Introduction
Uplifting diverse voices is a matter of paying undivided attention to marginalized communities when speaking on their experiences as a minority and understanding the discrepancies of barriers faced between Black and non-Black individuals. When looking for ways to uplift diverse voices, one must not tolerate complacency and be actively open to learning about individuals’ various backgrounds and how this affects their day to day life and experiences within society. From a historical standpoint and quite evident within contemporary society, most spaces in America are predominantly White. This may be seen within environments such as workspaces, positions of power, academic institutions, etc. Uplifting diverse voices is not done merely through rising diversity within areas of representation but rather through active and persistent discussion of the Black experience and marginalized communities. Without paying mind to the difficulties faced and making efforts to alleviate such hardships within the Black community and other minority groups, their voices will never truly be heard or uplifted.
Importance
Efforts to uplift diverse voices is important because through promotion of a collective understanding of minority experiences, this may have long-term effects of allowing individuals from marginalized communities to feel represented within genuinely diverse spaces that have historically and contemporarily been White-dominant. For instance, statistically 38.4% of Black 18 to 24 year-olds enrolled in college as of 2016 compared to just 25.4% in 1990. We may look at this as a notable achievement, yet this is still lacking in significant representation for diversity when faced with the fact that prestigious institutions, such as our own, only have a 3% Black student population. As we become an increasingly diverse nation and global society, neighborhoods and schools are paradoxically returning to levels of racial segregation not seen since the 1960s (Kozol, 2005; Orfield & Lee, 2006). What this means for higher education is that most incoming students have primarily been exposed to people of their same race prior to college entry. White students in particular tend to have minimal interaction with people of other racial backgrounds before college (Orfield & Kurlaender, 2001).
Misconceptions and Conclusion
One central argument for continuing affirmative action rests on the notion that increasing representation of students of color on college and university campuses improves all students’ preparation for citizenship and the work- force. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, writing for the majority in the 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger ruling, explained, “Diversity promotes learning outcomes and better prepares students for an increasingly diverse workforce, for society, and for the legal profession. Major American businesses have made clear that the skills needed in today’s increasingly global marketplace can only be developed through exposure to widely diverse people, cultures, ideas, and viewpoints” (Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306, 330 [2003]). Some may reject the idea that diverse voices are not amplified as much as they should be. Despite the rise in diversity within positions of power, academic institutions, workspaces, etc., this does not mean that greater diversity leads to equal treatment or adequate representation of diverse voices. Diversifying such areas of representation does not necessarily mean uplifting diverse voices; “While half of the 25 largest police forces are run by people of color, the shootings and killings of Black people by white officers this year are a painful reminder of systemic bias. The rise of people of color to positions of leadership has not been a guarantee against the targeting of marginalized groups” (2). Today, society must become more involved within opportunities for discussion on race and racism. As a collective, we must maintain open mindedness on learning about minority experiences and unequal treatment towards the Black community.