The richness of diversity can best be understood by the following analogy.

I describe the love for detailing my unique car and the passion I have to keep it looking sparkling!  You can partially see it in the picture at right -- it's a Honda Accord that has been rebadged with BMW emblems.  So I hold up, for the students to see, one of the new yellow microfiber towels that I plan to use on my car.

Now examine this towel under a magnifying glass.  Envision the thousands of intersecting threads that give the towel its strength, color, and quality. 

What if this towel was multicolored?

Thousands of threads with bright colors intersect with those that have a more neutral color. Every thread is vitally important to the towel itself. 

Isn’t life the same way?

If we consider each thread as a person, we cross paths with thousands, perhaps millions, of different people on our journey through the years, on this “tapestry” of life.

What occurs when our paths cross with another?

If one acts out in anger, hostility, or ignorance, both threads become frayed, distorted, and discolored at that intersection; a hole begins to form in our life tapestry.

If, however, crossing paths with someone who inspires, uplifts, and motivates allows both threads to expand, thicken, and become vibrant as self-esteem increases. Between these intersections, your thread gets narrower and tighter.

You thus find yourself becoming a part of a living, breathing tapestry of life.

Learning about the challenges faced by others reduces fear.  You are no longer uncomfortable around those who are different in disability, culture, and heritage.