America was built on the joining of cultures and immigrants to make it what it is today, yet Americans often don’t indulge in the diversity that surrounds them. Ethnic restaurants, places of worship, clothing, jewelry or people of different ethnicities show different cultures are all around.
It is important for people to participate in different cultures instead of dismissing them. As more people experience numerous different cultures presented in American society, they can learn so much about different traditions and customs. Being able to experience what makes people different from each other is important to a person’s worldview and overall empathy towards others.
America is a fairly new country compared to countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, naturally making America lack the historical foundation of culture. This results in America becoming a country with an abundance of diversity but not enough people are willing to participate in cultures that are not their own.
Participation in cultural traditions expands the world views of many people and allows them to connect more by bonding over a culture. Exposure to other cultures also makes people less likely to be prejudiced towards people of different cultures.
French teacher Melissa Lechtenberg travels with kids to France every two years to experience French culture, and she believes it is vital to expose her students to different cultures. “There is more out there in the world than what we see in our community,” she conveyed. “Knowledge on different cultures helps you see the world from different perspectives, understand diverse viewpoints, become more accepting and as a result bettering ourselves.”
Unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege to be able to travel to different countries to experience culture, but there are many free and accessible ways to do it. Simply going to an ethnic friend’s house and eating their food, or going to events dedicated towards different cultures in the community are ways to experience other cultures.
PV’s model UN club hosts an event called International Night, where people of other ethnicities at PV set up tables and food to enlighten others on their culture. Model UN fundraising coordinator Ryan Pottratz expressed the importance of accessible ways to experience other cultures. “I think it’s important because being from Iowa, many students are not accustomed to seeing other cultures,” he stated. “International night is good because it is an accessible way to expose kids to other cultures at a young age, making kids more accepting and aware of other cultures as they grow older.”
Recently, the topic of cultural appropriation has become a large issue on social media. Cultural appropriation is the act of taking something from another culture without showing any understanding or respect towards that culture. An example of cultural appropriation could be wearing a staple item of someone else’s culture as a fashion accessory without knowing it’s cultural significance.
Appreciation of a culture is vastly different from appropriation, and while partaking in other cultures it is vital to know that difference. Appreciating a culture involves respect and understanding of the culture’s values.
Culture is such a prominent part of a person’s identity, and participating in other cultures is like experiencing what makes someone the person they are, resulting in a deeper level of understanding and respect between different ethnicities. This can help society overcome racial and ethnic divisions, improving the strength of human connections in society as a whole.
