Diversity is essential in the distinct and globalized world we live in today as it allows for a deeper and better understanding of the varying perspectives in it.

It is more so important regarding the world today. We at The Tower think  recognizing the significance of mixed voices in any issue in our community is imperative. Each and every person has a different background that guides their decisions, and we need to realize there are diverse, valid perspectives on all issues.

The U.S. midterms on Nov. 6 made significant progress towards diversifying our country and government, notably with the election of women.  On a national scale, according to NBC News, Carol Miller of West Virginia was elected to Congress, and the first Muslim women, Rashida Tlaib and Iham, Omar, Native American Sharice Davids, openly LGBTQ+ Angie Craig and Korean American Young Kim, were elected as well. On a state level, we elected Gretchen Whitmer as governor, Debbie Stabenow for the Senate and Dana Nessel as Attorney General.

According to the New York Times, out of Trump’s 33 total cabinet members, one of them is African American and five of them are white women. That leaves the rest, a startling 81 percent, as white males.

As a result, many voices are left unheard regarding topics that may concern them. We at The Tower believe this does not reflect the upheld ideals of our society. We believe diversity isn’t solely about race and gender: it’s about the variety of experiences, ethnicities, economic backgrounds, sexual orientations and histories people have.

Having different perspectives on life also allows us to tackle problems in unique ways. No one views problems in the same light; one may see a solution a specific way, while someone from a different background may see another side to it, and together an understanding can be found. This enables us to learn and understand how we need to interact with diverse individuals with varying experiences.

In our increasingly interconnected society, diversity benefits us greatly. There are countless paths to success, and technology is creating more ways to access it, allowing us to connect with anyone we want. A significant part of our education involves learning about different cultures around the world, and it is easier to find your identity when you are among people who belong to many different cultural, economic, political or ethnic groups.  

We at the Tower believe diversity is important in everything; it’s a matter of identity, not just race, sex or religion, and in order to live as a cooperative society, we must create a diverse society with voices being heard from all.