Through my various extracurricular activities, I think I can safely say that I’ve developed a pretty diverse friend group. Not through actively trying to “collect” unique friends, obviously. It just kind of happened.

It has a lot to do with where I spend most of my time: here on campus. The school is famous for its prominent celebration of diversity, through podcasts like “United Colors of Liberty” and the “Fourteen Days of Love” series.

A few years ago senior Jay Schlaegel created a forum of religious discussion between the leaders and members of some of the religious clubs on campus. And last year, even though the campus came under a lot of fire for our prayer room, the outpouring of love and support from our students and the community reflected the momentous cultural appreciation and sensitivity that Liberty is famous for. It makes me proud to be an LHS student.

It makes me proud and it also makes me blessed. Recent events have shown us that the world isn’t necessarily sympathetic to diversity and celebration. That’s where we come in. Isn’t it our duty as the future world leaders to do our part, whatever we can, to change the tides so that our country and the rest of the world can become a more tolerant, peaceful one?

It is easier said than done, I know. But we already have a head start.

From our childhood, we’ve been conditioned to show respect to other people’s opinions, cultures, and religions. It is second nature to us, to the point where we can’t imagine how bigotry is still a major problem in the world. So let’s lead by example and show off!

I challenge everyone to reach out to a friend and engage in a cultural synthesis. Invite them to a cultural celebration or treat them to an authentic, home-cooked meal. Compare and contrast your opinions, political ideologies, or even religious viewpoints. Whatever you do, do it politely and with care. Show appreciation by actively trying to learn.

It probably won’t inspire everyone to do the same, but it might inspire someone. And that is a start.