DIVERSITY AT PENN LAW

Taamiti Bankole '07

As a black man in higher education, I have always been a bit weary of institutions that proclaim their commitment to diversity. That situation seems to produce one of two results. Either, the conversation breaks down into one of tolerance, where differences are looked upon suspiciously and negatively and everyone simply learns how to endure these differences in order to live together. Or, you are placed on a pedestal, where everyone extols you as the exception to your race.

Diversity is about being yourself, not shying away from your differences for fear that others will not accept you, and Penn certainly embodies this definition. People do not pressure you to fit into some pre-conceived image, or silence you and then tell you how you should think. This is a place where it is okay to stand out, especially if standing out is what you normally do. In other places, not blending in may make you look a little strange or even a bit crazy, but here at Penn Law, you're just like everyone else. In the end, we all bring our own different experiences and eccentricities to add to this incredible institution.

Penn Law is ultimately more than simply an institution proclaiming some nebulous commitment to diversity; it is a community where we live diversity everyday, always craving another difference to add to the salad, hoping that the next piece will make us even more exceptional.