“This is my roommate, Liz. She’s Cuban,” was how Lizet’s roommate always introduced her to people at Rawlings College. This introduction consistently bothered her, but she had trouble determining why and said nothing about it. Later, upon an outburst Lizet has over a divisive issue, it becomes clear that she is tired of being identified as Cuban as if it is the only aspect of her identity. To take people at face value and treat them that way is marginalizing, which is contradictory to the efforts that are made towards equality and inclusion at university, especially at UMass Amherst.
Make Your Home Among Strangers portrays a story of identity struggles and marginalization. Trying to understand who she is and what is her place at college was a trying experience for Lizet that at times seemed to lack answers. Talking about our problems and backgrounds is necessary for everyone to understand the people around themselves and their environment. Lizet felt excluded from her family, as they failed to discuss the social, cultural, and economic issues that they were dealing with together. Meanwhile, peers at school excluded Lizet, as they failed to learn more about her background and identity. There is much to gain from learning about one another and much to lose through ignorance. UMass goes to great lengths to assure the inclusion and equal treatment of their staff and students; reading and learning about the social stresses of feeling marginalized or excluded are critical to fostering a more inclusive environment.
Community-building is a process; it takes time to get to know people and strengthen bonds between them. However, inclusion is easy. All you have to do is keep an open mind and be willing to accept the experiences of others. The Class of 2020 is entering UMass as a group, you will all grow and succeed alongside each other. The diverse experiences and identities of the Class of 2020 will contribute much knowledge and culture to the campus, demonstrating that inclusion has many benefits and is a wonderful way to carry out building a community and home on campus.