Hidden in Plain Sight - Diversity in Northbrook

For some, diversity is another word for different ethnicities, varied skin tones and facial features.  Differences that are often lumped together incorrectly. For example, if I were to ask you to think of people from Asia what comes to mind? Is it people from only a handful of countries, or people with their own cultures, languages, traditions, foods, and histories from all 48 countries, 3 territories and the Pacific islands that make up the continent of Asia? 

Our community is ethnically diverse as shown by the more than 30 native languages spoken in the homes of our elementary school students. The board’s Welcoming and Inclusion pledge lists additional ways we are diverse. 

Surprisingly, one thing that makes us different is the very thing that makes all of us the same. That thing is DNA. It is a proven fact that humans share 99.9% of the same DNA. It is just that tiny one tenth of one  percent of our DNA that alters our ethnicity, associated facial features, and melanin in our skin.

Two hundred years or so ago when humans were first classified into races, people who look like me were assigned the label Caucasian. That label is partially correct for me since some of my long-ago ancestors came from the caucus mountain region between Europe and Asia. However, that is only a small part of the story my DNA tells.

Biologically and genetically the concept of race is meaningless as exemplified by my DNA. While most of my ancestors and living DNA cousins have either roots or live in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and western Europe, my DNA also tells me I have ancestors and cousins living in Scandinavia, the Middle East, and West and South Asia, as well as Spanish, Native American, and African ancestors and living cousins.  

My ancestors are the heart and soul of who I am – and of who we all are. Diversity in its many forms is the heart and soul of our Village that was once known as “the Village of Friendly Living.” I have been a happy Northbrook resident for nearly 59 years. Because of my features and skin tone my roots are inconsequential. However, would there have been a difference if my DNA switched places and my skin tone and facial features changed? Would I have been seen, or treated differently? Only you can answer that.

What small things can you do to make Northbrook a more welcoming community? You can begin by signing the Welcoming and Inclusion pledge.