As mentioned previously, yesterday was "Diversity Day" at a friend's workplace. She's a sharp girl, but not the kind of person who can toss off witty comebacks, she's halting and deliberate. But she's also incredibly obviously genuine.

And quite poor.

As best as I can gather, she talked about growing up and being taught in school, as a child, that "minorities" were people who needed help to succeed. Later, she was astounded to discover that one of her best female friends (who had obviously different skin color) was a minority: She was popular, much wealthier than my friend, and got better grades! It was then she realized she'd been given the wrong definition.

Even later, she discovered that her best male friend was actually a minority also. Since he had white skin, blue eyes, light brown hair, no trace of a foreign accent, and was also much wealthier than she, she'd had no clue he was actually of Hispanic extraction, and was also thus a minority.

(Aren't we all a bit clueless when we're children?)

She also talked about the times she'd been assaulted because of her skin color. (She's had a fairly rough life.)

She mentioned they'd been asked her to speak about what it meant to be "an anglo". She said she found this odd, since she wasn't "an anglo". Her boss asked her if she was offended: She responded that she felt it was wrong to treat people on the basis of skin color. It was also superficial -- she used my line about having much more in common with a black Christian than a white Muslim. She said she hoped the day would finally come when people who be judged more by the content of their character than the color of their skin.

And what we prayed for came to pass: She got to speak last, and she told me everyone was apparently so moved by what she had to say, however she said it, that most the audience hung around outside the area for an hour or more after that, talking about it! It sounded like people had productive dialog: I hope many were brought closer together.