The Challenge of Diversity

The interesting thing about running a speaker series is how very often I run into biases - mine as well as everyone else's. Everyone says they are open to a diversity of opinions. But frequently that means only as long as those opinions or interests are close to their own. It can be something simple. Like when someone suggested a famous football player as a speaker, I thought "what do I have to learn from a football player?" Then I did my research and learned what an amazing story this man has in his life. In our speaker's committee we often have heated debates about whose perspective is something to be valued and presented - and which are not.