Our society is a multiracial one. There are people from all over the world, from different cultures and ethnicities. Ethnic diversity helps to eliminate negative stereotypes and personal prejudices about different groups.
Our CSULA campus is ethnic diverse. The students here come from different countries and races. It has medium racial diversity. Students at our campus are primarily Hispanic with a smaller Asian population. 93% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC).
In most cases, the instructors and students are friendly and kind to everyone. However, even though student are usually friendly with each other of a different race, a small number of people still have prejudices against people of different races. Besides, there also some people who tend to subconsciously engage in "less friendly" behavior. I think it might because people can consciously regulate something, but it is difficult to control their unconscious behavior.
Why I chose this issue
Ethnic diversity is important in our university! School climate and school culture directly affect student success. Besides, classrooms need diversity education. Fostering inclusiveness and awareness around multicultural education and adopting a culturally responsive approach to teaching that benefits all students. Creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion not only helps students with diverse backgrounds and needs succeed, but it also encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world.
What we may face with this issue
In my campus experience at CSULA, the classmates and professors were friendly to me, and they were all kind when I asked them for help when I encountered some difficulties. It makes me feel grateful and lucky. However, sometimes my classmates have subconscious behaviors that make me feel like there's a wall between me and them. For example, When our instructor in the class asked us to find classmates and set up a group by ourselves, the classmates around me would subconsciously ignore me. Perhaps they are more willing to join a group with people who speak the same first language as them. I look like a foreign student, and I am. Although when I asked my classmates, they were all willing to help me or become team members with me. But it still frustrates me to be subconsciously ignored so often.
In addition, I also interviewed other international students. They had similar experiences. Mike Jin, a student from China, shared a story about the prejudiced treatment he encountered. When COVID-19 first spread, he found the word "Chinese Virus" written on the mirror of his dorm bathroom. This made him very sad and angry. But he didn't know who wrote it and didn't ask his roommate. He said he didn't want to argue with anyone, so he took his frustration in silence.
What can we do
It is important for students to celebrate and respect their own and each other's different backgrounds. Where appropriate, teachers should encourage students to research and understand their own ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This allows them to better understand their own culture and the differences and nuances of their peers. It is also important for students to be sensitive to each other's culture, beliefs and language issues. We should respect and be friendly to students of different races and cultures. It is also a good way to encourage yourself to communicate with students from different races and take the initiative to learn about their culture. We should treat every student with equal and the same eyes.
Work cited
"CSULA Student Life", College Factual, https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/california-state-university-los-angeles/student-life/diversity/
“THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY & CULTURAL AWARENESS IN THE CLASSROOM”, DREXEL UNIVERSITY School of Education, https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-classroom/
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