Opinion
Three years ago during my freshman year at Dartmouth I wrote an op-ed for this very publication called "The End of White Male Superiority." The piece argued for the continued necessity of affirmative action in American society.
As indicated by the title, the article was accusatory, targeting one group of individuals -- white males -- as being responsible for social ills related to race.
Not only did the editorial reveal the closed mindedness and arrogance of the author, but it also illuminated her personal biases and misunderstandings.
Reinforced by family, friends and society, these biases were so ingrained in me that they seemed more like unquestionable truths.
We all harbor such "truths."
After attending a three-day workshop last winter called Deep Community, I began to dismantle some of the biases that had been imbedded in me since childhood.
The workshop explores the personal, institutional and social dynamics of identity construction and community, examining some of the many social identities that human beings acquire and how such identities are often used divisively.
In addition to exploring identity, Deep Community offers several community-building tools for diverse environments such as college campuses.
Dartmouth offers a lot of diversity programming that intends to promote inclusiveness by developing a community of students attuned to and accepting of difference.
Deep Community differs from this kind of appraoch by encouraging one to examine carefully their personal social identities.