Blog 4

‘Diversity’ is often used as an antonym to ‘community’ as an increase in individuality seems contradictory to a goal of unity.  With a nation as large and diverse as ours this makes unity during crisis a tricky subject.  For example, Staten Island during at the turn of this century had little sense of community to help them unite reeling from the effects of 9/11.  They organized the local leaders to quickly identify the problems as well as possible solutions.  What they soon discovered was that they favored personal contact and forged out a general understanding of themselves and their shared cultures.  This, in turn, created building blocks for community organization, mobility and support for those suffering in their society. 

To increase diversity co-operation at Westminster we need the support of religious, political and student organizational leaders to invest their time and energy on the task.  We need to identify shared common interests.  We need to have shared optimistic beliefs in communal benefits.  We need involvement on all levels of our school (from teachers, to parents, to students and alumni).