Diversity & Community Committee- MSA

Beginning Fall 2017, my first semester at Texas A&M University, I joined the diversity and inclusion committee. This committee is in charge of welcoming new and current students and making them comfortable in diverse and new settings.

As a committee officer, my team has to organize events and promote students to get out of their comfort zone and express themselves. One activity we completed over the year included hosting a henna table outside of our campus library. We donated every penny we earned from students to a charity and in return, shared the Middle Eastern culture by giving students henna tattoos. This way, students could learn about the cultural trends and celebration activities that occur in countries like Pakistan, India, Yemen, Bangladesh, and Saudi Arabia, along with donating contributions to unfortunate children and families around the world.

In another activity, we informed students all around campus the basics of Islam and the common misconceptions people have about the religion. In this setting, students of all faiths could ask questions without offending anyone and learn more about a different religion. I also encouraged students to attend various cultural festivals such as "Dhandiya" night and Diwali, which are Hindu cultural celebrations of color, music, and dancing.

Being on such a diverse campus and a developing world where workplaces are transforming, it is important for individuals to feel comfortable working with people from different backgrounds. I love working in this committee and getting to meet new people with unique perspectives each time. I learn from the discussions I have with people and have noticed that experience beats knowledge. Seeing people go on study abroad trips and working with peers and seeing their mentality change over time is evident that diversity leads to positive outcomes. I love learning about other cultures and teaching others about mine. The people we live with, go to school with, work with, and spend time with place a big difference in our lives. Being on the diversity committee has helped me grow my perspective and learn as an individual.