World We Dare to Imagine - Part 3
Open Mind, Open Heart – Fostering Empathy by Connecting Youth with Marginalized Perspectives Growing up with a special needs brother and volunteering in the special needs community, I have heard people make assumptions and stereotypes. To name just one example, my very own relative once suggested that at a family party, we give the less desirable food option to my brother, because “he won’t know the difference.” My brother, just like any able-bodied person, has his own tastes and preferences. It was at this moment I realized the way ignorance fuels stereotypes, judgments, and disregard for marginalized individuals. This lack of understanding of others’ experiences is what leads people to write off the homeless population as “lazy” or view veterans as “damaged.” Whether it may stem from deliberate close-mindedness or a mere lack of exposure, not understanding the diverse groups in our society prevents them from receiving just treatment in our society. Open Mind, Open Heart begins making...
