Gabriel Chacon, Jr., Latinx Engagement Coordinator
Growing up, I became a major fan of "fútbol" soccer. My father introduced it to me when I was young. I remember watching my first game with him and just being so mesmerized by what I saw. I would be rooting with him for América to beat Chivas and be ready to celebrate when our team would score.
Watching these games with my dad always brought me joy. I particularly remember watching my first World Cup with him. It was the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which was so special. I was watching countries from around the world come together and compete for glory as they tried to win the tournament for their country.
As I grew older and continued watching "fútbol," I always felt something magical about the game, but I could never pinpoint what it was. Until the next World Cup arrived, and it hit me. The magical feeling was seeing people from around the world come together to play the game. Watching people who look different, talk different, and have different stories come together and play each other with the utmost respect. It felt as if there was peace in the world.
Not realizing it as a child, what I was watching was the diversity this great world offers. To me, diversity is acknowledging each other’s differences, learning about differences, respecting differences, and appreciating differences.
"Fútbol" was my early introduction to diversity; from there, I continued to see and appreciate diversity in all areas of my professional and personal life. In higher education, diversity is something you see all over. Diversity is in our students, staff, faculty, programs, and resources. Embracing diversity in different areas across the college allows us to connect, learn from each other, and work together to ensure we can do everything possible to help students succeed.
The power of diversity in higher education allows the students to have options, to be able to have a variety of resources, and a chance to experience and learn things they may have never considered before. At Waubonsee’s Latinx Resource Center (LRC), we offer a program called C.A.M.I.N.O.S. (Creating Alliance through Mentoring and Inclusive Navigation of Opportunities for Students). This mentoring program pairs incoming students or those needing guidance (mentee) with a current student (mentor) who has completed a semester. The mentee develops a close relationship with their mentor as they help guide them through their first year of college. We ensure that everyone is paired with someone who shares a similar interest or major.
The C.A.M.I.N.O.S. mentoring program promotes diversity because it is open to anyone and truly creates an experience that allows students to learn from one another. The mentee and mentor may have similar interests, but connecting and sharing each other's differences and experiences in life will allow new perspectives to develop.
Diversity is a huge reason I love my career in higher education. I have a chance to connect with a variety of people and hear about their experiences and help them any way I can. I experience so much joy being a part of an organization that truly allows me to embrace diversity. I get the same joy and fulfillment when I watch "fútbol" with so many different people. I cannot help but smile. Seeing everyone coming together in one space to work, interact, and learn is beautiful.
No matter what your race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, age, religious belief, or political conviction, higher education, and Waubonsee, is a place where you will be heard and helped.
