Do you ever read or hear people’s opinions on something and wonder what they’re basing them on? I’m starting this blog because I would like to hear and share real experiences that form the bases for our particular beliefs on various matters. I also love hearing and telling stories. I find the tidbits that have helped me most in life come from hearing about others’ actual experiences and making a connection with my own situation or self, in the moment or even years later.
I live in New York City, arguably one of the most diverse cities in the world. What does that mean, really? Diverse? Are we culturally diverse here? Yes. Are we home to numerous industries? Yes. Do we have very diverse views on matters big and small? I would assume so. Are we tolerant of different views on matters we deem truly important? I’m not so sure.
I have found that when I disagree with someone’s point of view on a significant matter and lead with my opinion, it actually separates me from my words. My opinion is now something that may be challenged with another opinion. If we start substantiating our opinions with things we have read – articles, reports, etc., this creates greater distance between our respective arguments and ourselves, and makes it easier to focus on making the best case. This has been my experience. I have found that when I lead with my own, personal experience on such matters, the whole tone changes. The person I’m speaking with is generally more receptive to my point of view, because it’s coming from my own experience. Likewise, I find myself more often reconsidering my views on something when I hear a first hand experience that differs from my own.
So, I decided to start a blog where we can address matters of diversity coming straight out of our own experiences, and then see how those experiences actually compare to others’ experiences.
As I said, I live in New York City. I was born in the Bronx, my mom is Puerto Rican and my dad is Peruvian. My road from the Bronx to Manhattan has involved numerous childhood moves, some expat experiences, language barriers, culture shocks and more. I hope to share moments from my past and present, and bring both light and heavy topics involving diversity to this blog. Periodically, I will present some of these topics with an accompanying survey and ask you to participate. I will then report back with an analysis of the results and some commentary. My hope is that this is a forum to gather and compare actual experiences, and see how we feel about things afterwards. Welcome to Diverse In The City: Different Experiences. Different Perspectives.
