Khadijah Kanneh is a junior at Smyrna High School and a member of the planning committee for the Student EmPowerment Summit.
A broad range of backgrounds and perspectives is not optional in education; it is essential. Embracing different experiences and viewpoints serves as the foundation for innovation, sparks greater awareness and builds connections across the world’s many cultures, ideas and ways of thinking. However, systemic inequalities remain prevalent in a nation as diverse as the United States, revealing the gap between the ideals enshrined in our laws and the realities many individuals face.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 promised equality for all, but legislation alone cannot dismantle the deeply rooted biases and socioeconomic barriers that have developed over centuries. Though minorities have been a vital part of the United States for generations, they still struggle to access the same opportunities as their nonminority counterparts. Studies indicate that racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. are more likely to encounter significant disparities in education, health care and economic mobility. The Economic Policy Institute also underscores the persistent gaps in employment, wages and wealth, emphasizing that legal equality does not always equate to lived equality.
A significant argument surrounding the topic of diversity programs is that these initiatives are unfair and provide certain groups with extra benefits, supposing that everyone competes on equal footing without them. However, it is crucial to recognize that not everyone starts from the same place. Some students have a clear path forward, with ample available resources. For others, challenges present hurdles that require greater effort to overcome. Many start their journeys on a path filled with barriers they did not choose — poverty, bias and systemic neglect. Diversity programs do not create an advantage for these groups. Instead, they recognize that these barriers exist and work to ensure that everyone is truly on the same footing.
As president of my school’s Black Student Union, I have seen firsthand how essential these spaces are. For the past two years, I have attended the Black Student Summit (renamed this year to the “Student EmPowerment Summit”), a gathering where students engage in discussions about identity, community and advocacy. These discussions go beyond mere words; they represent moments when students feel acknowledged and assured that their differences are not barriers but assets. Without programs like the Student EmPowerment Summit, many miss the chance to fully embrace themselves and share their identities with others.
This is not only local; it is global. In every society, learning from those who are different from us fosters progress and innovation. In fields such as medicine, engineering and governance, diversity acts as a catalyst for better outcomes. The exchange of ideas across cultures has propelled human advancement for centuries. To eliminate diversity programs is to undermine the very essence of that progress.
Eliminating diversity programs risks widening existing disparities and silencing voices that have historically been marginalized. Recognizing that these initiatives are not about granting unfair advantages is important. They ensure that success isn’t dictated by the circumstances into which one is born but by the effort and ability one possesses. As a society, we must commit to policies that promote fairness and belonging — not just in words but through meaningful action. Join me and my classmates at the Student EmPowerment Summit on April 5 at Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington and see how vital these spaces are for me and my peers. Learn more and register at uwde.org/events/student-empowerment-summit.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
