Diversity II

Diversity in any residential community has the same impact on its population. It teaches us how we can all get along and love each other despite our differences. Too much of the same thing can be catastrophic. An area with a population that shares the same racial background, lower economic strata, and oppression can become a breeding ground for crime and violence. Ignorance is perpetuated when you are not exposed to anything different than what you are used to. Exposure to something other than what you are accustomed to has the power to expand your world which causes you to think differently. Once your thoughts change then your actions begin to change for the better.

Surroundings have a dramatic impact on who we are. Due to the fact that external influences inhibit us from being who we truly are, secluding ourselves from our normal environment allows us to explore who we are. Living in an environment where we are surrounded by individuals from different economic and/or cultural backgrounds will cultivate a positive environment by reducing the ignorance which will not be tolerated. This will cause a chain reaction and will lead to a decline in the crime rate and inevitably incarceration rates as well as a rise in college attendance.

Take my neighborhood for example. The population consists of predominantly lower middle class Jamaicans and African Americans. Most of the teens here are trapped in their own little world where they are interfaced with poverty, gang violence, drugs, and teen pregnancy. These young men and women see no bright future because they cannot see beyond their current condition. They do not know any better. They haven't been around people who have gone to college or friends whose' fathers are doctors or lawyers. Since they have not experienced an alternative environment they remain with the same mentality and perpetuate the ignorance. There is a small population of unique kids who will break the vicious cycle of poverty and attend college but for most kids higher education is not tangible.

Diversifying the residential community will allow these kids to think outside of the box and give them a unique opportunity to interact with different people and change their thought process. In a diverse area a kid from the ghetto will be able to meet somebody who grew up down south but migrated to the north and share the same racial background but whose father is a doctor. They will be able to speak to somebody who grew up in India and whose father is a diplomat. Before they thought college wasn't feasible but now they do. Along with the feasibility of higher education the
teenagers are exposed to a new world of possibilities. Now they know that the environment they live in is not normal and that there is a better world out there.

The borough of Queens embodies this concept of diversity enhancing the environment. For the most part Queens is very diverse and has a low crime rate compared to the boroughs that are concentrated with the same social class and racial background (Bronx and Brooklyn). As a resident of the Bronx I can attest to that. Another concrete example is my mentoring program. In this mentoring program we mentor at risk youth from Far Rockaway (an area in which the residents have the same socio-economic and racial background). One of the program's goals is to broaden the kids' scopes of reality and take them outside of their every day environment (i.e. taking a trip to Manhattan or going to a retreat upstate).In the past years after this year long program the greater majority of these teens eventually end up either attending college or gaining stable employment.

I have been a witness to the magical effect diversity can have in numerous environments. Diversity spices up life and creates a progressive atmosphere. I strongly believe that diversity can change the world.

Diversity I

Diversity can change the world. I know what the readers out there are thinking, that is such a big statement. I say this because diversity has a way of enhancing the human experience in any setting whether it it be college, the workplace or a residential community. When I say diversity I mean a population that varies in race, religous background, social class, family upbringing.

The way we grow is by shedding the layers of ignorance and exploring new horizons. The reason why I think diversity can transfrom society is because it allows us to learn from others and get out of our comfort zone. Forming bonds with others who do not share our background allows us to grow. The way we grow is by shedding the layers of ignorance and exploring new horizons.

Diversity is crucial in college. This is especially true if you go away for college. It is the perfect environment for exploration of new horizons. College is where most people discover who they really are! Diversity definitely facilitates this process. When you have people from various socio-economic, residential, and cultural backgrounds in the same location there is potential for incredible things to happen. My college experience was great. Although my college was socially segregated by race, I went out of my way and used my extroversion to mingle in different social circles and it was worth it. Being exposed to people from Poland, China, South America, The Middle East, Down South, and Cali revolutionized my world view. I had never traveled to these places but I got a glimpse of what they were like through interacting with these individuals and attending diffrent culural events. I would go to the Chinese moon festival, korean drumming, and Indian bhangra performances. In addition I would attend Latino and Carribean events. I would also speak to people who were affluent. On the contrary I spoke to others who were homeless at one time in their lives. These experiences made me a new man. I left college with a wealth of experiences that changed the way I thought. Going away for college was the right choice, after coming back home from college I see the world through different lens than I did before.

Critical Thinking

Nowadays I feel as if we take everything we see, hear, and touch for granted. What we lack is critical thinking. Everything we see can deceive us. In order to escape the dubious nature of whatever we subject our vision to, we must call into question. If we do not think about everything in a critical manner something may pass us by without us even knowing. A perfect example is watching the news and seeing how a natural disaster has killed many people in the Caribbean and believing it without doing any further investigation .

Also lets say somebody shares some historical information with you that seems inaccurate but you accept it. Society has taught us to remain ignorant and not to think critically. The ideal situation requires the use of the mental faculties in order to make a rational judgment based on the facts. For some people they may use this time to ponder and dissect any new information they come in contact with.

