When it comes to the topic of diversity it can honestly go in so many directions. What I would say about Daralyse Lyons’ new book Demystifying Diversity: Embracing our Shared Humanity is that she strives to break it down to more than a US against THEM and see the why.
Through the interviews and her own personal observations we see how being singled out or labeled as impacted others. It also does something I wasn’t expecting. It turns the tables repeatedly on the reader, forcing us to ask what would we do or who would we be. In horrific events in history would be the one who was the oppressed or would we be the oppressor? Would we stand up for what is right or will be stay by? These questions are difficult but necessary if we are going to see things really move forward in a positive (and productive) way.
There’s another thing that Daralyse discusses in the book that is sure to step on some toes. I know it did mine. That being the words we use to categorize things, like being “good” for eating a salad or “bad” for not. The impact of what we say as well as what we do can impact the way people see themselves and feel about themselves.
Bottom line is we’re ALL a work in progress. This book challenges us to identify the work we ALL have to do and get about doing it.
Terri Martin
Terri Martin has lived in Upper Michigan for over 20 years and in spite of the 250 plus inches of snowfall, has no desire to live anywhere else. The Home Wind is her second children's novel and is the result of much research about the logging era of the Upper Peninsula. Her first middle grade book, A Family Trait, was published in 1999. She also has a collection of humorous short stories published in 2020 entitled: Church Lady Chronicles--Devilish Encounters. Terri has a Masters' degree in creative writing and has a regular column in UP Magazine, featuring humorous short adventures involving unlikely characters who may be slightly off the grid in their thinking. A lover of the outdoors, Terri has also had feature articles published in several outdoor magazines and literary journals.
