Learning from ARCC orientation

As a returning Intern for ARCC, I am excited to continue working toward a racism free world built on inclusion. During my ARCC orientation research, I learned that if you want to create an inclusive community, you have to put in the effort. You can’t just sit back and expect it to disappear, and that goes for anything you do. If you want to make a change in this world, you have to be able to put in the effort and have the strength to keep on going even if it doesn’t go your way. Before my orientation, I always thought that fighting for inclusion meant that I treat everyone nicely no matter where they come from. But it goes deeper: to fight for inclusion, you have to be able to speak up for those who aren’t brave enough to fight for themselves and make sure that everyone is respected and welcomed no matter where they come from. I have also learned that everyone is different and people come from different backgrounds all over the world. You have to see the importance of understanding different perspectives and learn to not judge a book by its cover. There are many layers to what we don’t see from each person we talk to, and judging on the outer layer is the worst thing to do when getting to know a person. Joining ARCC will help me educate more people and encourage better choices and conversations for people who might not know what to do. This research helped me grow more as a person, and I realized it’s only up from here, and there is more growth when joining ARCC. These lessons will continue to grow and sprout from here.