In just a few months I have become a part of a squad of the utmost diversity. Hunter College is known for its widespread mélange of people, being ranked forty-second in the country for most diversified campus. Going to a predominantly white high school has kept me sheltered in that most of my friends, like myself, were third or fourth generation Americans. At Hunter, most of my friends are either first or second generation Americans. The short amount of time I’ve spent with them so far has really begun to transform me into a more worldly person. We often have talks about “Friendsgiving” where we intend to have a lot of food from every country we represent. It makes me excited, curious, and welcoming, just like I have been since the beginning of my journey with these girls.

We are African-Americans, Barbadians, Colombians, Dominicans, Egyptians, Filipinos, Haitians, Irish, Jamaicans, Puerto Ricans, and Russians. I say we because each one of us has touched another in some way. In a place we call “Wolfpack,” we acknowledge the many aspects of our cultures, from assimilation and hardships to comparisons and celebrations. We all have faced stereotypes and harsh words, sometimes within our own group, simply due to a lack of understanding. Each cultural aspect of our lives is different, and we learn more about each other every day.

For some of us, our biggest struggle is assimilating into American society. The norms that are expected to be followed by the average Caucasian are all expected to be followed by every other background. In this, the deep rooted problem is that by asking everyone to be the same, we lose touch with what the United States was founded on-- “the melting pot.” Some of us have to work ten times as hard to be productive and seen as anywhere near the white standard. Based on the color of their skin, my friends have already been judged before they enter a job interview, a school setting, a social gathering, etc. As most of my friends are pre-med or nursing majors, I only fear that they will hear things like, “A ___ doctor? Well isn’t that impressive?” or “What is your background? I don’t exactly feel comfortable with your practice.” Conversely some of my friends are art and media majors, meaning that they could be flooded with questions like, “Oh, an art major? _____s aren’t good for working anyway.” or “I’ve never heard of a successful ___ director.” The basis of these questions and the norms put out by society are the bare minimum of what is endured by all of us.

In a world that is seemingly so beautiful, I cannot begin to imagine how prejudice and racism could exist. More specifically, as a part of a group of the most beautiful and worship-worthy women, these existing concepts bewilder me. There is beauty and love everywhere I look in that all of us contribute something special to the ensemble. We are bilingual, aspiring models, effortless artists, multi-instrumentalists, social butterflies, and track stars. Amidst being so different, we are all so similar. For one, we have all worked hard enough throughout twelve years of school to get to college, where we intend on graduating hand-in-hand. At the same time, our similarities are also rooted far beyond our talents and intelligence. From culture to culture I’ve noticed so many of the same things, like specific foods, language dialect, and clothing style. Simply, we put Taylor Swift’s white privilege girl group to shame.

While we are “those girls” who pay the ridiculous prices just to go to Buffalo Wild Wings in Times Square, we are also “those girls” who put to shame any negative connotation that comes our way. We are of all skin colors, hair types, body shapes, financial statuses, and hometowns; we represent a microcosm of cultural difference. However, when we are together, we are one girl who loves herself and her culture. Through the many obstacles that stand in our way, we are united by difference and linked by similarity. As a permanent member of a squad of the utmost diversity, I can with dignity and pride say-- we slay.