Am I the Only One?

Yesterday evening I attended the event "Am I the Only One?"put together by the Center for International Student Access and the Office of Diversity Programs and Services. Besides an unplanned break during the event due to a fire alarm (which actually wasn't so bad since it was a beautiful evening) the event went very well. The room was packed and even required extra chairs to be brought in to accommodate all of those in attendance.

The event was kicked off with an ice breaker in which we were asked to go around the room with a worksheet to meet new individuals with identities different than our own. The identities provided on the sheet included race, religion, sexual orientation, native culture, and style of dress - although we were encouraged to go off the list if we so chose. Through this exercise, I learned about an identity that I had not previously known. I met an undergraduate woman who identified herself as pansexual. Prior to taking Diversity in Higher Education, I might have felt awkward or shy about asking for clarification on an unknown identity. Although, through our discussions I have learned it is better to ask than to be ignorant. And so I did. For inquiring minds who may also not be familiar with this term, pansexuality refers to individuals that are attracted to others regardless of their gender. I then asked how this was different than bisexuality? She explained that being bisexual implied being attracted to both females and males, whereas gender-identities are irrelevant to pansexuals. I then thanked her for enlightening me to this new identity that makes up part of who she is.
During this exercise I also met an undergraduate woman whose native country is Japan and a man who practices in the Islamic faith, but shared my philosophy of being open-minded to any religion one chooses for him or herself. I cannot think of a previous experience in my life where I have been able to meet such a diverse group in one setting. It was energizing.

Especially powerful was the panel of speakers that were brought in to share their experiences of wondering, "Am I the only one?" The two that especially stood out to me was a Latina woman and a woman who was born and raised in Japan (I regret now that I did not write down their names). The Latina woman shared her experience of attending an Ivy League, predominately white, institution for graduate school. She was one of two Latina students and the program would constantly get her mixed up with "the other one." She felt like she was not being recognized as being her own person and felt very alone. These feelings led to a desire to drop out. This story was especially interesting based on my research of the Latino/a population. Her feelings are very typically cited as a reason for dropping out among this population.
The woman from Japan shared her story of coming to the United States at age 20, and for being a part of the US for the past 12 years. During this time she became "Americanized." However, American's still treat her as not fully apart of this world, and when she goes home to Japan they point out changes in her as she has grown to accept some American cultures and mannerisms into her identity. She struggles with not feeling like she is fully a part of either society. Her story touched me as I realized how lonely that must feel. Regardless of our multiple sub-groups, citizens of the US can still connect with each other based on the fact that we're all Americans.

I think this was a very important event that should be replicated on campus. Not only was it educational for those in attendance, but it shows GMU's commitment to diversity by facilitating open discussions on the topic. I found myself wondering if events like this were held during my undergraduate career and wishing I had taken part in more events like it. I was impressed with the undergraduates at this event - they were mature and took an active role in exposing themselves to others different than themselves. "Am I the only one?" was a powerful learning experience - I only wish I had experienced it years earlier.