What does it truly mean to be multicultural, and how can we harness this facet of our identity and use it as a force for good?
In my opinion, being multicultural is an honour and a privilege. We’re blessed with the multiplicity of perspectives without having to step too far out of our comfort zones, and we have an innate understanding and appreciation for difference and diversity.
The beauty of The Oblique Life community is that we’ve been drawn together from all four corners of the world, each of us equipped with our own stories, perspectives, visions and complexities.
It goes without saying that we are a microcosm of a generation that is pushing boundaries, redefining boundaries and setting new standards in all of the fields that we operate in. Our dynamism, forward-thinkingness and drive to create a better future for all is palpable, and I really think a lot of this comes down to the fact that most of us have grown up in a multicultural environment. From early ages, we’ve been exposed to different ways of life. We’ve been making sense of what it means to be from everywhere and nowhere, and to experience the world. Our travels far and wide have formed us, informed us, and made us who we are today.
Travel, for the moment, might have been put on the backburner, but we nonetheless still have the capacity to explore even if we are just sitting at home. And that’s exactly what I want to offer up to you in this series on multiculturalism – an exploration of the threads that weave the fabric of our human experience, spotlighting your individual experiences (yes, you lovely lot!).
Given the current situation our society faces, I think it’s high time for all of our voices to be amplified and for us to expand the conversation around things that impact us all. Our races, creeds, colours and the myriad experiences that come with these are all deeply unique in their own right and there’s so much we can learn from one another.
Now more than ever, we need to be the generation to pave the way to a more just, sustainable future where we can collectively thrive. It’s not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but I think these conversations are a great place to start. The way I see it, it’s through these conversations and storytelling that we find common ground – from which we grow.
This series is going to be a deep dive into topics that touch all of our lives to varying degrees, as we all try to make sense of this beautiful human experience. We’ll be looking at relationships (particularly cross-culture relationships), our perception of time, and how our generation is redefining the way we work.
I think we, as future leaders, thinkers, movers and shakers, have the unique gift of sharing our stories and offer up a snapshot into the way we see the world.
So, as we dive into the latter half of the crazy year that is 2020, I am excited to share with you life explorations through the lens of our multicultural generation.
Stay tuned.