). Developing cultural competency in higher education: An agenda for practice. Teaching in Higher Education, 23(6), 733-750. Web.