News Release

Heard on campus – America’s diverse future

April 14, 2009

Diversity advocate Luke Visconti says America’s future lies in understanding and appreciation for all its citizens and cultures.

Speaking April 7 on campus as part of the Penn State Harrisburg year-long diversity lecture series, the co-founder of DiversityInc magazine and an accompanying Web site, Visconti  said, “The evolving complexity of America’s population makes cross-cultural understanding imperative. By the year 2043, whites will make up less than one-half of the U.S. population. Our culture is evolving rapidly.”

Pointing to “three pivotal events” in American history – the Voting Rights, Civil Rights, and Community Investment acts – Visconti asserts they aided in America’s growth by giving all races access to the three things that “make citizens out of human beings.” He listed those as “access to government, access to education, and access to capital.”

Emphasizing the need to help lower economic classes, Visconti feels strongly that “the war on poverty will do more for our nation than anything else. There is an 8-1 return on the investment.” On the worrisome side, he stated that the prison-industrial complex with its disproportionate number of black and Latinos incarcerated has him concerned. “We must look at who’s making money from this,” he adds.

He then asked a leading question to those in attendance. “Why do we discriminate?” He followed with, “There’s no such thing as race. The human genome project proved that we are all from Africa; we are one human race.” He said the reason for racism and separatist feelings can be traced back to the early days of man in Africa. “Who are we predisposed to trust the most? Those in our tribe who look like us; we are tribal and that’s the way we behave.”

So how do Americans support equality and create a nation with a positive future for everyone? Visconti has four action steps for all to follow:

•You must vote regardless of politics. If you don’t vote, you are worthless to the politicians.
•You must communicate. Make your feelings known, pursue an issue, and partner with others and communicate.
•Socialize with others. Pull people into your circle from outside your “tribe.”
•And please learn. Study a wide range of sources on issues, know your facts, go out and talk to others, and don’t accept anything less than total equity.