By Dominic T.

As I scanned my high school cafeteria, I, like every other freshman in America, anxiously wondered where I would fit in.

The difference was, when I looked at all my potential lunch companions, I didn’t just see students from countless religions, races, backgrounds, and economic statuses. I saw scholars, athletes, artists, musicians—completely unique individuals.

That experience, and many others like it, helped me realize something important: diversity isn’t just a feel-good checkbox. It’s essential to communities across the country.

The benefits of diversity aren’t just subjective—they’re measurable.

In a 2014 Princeton University study, researchers asked groups in Texas and Singapore to price stocks. They found that diverse groups were 58% more accurate than non-diverse groups. In other words, diversity improves how we solve problems, how we collaborate, and how we perform.

This applies to the workplace, too. Every culture has something valuable to bring to the table—economically, socially, and intellectually.

Diversity also saves lives. A study conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that patients from non-white backgrounds often receive worse care from predominantly white medical centers. But when diversity among medical professionals increases, patient outcomes improve.

That’s because when people feel seen, heard, and understood—especially in essential settings like hospitals—they thrive.

I know this from experience. Out of 362 suburbs in Illinois, my hometown of Romeoville ranks number 31 in diversity. Growing up, I never saw my classmates from other cultures as “different”—it just felt normal.

As an agnostic person, I learned about religions like Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam directly from my peers. Their openness helped shape how I think, and helped me better understand the values people hold.

Diversity isn’t something you check off on a college application.
It’s a force that opens your mind, expands your empathy, and builds stronger communities.

The cultural richness of my hometown made me who I am. I believe everyone deserves the chance to grow up in an environment like that—because it doesn’t just change how you see the world.

It changes how you move through it.