The late great Maya Angelou once stated that “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends”. While her words indicate that our attitudes, cultures and values can define our differences she also suggest that we all embody a shared sense of humanity that we might come to understand through our interactions and acknowledgments of others around us. In the 21st century we have experienced an ever -increasing diverse population, the re-election of America’s first Black President, polarizing religion wars, and a more encompassing civil rights agenda that includes women’s and LGBTQ communities. So what if we asked ourselves “what does it mean to be diverse?” What are our investments in our diversity? What are our feelings and logical reasonings about diversity? More broadly, what does diversity mean for 21st century American culture? What role does contemporary social movements like Occupy Wall Street, #Blacklivesmatter and other protest movements play as we consider the meaning of diversity and difference? What is the role of the university in defining our discussions about diversity? Through critical reading, writing and thinking we will explore these questions in depth while engaging how diversity and difference shapes our attitudes about the economy, racial and ethnic difference, sexuality,…