Why diversity is my focus (part 1)

When we grow up in a certain structure of a certain society we get used to it. As we grow within the structure, we learn and absorb our behavior, attitudes, beliefs and habits from our surroundings. Once in a while, we may pose a question or two but as a member of that society, we adapt to the rhythm around us.

Up until my early 20s, I grew up in an Indian city where I had a strong social identity. I mostly belonged to the dominant groups and so I was well represented in the media, in the literature as well as in the public life where I could see myself as a leader and educator. In the patriarchal structure, it was assumed that I would take on a traditionally female gender role that revolves around caretaking. I was also ready for it.

Then came the twist in my life. I moved to the United States as an international student. The moment I walked out of the Portland International Airport, exiting from its revolving door, my life was changed. At that moment, I changed from a privileged majority to a visible minority. I got new social identities such as a non-resident alien and a person of color (POC). Even though my education was in the English language, I could no longer order a Subway sandwich in my first week there without getting the annoyed look from the person behind the counter.

I had to relearn the norms and practices from everyday life to my professional life. It felt like I was in a body of a 25-year-old but learning at a level of pre-school. I needed to quickly grasp everything around me and the embarrassment was running high. As a professional, it was not easy for me to ask for help and tell people that I do not know. During my graduate school orientation day, I was asked which character from the Friends series I relate to the most. I could not say any of them!

To make sense of my new life I had to quickly adapt and belong in my surrounding. It was during this time, I was able to connect with other international students and felt like I was not alone. I got a community where others also shared what I was experiencing. Those common experiences helped me slowly feel belonged in a new place.

In many ways, after I left India, my awareness of the Indian societal structure broadened. I remember the moment I realized that while in India seeing people living on the road, homeless, was just a part of life that had nothing to do with me. Whereas, during my time at Portland State, I learned to put the dots together to see how and why that has so much connection to who am I. Changing my world, traveling outside my comfort zone and learning to questions the interconnectedness of human experiences, showed me both sides - privilege and discrimination.

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