The ‘Great American Potluck’

Khalid Ali, my dear friend, former student, and collaborator on all my values-based leadership efforts shared this deeply reflective and inspiring tribute to our shared experience as Americans. We often hear America being described as a “melting pot,” in which people from around the world bring their own diverse cultures and backgrounds and melt into something called America. Khalid’s description of it as a “potluck” is a thought-provoking variation on this concept, which celebrates the unique contribution each of us makes — and must make. Following is an excerpt; you can read the rest here:

The Great American Potluck

Inspired by my upbringing in the American heartland, where, from a very early age, I had the fortune of interacting with diverse pockets of communities — Amish, Yemeni, Lebanese, Tunisian, Somali, Hmong, Indian, and many others — this concept of “The Great American Potluck” is rooted in the joy, the beauty, of a pluralistic America experienced through food.

America is often called a “melting pot,” but to me it feels more fitting to call it a “potluck.” Unlike a melting pot where everything blends together, in a potluck we each bring something to the shared table, our own unique dish, our own distinct contribution, and together we create something richer, more beautiful — more variably delicious.

Living in America, this opportunity to connect with diverse groups of people,
who may not look like you,
who may not speak like you,
who may not believe in the same God as you,
this I believe is one of the most marvelous features of the American experience.

Read the full post here.