I recently saw a social media post about a 2009 meeting between then-president Barrack Obama, and the 9-year-old son of a former White House staffer. A picture accompanied the post. It was the viral photo of President Obama bending over at the waist to allow the child to feel his hair. At that moment, then-5-year-old Jacob Philadelphia asked the president if “your hair is like mine.” This memory served as an essential reminder that representation is important, and not just for children. Adults can also benefit from seeing people like themselves in various situations.
There’s a lot of fuss over how important inclusion has become in recent years. Some people believe that purposely ensuring that different skin tones, sexualities, levels of ability, gender identities, and other diverse characteristics are included in film and literature is disingenuine. Some believe that it’s an unnecessary step by the radical left to brainwash America’s youth (and perhaps some weak-minded adults).
What I propose today for your consideration is that diversity and inclusion are not political issues, but human issues.
I am not here to discuss my political beliefs or my personal morals. I am not here to change any minds or flip anyone’s political party. I am simply here to advocate for humans, and the fact is that humans are social creatures. As the mammal with the capacity to work in groups of the largest number, it only makes sense that community is crucial to the well-being of humankind. If nothing else, Covid definitely taught us just how important it is for people to be able to interact with one another, and therein lies my entire point.
No one likes to feel like an outcast. Nobody wants to be the only person in a room who looks or acts a certain way. Knowing people who can empathize with our experiences brings us comfort. Seeing someone with which you share similarities accomplish a goal empowers us, especially if they were the first one to do so.
As is natural, it is harder to attempt something if no one like you has ever accomplished it. Imagine how difficult it was for the first deaf actor to walk onto a movie set when they had no idea how anything worked and no one in the business had any clue how to work with them. Then imagine how incredible it was for a deaf person watching to see someone with the same struggle as them accomplishing something they probably never thought was even possible. Deaf people who would have never dared to dream of being an actor suddenly realized that maybe they, too, could be on the big screen.
I am not in the business of telling people that their existence is wrong or fake. Rather, I believe that everyone deserves to see themselves represented and know that they have the chance for more. All people just want to be included and feel like they are part of something. All people want to feel like there’s a possibility, no matter how small, to accomplish their dreams.
Everyone wants to know that somewhere, someone impressive has hair just like them.