Of the many current issues of public concern in our nation today, pick one and explain how you would address the question. by Olivia

Of the many current issues of public concern in our nation today, pick one and explain how you would address the question. by Olivia - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

In such an ever evolving society, new questions and concerns will always continue to arise about various issues. One that many people in our culture tend to struggle with is the idea of being all inclusive and providing equity to every citizen. Throughout the development of my community service project, which would work to implement an all inclusive playground in my region, I have learned many things about what “all inclusive” really means. During research that was performed, I came to the realization that social exclusion exists all the way down to a young age with children and a simple action of where they play. The majority of playgrounds that we see are very biased towards a certain kind of child, one that does not have physical, social, or mental disabilities. This issue can be seen quite often in our country with many political platforms today.

From members of the LGBT community, to individuals that descend from different races and those who worship in various ways, many people are excluded from certain situations due to their culture and beliefs. Countless amounts of political and social decisions that we are faced with as a nation today, have to do with a certain group of people that are differentiated due to personal decisions.

This issue goes all the way back to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his fight against social segregation. Dr. King once said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” While Martin’s dreams of breaking racial discrimination for African Americans was successful, prejudice acts towards certain factions is still rampant in our society.

All, meaning everyone, and inclusive, meaning to include, leads us to believe that no matter someone’s physical, mental, or social capabilities or their race, gender, religion, or culture, they should be incorporated into our society with open hearts, minds, and arms. The Constitution of the United States of America states that “...all men are created equal,” and here we are, over two hundred years later, and our country is still using discrimination as a motivation to separate our population. I would address this by thoroughly informing our citizens about all different forms of isolation, while reminding them about the horrors that can be caused by inequality. These examples would range from historical events such as the Holocaust and the Civil War. Further, I would focus on educating the public about various cultures that exist in our “melting pot” nation, and how instead of arguing about our contrasting beliefs, we must embrace them in order to form a more peaceful community, country, and world.