a level playing field?

diversity and inclusivity

each of us is a product of gene and culture and choice,

nature and nurture give us a playing field,

and we throw ourselves across it, as best we can,

to do our best at the shifting game, at play, at work,

as a school, the individual of the teacher

confronts the individuality of the student,

and we search for commonality for comfort and possibility,

and for difference for opening self into broadening possibility,

diversity is reality, for each of us is a new model

who shares only some traits with other models,

what aspects of self challenge the other the most?

I would contend that 

gender is the surest difference,

then developmental age,

then learning needs, learning style, and personality tendencies,

Howard Gardiner and Myers-Briggs give us keys to self and other,

how well can we interact with others

if we feel alone, though?

how much do we need others like us, 

at least like us in how we look,

in the ways we are judged by how we look,

to be comfortable enough to release ourselves into excellence?

the lock on our potential demands a key that works,

how can we know just what that key is?

and how much does bias in the culture

unlevel the playing field for each of us?

by Henry H. Walker

January 11, ‘16