Jennifer Barsamian: On the road to embracing diversity

Growing up, my Armenian grandmother was part of the Barsamian household. Thanks to her, my siblings and I were exposed to a different language, ethnic foods and, most importantly, what life was like in another country.

This understanding, however, wasn’t something I wanted to expose my friends to. As a kid, cross-cultural exchange wasn’t encouraged nor acknowledged. I wanted to be as assimilated as possible.

I grew up in a very economically and culturally homogeneous community, where in the ’80’s everything and everyone looked the same. And, I have to admit, as a kid, I had a certain opinions of kids that didn’t look or act the same way as my friends and neighbors did.

Anything outside of a peer in legwarmers, jeans and a white shirt layered with the latest Esprit or Benetton sweatshirt, would intimidate me. Leather jackets or boots, tight jeans and cigarettes as accessories would make me uneasy and different color skins were unfamiliar, and therefore, would invoke fear.

While my family and I were devoted consumers and visitors to the Dedham Mall, Dedham Plaza, Dedham Square or the Showcase Cinema, I was unaware of the community in the shadows of Route 1. I only saw shopping plazas, not neighborhoods. We never had reason to venture beyond the commercial areas, and the range of people I would see in Dedham made it feel like I had just been dropped in a big city.

My view of Dedham, thankfully, has changed. With my children enrolled in the Dedham schools, and owning a home in a great neighborhood, I have gotten to know the town from the inside.

 I’ve been reflecting a lot on what a different experience my children are going to have growing up in Dedham, especially in East Dedham where diversity is even more pronounced.

Parenting our 6-year-old daughter this past year and answering her questions about skin color, ethnicities and inequality have reminded me how aware kids are. Children understand at a very young age when something looks or feels different, much like I would in the lobby of the Showcase Cinema as a young teen. 

With a classroom that has kids from various cultures and backgrounds, my daughter asked, while watching a commercial on TV, “Mom, why are there no dark skinned women?” Not an easy one to answer using first-grade language, but I felt lucky for the opportunity to have that kind of discussion. I wouldn’t have asked such a question at her age. Not going to school or living amongst kids different from myself, I tended to fear the unknown instead of ask about it.

If we are trying to raise open-minded citizens who treat each other with respect, understanding and empathy, how can we do that effectively if they don’t grow up with diversity around them? 

The make up of Dedham’s population has changed drastically over the last 5 years. What was once a predominantly white suburb has become a destination for all people seeking to raise their children in a safe, quiet suburb close to Boston with good schools and a sense of community. Regardless of skin color or native language, we are all looking for the same thing; an understanding of each other and an appreciation for what makes us unique.

Whether you live in Precinct 1, in East Dedham, in Greenlodge or the Manor, we are all part of one town, one community - Dedham. As residents we have a unique opportunity as a town to get all of our children together, learning from each other and understanding who they are and where they come from. This is something to embrace.

I love this Maya Angelou quote, “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.”

It is clear to me, that the residents of Dedham are welcoming diversity with the passing of and override to build a new, better Avery School, the epicenter of the different color threads that make up our tapestry. It makes me proud to live here.

Dedham resident Jennifer Barsamian’s blog Dedham Rocks can be found at www.dedhamrocks.com.