Cultural diversity
So we’re sitting with three 20somethings at the bar Wednesday night (I had a soda), and they were talking about my town.
Each had been living in Redding less than a year.
“This place has so much potential, dude,” one said. “I mean, the mountains, the river, it’s an outdoor place.
“But it’s missing something.”
“Look around this place,” a friend said. “What do you see. What’s missing?”
“COLOR!” the kid finally blurts out.
Sadly, my community – the 2005 U.S. Census estimate had us with a population of 89,641 – is something like 96 percent white.
This is not good.
Cultural diversity brings new ideas to a community. It prepares people to live in a world where borders are always shrinking. It opens people to different cultures, different ways of thinking.
“What this community needs,” I said, “is a college campus.”
I dream of that day.
Each had been living in Redding less than a year.
“This place has so much potential, dude,” one said. “I mean, the mountains, the river, it’s an outdoor place.
“But it’s missing something.”
“Look around this place,” a friend said. “What do you see. What’s missing?”
“COLOR!” the kid finally blurts out.
Sadly, my community – the 2005 U.S. Census estimate had us with a population of 89,641 – is something like 96 percent white.
This is not good.
Cultural diversity brings new ideas to a community. It prepares people to live in a world where borders are always shrinking. It opens people to different cultures, different ways of thinking.
“What this community needs,” I said, “is a college campus.”
I dream of that day.
Comments
maybe a black college, perhaps
grambling west.
s.
This place is a cultural black hole. Orville could be the origin of the lack of culture. Didn't a US spy plane crash in that area several years ago? Hmmmm....