A critical thinker must think outside of the box and analyze the world from a different perspective. One of my African American Studies teacher in College told me that there are particular things you must get from life: conquer fear, think critically, and etc. I have strived to be a critical thinker because there are many things that are not seen to the plain eye. By believing everything that we hear and see, we put ourselves in a perilous position that can lead to our own mental or physical demise. When you don't accept anything at face value, call it into question, and scrutinize the issue you are critically thinking about it. Critical thinking can enable you to discern between false and veritable pieces of information and can enhance your ability to examine any strand of information. Furthermore critical thinking allows you to grow and bring about new ways of thinking as well as ideas.

Critical thinking is an incredible trait to have. Having a certain world view allows me to critically analyze and deepen my understanding in any activity, concept or area of study. This is a crucial skill that is useful in any situation that life throws at you and any realm whether it be science or politics. Thinking outside the box and reaching conclusions yourself rather than being dictated information is crucial for the development of the mind, thought process, and intelligence. Critical thinking skills can also help solve problems in life which is essential to survival.

Nature vs Nurture

This world-famous everlasting argument ceases to amaze me. I will pose a question. Are your personal attributes, talents, insecurities, flaws, social tendencies, mannerisms, and intellect determined by our surroundings or by genetics? This debate can go on for days if we let it. But I will explore both sides of the equation. The nurture aspect of this topic consists of a trait or a skill being fostered rather than it being nascent. The nature aspect of this topic focuses on the idea that the way we are is innate and is not something that is taught.

I believe that many traits that are cultivated through social observation are attributed to nurture. These are things such as being wise, a keen observer, or being funny. I also believe that nature can be responsible for certain talents but nurture can take this talent to the next level. A prime example is myself. I consider myself a good dancer, I personally think it was a God given gift but I have also honed my skills through practicing. If I didn't practice my skills I would have plateaued and would have not improved. Another example is Michael Jordan. Sure he had some natural ability to play the game but what maximized his potential was countless hours of mastering his game.

There are personal characteristics that I view as genetic. These are humor, openness, curiosity, attractiveness, charm, athleticism and intellect. All of these traits are inherent to certain humans. I believe most talents are also innate. Any traits that are psychologically stimulated are nurtured. These could be shyness, defensiveness, self esteem, and combativeness. In addition discipline, critical thinking, leadership qualities, and other life skills are acquired through your upbringing and life experiences.

The simple answer to why we are the way we are is that different qualities can be attributed to either nature or nurture. Traits that are inherent tend to involve a particular skill, talent, intellect or another unique characteristic such as being humorous. On the other hand traits that are nurtured are a love for a certain activity (such as reading), a psychological trait (defensiveness), a flaw and a social tendency such as being engaging and friendly.

Mentoring

This past Saturday I attended a mentoring event in Far Rock Away. I thoroughly inspected the MTA subway map and discovered that it was at the end of the A line. So essentially I was going to be traveling the world. I transferred from the the 2 to the A train and I began reading my book. As the train ride progressed I heard these shrieking sounds that seemed like some type of animal so I look outside the train window and see seagulls. The train was hovering over what seemed to be a bay. I must admit I was quite surprised when I saw the water and became frantic for about two seconds then realized that the train was supposed to go over the water and I wasn't in a near life-death situation lol. I thought to myself this body of water is rather massive are we crossing the Atlantic to go to England lol? I got off on the last stop of the train and took a shuttle bus from Far Rockaway to 44th Beach Street. I reached my destination and walked form 44th to 51st. So I entered the rehabilitation center where the event was held asked the security guard what room we were supposed to meet in.

I walk to the room and all I hear are boisterous sounds of kids screaming and hollering. Amidst all the pandemonium I see Butch (a mentor) who is standing outside and avoiding going inside the room. So I go inside the room but proceed with caution lol. As so as I walk in I see one of the mentors Reggie wrestling with one of the mentees. Right after they fight another one jumps in and tries to gang up on Reggie. I diffuse the tension by breaking it up. So then the biggest kid in the room CJ challenges me to a fight and I accept the offer so we wrestle and I wipe the floor with him. As I parade in victory I see like six more kids headed towards me. I try to get them off but it didn't work but they eventually were broken up. Ade came in at 11:30 although the event started at 9:00.

I saw one kid enter late and he seemed sort of pissed off. I observed his personality and he was very quiet, reserved, and solitary. I asked him why he was so quiet and he replied "im tired". I ask him why and he said he was playing a video game. After, I asked him if he knew anybody in the room. He said he knew some of the other boys but he preferred to be by himself. I ask him "why not" and he said he wants to be more independent. I also asked why this is a desirable trait and he said his father let other people take care of his responsibilities and he was dependent. Then the mentee thought to himself where have you been all these years since he has been absent from his life.

