Who Said It … Jarvis Williams
What he Said … Diversity Is Not Enough
My ethnic background is primarily African American, but my family has a multiethnic heritage: African American, Caucasian, German, and Native American. In addition, my wife is Hispanic since her mother is from Nicaragua and her father is from Costa Rica. Our son is a combination of my wife’s and my own ethnic heritages. In addition, my mom and my aunts have white skin; my uncles and cousins have dark, brown, or white skin; my wife and son have light skin; and some of my other relatives have blue eyes. Because of these family connections, racial diversity is important to me. Nevertheless, racial diversity is not enough.
Many Christians equate racial diversity with racial reconciliation, so they conclude if racial diversity is present then racial reconciliation must be present as well. As an African American with a strong multiethnic background, married to a Hispanic woman, the father of a multiethnic son, and as one who is passionate about multiethnic, urban ministry, I agree that ethnic diversity is a good thing. Nevertheless, I also strongly disagree that ethnic diversity is the same as racial reconciliation. The former does not guarantee the latter.