I have decided that in my situation - that is, in the situation of a multiracial girl - there isn’t a eureka moment when it comes to understanding the need for diversity. At least in the realm of racial diversity, I have understood from a young age why it is important, and the understanding of the necessity of other forms of diversity developed has developed in me over time. I am Mestiza, and I have lived my life around both people of color and white people, atheists, Jews, Catholics, able-bodied and neurologically typical people as well as relatives with debilitating mental and physical ailments. I have multiple people in my family who have gone or are going to medical school, but also relatives who never got any sort of degree. That does …show more content…
It was not a time when I suddenly understood why diversity was needed, but a time when I can remember thinking “that wouldn’t have happened if our school was more diverse.” At the time, I was in our college counselor’s office with four other students: a white girl, the only two black girls in the high school - and the only two people in the room who I considered friends - and a boy whose comments are generally thought of as insensitive and ignorant. We were sitting around and enjoying the surprisingly light workload that day, talking about college and admissions essays, and then we stumbled upon the topic of race. I don’t recall what was said up to this point, but I remember laughter and one of my friends yelling at me “No! You’re white.” I was shocked even though she, and other supposed friends at school, have told me this multiple times before. What made it more baffling was that she was constantly pointing out social problems, specifically surrounding race and diversity, and yet there she was, attempting to invalidate my identity. The worst part was that the boy in the room was really enjoying the scene, joining in, and she didn’t pause to think about what that meant, what it meant that someone who she thought was totally amoral was agreeing with what she was