A Bouquet of Flowers
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Alafia good people: I am an African-American woman who lives in a multi-racial, multicultural world. I changed the paradigm from "the melting plot" where all the colors are poured into one gray mass, to that of the" Earth's Bouquet." In the bouquet, each flower has its own shape, size, scent, and color. Each is honored for its beauty. But then I put these different flowers on a bed of green leaves (Our Earth) and the relationship to that green and each other is even more beautiful. So my writing shows the richness of our diversity. I would love to converse with you about this. Thanks. L. Teish
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  • It sure is a beautiful way to put it—and one that I feel is closer to reality than the “melting pot.” Ever since I moved to the US (Bay Area), I’ve come to realize that although there are people from many different cultures occupying the same space, there is not much “melting” going on. Growing up in a multicultural environment, I liked the idea of everyone coming together as one, creating some kind of hybrid culture that incorporates customs and traditions from other cultures. But as an adult, I see that the “melting pot” is not an accurate representation of what I experience in daily life, where people from different cultures usually stick with the people from their own culture—even on the playground. In one corner play the Indian kids, in the other the Eastern European kids, and yet in another the Mexican kids and the Chinese kids, each talking in their respective languages. Very rarely do I see an exchange between them outside of a classroom setting. Who knows, maybe this will change with future generations. I’m curious to see how my toddler—who is growing up with three different cultures and native languages—will feel about this one day. What I like about the “Bouquet of Flowers” is that it acknowledges and celebrates the differences among cultures and individuals, or as you put it: each is honored for its beauty.