Diversity

"Mama, can you steam the pork buns for me? I need them for the Holiday around the World in my class this morning.", our older son asked. "Holiday around the World?", I asked my wife. "Didn't you sign the consent paper the other day?", replied my wife. "I did? What is it again?", I called out to our older son. It sounded like I was rubber-stamping again, oops.

"We are having a classroom party this morning, all the students get to choose a country they want to represent. We research and present interesting facts about the country and bring a dish to share with everyone. Parents and siblings are welcomed at the party. You and mama are coming, right?", replied our older son.

"Oh, THAT Holiday around the World!", darn it, I still couldn't remember but anyhow we'd go and check it out. At around 7:40 am, with pork buns steamed and placed in the bamboo steamers, we gathered the boys and headed to their school. It was bone-chilling cold in the morning, the thought of steamy pork buns warmed me up!

Our kids' school is no more than a few hundred yards from us, almost as soon as we had hopped in the car, we had arrived in the parking lot. We walked passed the administrative office and headed down the hallway to our son's classroom. We were greeted by other teachers and fellow parents. A few families had arrived and set up their food item(s) already.

All four of us circled around the classroom, checking out different exhibits. I'd say the majority of them centered around European countries, perhaps the representing students have family roots traced back to them. Although not mandatory, many students chose countries where their parents (or ancestors) were from. "Oh yeah, now I remember!", I actually helped my son in his fun facts research and gave him idea about the bizarre food found in Taiwan.

The classroom filled up very quickly. Parents, younger siblings, teachers from other classes, it was quite homey. My wife and I helped our kids to their second breakfast and sampled a few items ourselves. We chit-chatted with a few parents who also live in our community. In the midst of this fun gathering something suddenly popped in my mind. As I looked around, I actually saw diversity. Of a class of some 26 students, ~8 of them have cultural roots in the Far-East.

Usually there are 2-3 minority students in each class, 8 in one class, that's significant! Sure, it pales in comparison with cities like New York or Los Angeles in which we literally blend right in. A few years back we would only see 2-3 students in each class who are minority.

It's been a long time coming, but it looks like diversity is finding its way to the Mid-West.