America the Beautiful(l of Diversity)

Over the past fortnight, I was reminded of how much diversity surrounds me in my everyday life. Mind you, as healthcare professionals, Nicole and I are no strangers to diversity, continuously dealing with a parade of patients from all different backgrounds, languages, smells, and socioeconomic status.

Speaking of parades, don't you think diversity makes them more robust, more fulfilling to watch? You pick one -- Mardi Gras or a Ku Klux Klan march? The Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics (the United Nations of athletes) or that march at the Winter Olympics (only those athletes who are -asian: Caucasian or East Asian)? Well, you get my point.

Having recently re-relocated to New York City, I was again reminded of the tremendous diversity here in this crazy metropolis. I was running late to a college admissions event, and I certainly did not want to deprive overly-ambitious high school kids (of all different colors and fashion styles, of course) from sucking up to me in the hopes of getting into my alma mater. So, like a good New Yorker, I hailed a cab. Sidebar: I was merely a volunteer without any say in admissions decisions, but it was funny to hear squeaky-voiced high schoolers suck up to me anyway.

'Racist Cameras'...Still?

I LOVE pictures and the art of photography! However, I want to preface this post by saying that I admittedly know VERY little about photography. I am trying to pick up a few things here and there, but I do not claim to be an expert by any means. (There seems to be more science involved than I thought. I oftentimes crave the blissful ignorance of a point-and-shoot.) However, I can tell you that I noticed VERY early that even the art of photography is limited by its natural tendency to segment according to race and color. When helping shoot an after-prom party, it was really hard for me to capture the natural skin tones of the couples who were not of similar complexions. (...I also had to take many breaks because my weak wrist apparently couldn't take the weight of the lens.)