Nowadays, having a multicultural education is a necessity. Our world is larger and more complex than ever before, even as faster than light technology shrinks distances. Multiculturalism isn't just an ideology and belief system anymore. It is a way of approaching the world that encompasses everything. Multicultural educational resources include information on how to deal with foreign cultures, education about the basics of life in other countries, works of literature outside of the Western canon, and many other fascinating and useful bits of information.
When I first got into college, I wasn't really aware about multicultural education. I had had a pretty science-heavy and classics-light background. I was interested in pursuing scientific study, and didn't think that I needed multiculturalism education. As a matter of fact, the only reason I took a multiculturalism class was because it was a requirement. I'm glad I was required to take it, although I wasn't happy to at the time. I learned a lot, and it was quite an eye-opener.
The course really started me on the path to multicultural education. By studying the history of Southeast Asia – a region which I knew nothing about going into the class – I was able to see striking parallels in contrast with my own life. I had never really opened my eyes to life outside of the country I lived in, and the first look that I got was absolutely fascinating. It left me thirsty for more knowledge of other cultures and other ways of living.
That is why I decided to start my own to cultural education resource center. I live in a small Midwestern town which is a bit behind the times on matters such as multiculturalism. People here are very nice but they don't really know that much about the world around them. By educating them in multiculturalism, I am helping my community. A multicultural education doesn't only benefit minorities and members of other cultures, but the mainstream population as well. There are so many different ways of living and being in this world, and being deprived of all but one of them puts you at a disadvantage in this day and age. The more you know about differing philosophies and ideas, the better you are prepared to make your own decisions. Multicultural educations aren't a fluffy, vacuous things as some conservative pundits would have you believe. Instead, they are a solid set of fundamentals for someone living in the 21st century.