I was born and raised in Topeka by my single mother, a descendant of Irish immigrants; my father is African-American and Native American. I often joke that at birth I won the Minority Bingo. My prize was a unique culture, but growing up, I noticed a persistent lack of opportunity.
I didnt feel seen, respected, or valued by those who represented me in the halls of power. I imagine that sentiment is something many of us share, regardless of whether youre urban or rural, black or white.
As a kid, my understanding of rural communities was only based on hearsay and stereotype.
Just imagine what my friends in Topeka said when I announced I was coming to Allen Community College!
I shrugged off their teasing and prepared myself for a new chapter: one of challenging myself, knowing that learning and thriving in a place like Iola would test how empathetic a city kid like me could be.
Ive sought to immerse myself in this community because Iola is my new home.
But when I arrived here last August, many of my new friends and I felt the disconnect between our campus and the surrounding Iola community.
Yet instead of being complacent and demonizing a community we did not understand, we donned the mindset that different cultures can connect and educate us in rich ways. After all, Im here to learn, and thats not just something that occurs in a classroom.
In that spirit, the student leaders at Allen the Phi Theta Kappa Honors and Service Society, Student Senate and students from other groups–are working to engage Iolans.
We believe it is important to interact with and learn from the Iola community, especially those of us who come from different cultures.
Allen students may be transient, but that should not hinder our willingness to benefit our new home; we began as guests here, but we are intent on building a sense of inclusiveness and comfort between the Allen student community and Iolans.
This past year, our avenue for manifesting this effort was volunteerism. We believe our diversity can benefit the young students of Iola; after all, there is no better judge of character than a child.
We hope to benefit students through empathic discussions and interactions. Although our college is distanced by age and culture, weve been able to establish tangible connection with area children through our service.
Phi Theta Kappa had the honor of donating 250 hours of volunteerism and fundraising $4,000 on behalf of and with Humanity House, Thrive Allen County, and Your Community Foundation.
What have I gained through the process? Most importantly, Ive learned a lot about why in todays world, diversity matters more than ever.
