Diversity & Inclusion

I think that diversity has to do with bringing a variety of elements together and using them all to create something new. These can include ideas, experiences, backgrounds, thoughts, also including spiritual and emotional components. Without diversity we could miss crucial personal development and miss opportunities to see things from different perspectives. We have been created differently, and we should bring those differences together to do better.

Growing up in Hungary, we did not have much diversity, but I have learned to love people from different countries/backgrounds since living in the United States. I enjoy learning about different cultures and would encourage others to be curious about diversity and learn more about different cultures as well.

As a person who is biracial and is part of a diverse family, diversity is extremely important to me. I want to raise my children to appreciate diversity and cherish those with different cultures. When I was a student in college, I encountered people from various cultures and interacting with them enriched my college experience significantly.

Diversity to me is respecting people who are different from me in their personal and professional life. That includes many aspects: age, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, educational background, work background, economic class, (dis)abilities, etc. Diversity is also vitally important in the context of education. As we know, a diverse group of learners can be found in just about any course. Recognizing the importance of including students’ individual preferences and experiences in all aspects of learning is the key to providing them with access to an equitable learning experience.

To me, diversity means inclusion. Inclusion without deep-seeded hate of one another. A place where you don’t have to be ashamed of your ethnic background for fear of what other people thought of you. A place where you don’t knowingly generalize someone just because that race has a history of this and that. Every group of people has some bad apples but to judge a person based on one encounter you had with that group is nothing short of ignorant. Diversity is important to me because anti diversity makes almost no logical sense to me. How can you even enjoy a place where everything is the same, no one has anything that sets them apart and people actively choose to seclude themselves from others. There would be no, for the lack of a better word, flavor.

Diversity means embracing everyone’s differences and uniqueness. We all come from different cultural backgrounds and diversity helps us to celebrate our individuality. Having a diverse group enables us to be creative. Diversity is what allows us to be original and authentic.

It’s important to acknowledge that we have incredible diversity in our community, therefore, it’s increasingly more important to practice inclusivity. Diversity means that there are many people in the room, and inclusivity asks how many of those people have a seat at the table that’s in that room, and how can we ensure that all voices are represented and heard at that table?

Diversity is a beautiful make up of different races, religions, backgrounds and cultures. Diversity is important because that is who we are as Americans. We are each different and bring different characteristics to the table. The differences are refreshing. How boring would it be if we were all the same?

Diversity to me means uniqueness.  There are numerous cultural groups, each made up of unique individuals.

To me diversity means inclusiveness or oneness. It is acknowledging and respecting our differences. When diversity is embraced and incorporated in our everyday lives, we will see exponential creativity, innovations, and growth as a people and as a nation. Miracles happen when people from different countries, religion, ethnicities, cultures, languages come together as one and share ideas, knowledge, and experiences.

Diversity to me is embracing the fact that we are all unique in our own way.  I feel it is important to understand this uniqueness and share it amongst each other, collaborate, and have conversations about it.  I feel it is this diversity that makes our communities, the Roanoke Valley, and even Virginia Western so special.  It is each person’s uniqueness that comes together, working together to do great things together!

Diversity to me means embracing different religions, culture, experiences, and values to accept everyone for who they are. This is extremely important to me because I have been through a lot of rough stuff in my life already at my ripe age of 19, but I find comfort in learning about and supporting others through their life experiences to the best of my ability. I believe the different situations and experiences we go through make us all unique and the people we grow to be. Another reason I believe diversity is so important is because nobody will ever go through the same situations and it allows everyone the opportunity to open their mind and become more accepting to everyone around them.

Diversity is a rainbow of human colors, flavors, identities, orientations, and points of view. A good education involves forming hearts and minds in such a way that the person continues to grow as a human being, not just as a worker. But this kind of formation presupposes the enlargement of one’s horizons that only exposure and openness to diversity make possible.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an essential part of institutions, businesses, and corporations. A healthy variety of people from different backgrounds and cultures provides us with greater innovation and creativity, a wider perspective, and promotes teamwork.

To me, diversity means the beauty in differences. I believe diversity is important because learning is a lifelong adventure, and we can (and must) learn from people who look, think, act, and believe differently than we do.

Diversity means having a wide range of perspectives, involving people from different cultures, races, genders, as well as political and economic backgrounds. It is important because we have the ability to learn and grow from each other. This leads to more innovation and creativity in the world.

Diversity means that no matter where we come from, we can all watch FIFA World Cup together! It’s cool to meet people from different cultures that I never would have imagined getting to know here in Roanoke. We can share ideas, food, music, and fun.

For me, diversity is the removal of barriers and ensuring that everyone has equal access to opportunities and support. Diversity also involves respecting the unique needs, perspectives and potential of all people.  Diversity in the workplace refers to having a workforce that includes employees of different backgrounds, identities, and abilities. It covers not only demographic factors like race, gender, age, and religion but also personal and cultural aspects like education, skills, experiences, beliefs and lifestyle.   It can be values held by many organizations that are working to be supportive of different groups of individuals, including people of different races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, genders, and sexual orientations.

As a person who is multiracial, diversity is very important to my family and me. We are a mixture of many races, and we have learned to respect each other and embrace our differences. I teach my children to respect all individuals regardless of race or ethnicity.

Diversity is inherent to the quality of being human. Even within ourselves we hold different voices, competing perspectives, and changing insights. It is important to recognize that we often view ourselves as one being, while forgetting that others are human just like we are. Diversity means valuing that which is the other, allowing it to shape and fill us so that we can be better than what we otherwise are alone.

To me, diversity means different. I believe it is important to be exposed to people who are different in order to gain new perspectives. Learning about new cultures also reminds us to show gratitude and teaches us to be better versions of ourselves.

To me, Diversity is the representation of various cultures and human differences. When we all learn to cultivate a posture of respect and understanding for our differences, we can transform the world into a better place for all. Diversity should be important to everyone.

I believe diversity means being inclusive to all people, regardless of any circumstances. Everybody should be included and receive equal opportunities no matter who they are. Everybody should feel welcome and valued.

My idea of diversity is acceptance of all backgrounds, beliefs and interests. I think it is good to be accepting or try to understand a person that is different from you. I believe it broadens your understanding of the world and exposes you to new things. It is important because not being accepting or not willing to try to understand another person creates hate, and hate stunts your growth as a person.

I am gay and struggle with a disability, but I am also a white man. To me, diversity means acceptance and respect for all people regardless of whether they’ve “earned” it. It also means listening to other members of our greater community, particularly when the subject matter is something about which I know little.

To me, diversity means different people with different mindsets and different cultures which can add good things to your character and teach you more interesting things about the world. It’s very important to be different; if everyone was the same the world wouldn’t be exciting!