After the discussion they did an exercise where the mentees went for a short run and were timed. I stood on a corner cheering them on outside. My mentee came in 1st. I forgot what got you there in the first place? I told him if he puts his mind to it, anything is possible. He nodded his head in affirmation. I was amazed at how sharp all of them were including the mentee. They have advanced vocabulary and have a lot of potential, the only obstacle is unfolding that secret in order to maximize their potential. Supposedly he was in a gang. I am going to try my best for me to persuade him to make the right decision. This is another blog topic I will address in the future. that must be addressed.

So at the end of the day I asked him what he got out of today. He quietly said NEVER GIVE UP! He won two awards today which may be insignificant but to the mentees it means the world to them. This goes to show each one must teach one and we must stick together and share our resources and experiences. The underclass in America is stepped on, called names, and denigrated. We must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and keep on playing!I could have changed a the mentee's life by revolutionizing his old mentality or maybe I'm seeing the changes and they may not see it. But I came to the realization that God's mission is to help and heal. I'm willing to spread the wealth of knowledge and educate my people on several topics. I was blessed with many gifts and resources in my lief so I am just trying to keep the cycle going by mentoring somebody else who seeks guidance.

Drugs and Alcohol

Drugs and alcohol allows us to escape the harsh realities of everyday life as well as alter our reality. While under the effects of drugs we have the capability of eluding our true fate. Any drug has the capability of distracting you from the truth. Take alcohol for example, it reduces your inhibition therefore exposing our genuine characteristics but also tends to exaggerate those features. In addition it depresses your nervous system and causes you to lose your memory if used excessively. This all distracts you from the truth. Drugs give us the unique opportunity to cultivate a fantasy realm where anything is possible. Under the effects of drugs and/or alcohol people aren't fully aware of their surroundings. In real life people behave differently when they are inebriated rather than sober. This also distorts reality.

Drugs and alcohol also enable you to create your own safe space. This protects you from any damage that anybody may inflict upon you. Its a paradox, you may prevent yourself from being hurt but you hurt other people instead. Anything in moderation can't be too bad for you but anything in excess can cause problems in the future! Drugs and alcohol enslave you and inhibit you form breaking free of the negative cycle. It controls your emotions, physical urges and limits your mental capacity and coherence. As a result drugs and alcohol can be quite harmful. Furthermore drugs and alcohol make you do things that you would not do in your normal state. These experiences can be quite embarrassing.

In a sense masking the veracity of your character takes away from your genuine traits. These substances inhibit the manifestation of your true characteristics. In life we nay resort to an alternative approach for relief, but i life so may curve balls are thrown at you and you have to be able to tackle them before they become too out of control.! Drugs and alcohol gives you temporary relief. In the long run I believe it to be detrimental to yourself and others. Hopefully abstain form both!

Introvert vs Extrovert

My definition of an introvert is somebody who is shy while keeping their expression, emotions, and thoughts to themselves as well as somebody who maintains an intimate identity. On the other hand an extrovert is an individual who is outgoing, expresses their emotions outwardly, and makes their identity known. Each type of personality has its advantages and disadvantages.

An extrovert is often considered to be the better personality type. Which can be true or false depending on the scenario or situation. It is only the better personality type in a certain kind of setting like a networking event. One of the advantages of being an extrovert is that you will always have acquaintances as society has a strong affinity towards extroverted people. In addition when you are going through struggles in your own life it will be detected easily which allows you to find emotional support easier. As an extrovert your social skills can take you far in life and ultimately lead to your success. I consider myself to be an extrovert and can say that the down side to being an extrovert is that I have more of a tendency to build weak ties with others. To elaborate on this theory, an extrovert meets so many people it becomes challenging to build strong bonds with another person. Another disadvantage is that we are so preoccupied with expressing who we are that we do not observe the world around us.

An introvert is a very delicate individual who lives a very private and closed life, confined to their own intimate world. These individuals have certain advantages. One advantage is that they are usually very perceptive and intuitive. These unique traits allow them to easily distinguish changes in certain people's personalities. In addition they can use their intuition to read people and what they are about. Since they are quiet most of the time they listen more meticulously than the average person which enables them to have a deeper understanding of people in general. In this very complex society an introvert is also very cognizant of the world surrounding them which is critical for survival. Another benefit for introverts is that they are more prone to build strong relationships with people since they usually have few close friends which tend to be their real ones. On the contrary, one disadvantage is that they may have internal problems that they struggle with but they are reticent to express themselves openly. This can lead to further psychological problems and ultimately lead them not to seek help. This trait of shyness can also hinder personal success as they may be to apprehensive in approaching people for a job or possible internship opportunity. Furthermore their social network may be more limited than other people. There is a certain paradox to introverts, while they generate strong bonds with people they also tend to keep their distance and remain detached.

Who knows why people are born into certain personality types, or maybe nurtured to become certain personality types. However, I do know that each personality type makes a positive contribution to society. Extrovert is the ying to the introvert's yang. This healthy balance makes the world a better place.