City of Dunedin Diversity Essay Contest Morgan Harris 15 years old Palm Harbor University High School

Prejudice comes in all shapes and sizes. In the year 2020 there has been systemic racism along with the most riots we have ever seen as country. Martin Luther King Junior once said, “We may all have come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat .” We all have unique attributes but that is not a weakness, it is a strength. The world needs to embrace our differences and come together as a whole to become more compassionate humans.

While I have not experienced racism or prejudice many people in this world have. To live by Martin Luther King Junior’s quote daily is to be kind to everyone. This simple task benefits many other people. I also think displaying our differences gives others a new outlook on how blessed they are or what they have. Humans should not be discriminated against due to their race, religion, appearance, or gender. Instead, as a community we should have support groups or cliques that focus on what makes different and how to love that part of you.

Along with support groups that were previously mentioned, different aspects of us could be expressed through art! Art is a therapeutic way to inform others of a message or motif that you are passionate about. Dunedin is the epitome of art and inclusivity. For example, Dunedin hosts one of the largest Celtic festivals in the nation. That is demonstrating the Scottish heritage that Dunedin is well known for. One-way this festival celebrates the culture is through music. The vast variety of music at the Celtic festival includes bagpipes, drums, violins, and much more. Music is an additional way that can be used to express differences.

Unique attributes of humans can be expressed through support groups, music, and even art! Dunedin is an outstanding example of the level of inclusivity all towns should have. Unity is vital for a strong and successful community. Prejudice is in the past. We need to take a stand for a united world!

Imesha Davis Senior, Palm Harbor University High School/Shiloh M.B. Church

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” There is a phrase that comes to mind when I think of those words from Dr. King. That phrase is “I don’t see color.” It is a phrase that I have heard often as a black person. It is not something that is commonly said with bad intent. People often think they are complementing you by insinuating that they to see the type of person you are and not the color of your skin. But the phrase in itself is a double-edged sword. First and foremost, I am black. I want people to know that I am black and proud about it. I want people to know that I come from a rich and diverse culture. I want people to see my race and see me, and if ever given the opportunity, I want other black people to see someone like making large strides towards the future. Thus, they will be impacted more because the see a color familiar to their own. From an outside perspective I want people to appreciate and not appropriate all the things that every culture has to offer and be able to share those things with others. Let us not try to ‘erase’ the color of someone’s skin but instead, accept and love them and all the things they have to offer. Let us be willing to come together to correct injustice and prejudice because together we have so much power. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in unity and coming together despite our differences. Together we share the gifts of intelligence, creativity, endurance and so much more. We should celebrate the things that make us different and what defines us as individuals but also be able to work together like puzzle pieces to get the bigger picture. Saying you do not see color means you do not see my legacy, you do not see the strides my people have made, and the way my background has affected me. So, see my color. See me. When the pandemic hit, a lot of people were devastated; whether it was financially, or health related. Many are dealing with loss and intruding thoughts of what they should do now. We have all been affected in some way. Today as you go on with the rest of your daily activities, you should treat someone the same way you would like to be treated right now. Comfort a friend over the phone or video call. Hold the door open for someone. Help, within your capabilities, those who are struggling. The world is hurting right now and we as a people need to acknowledge that, Yes, we are different, but we can work together to lend a helping hand. Before you know it, we will all be making strides towards a better tomorrow. Truly, we may have all come on different ships, but we’re definitely in the same boat now.

Name: Nalya Wanjau Age: 10 years old School: Garrison-Jones Elementary

Racism has been going for years. People like Africans, Asians and more have been judged just because of their Culture, Race or/and religion. Imagine being judged because of how you look or what you believe in. Many people have been victims of this cause such as Martin Luther King JR. there are 195 countries in the world with different types of people. From short to tall, long to wide, Black or white and more.

Everyone was made by a different person, but that doesn’t mean we are different. We are similar because we are all human and that’s what matters. It doesn’t matter what’s on the outside, but the inside. We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.

Everyone is different in their own way, but that doesn’t mean you should judge the unique ones. Fitting in doesn’t matter nor being like everyone. Be your own person and don’t let people put you down, because you are special in your own way.

Naveen Yengera, 13 428 Words

Dunedin Highland Middle School

We Are Better Together

Martin Luther King Jr.’s words are especially important today:

We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.

When I see these words, I think of my family and my neighborhood. I think of my classroom and my school. I think of my city and my community. I think of the United States and the world. More than ever, these words paint a picture of the importance of seeing differences as beauty, strength and necessity. By appreciating diversity and the different gifts that each person offers, we can unite and come together as friends and partners to create good for all.

Martin Luther King Jr. valued the American spirit and tradition of welcoming all people

and our rich history with immigration. Every culture that has found a in America has

contributed something unique and made America better in some way. The Irish, Polish, Chinese,

Italian, Indian, Jamaican, German, English, Cuban, Mexican, African and numerous other

cultures have added something lasting and valuable to the tapestry of life in America. The

stories of Sonia Sotomayor, George Washington Carver, and Georgia O’Keeffe are just a few

that make up the priceless fabric of the American story. My own family is a story of “different

ships.” My father came from India in the 1980s, and my mother’s family includes immigrants

from Germany as well as a man named Ensign Noble, who fought against the British in a

Massachusetts regiment during the American Revolution. In recent months, divisions in America often made the headlines more than stories of harmony. Discord erupted between Democrats and Republicans, mask wearers versus non-mask wearers and those who fought for justice for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor versus those who viewed through another lens.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of “the same boat” is not just hopeful. It is vital. He understood that Americans are “better together.” Hand in hand, Americans have accomplished astounding feats and overcome enormous challenges. The divisions that America faces today with the global pandemic, climate change and tensions created by the recent election are an opportunity for all to remember that our sum is better than our parts. What is a community? A common definition is “a group of people living in the same place or having particular characteristics in common.” By celebrating our differences and finding common , we can roll up our sleeves, heal, join hearts and minds and conquer any obstacle. Whether the waters are stormy or calm, we are better together in the same boat as one community of many.