Diversity I̶s̶ ̶O̶u̶r̶ ̶S̶t̶r̶e̶n̶g̶t̶h̶ Is It.

I recently shared with someone that I immigrated to Canada under Trudeau’s “Diversity is Our Strength” initiative. As a new immigrant, hearing those words felt like a profound shift from the negative narratives I’d been exposed to in the U.S.

A leader was openly championing diversity—not just acknowledging it, but calling it a strength. It felt powerful. It felt right.

Contrast that with the first Trump era, where immigrants were demonized and labeled in ways that invited hatred and discrimination. Terms like “illegal immigrant” became clickbait, fueling fear and animosity, particularly toward immigrants of colour. In that climate, hearing the word “strength” associated with diversity felt like a beacon of hope, a dignified affirmation that people from different backgrounds mattered.

But here we are, and the winds of anti-immigrant rhetoric are blowing once again, harsh and unforgiving. Today, “Diversity is Our Strength” can sometimes sound more like a slogan than an honest truth. It feels like a catchphrase tossed around without fully embracing the depth of its meaning.

So, what if diversity doesn’t need to be dressed up with adjectives or taglines? What if diversity just is? No qualifiers. No conditions.

It simply exists and has inherent value. We live in a world that’s more connected than ever before. We are connected to cultures, ideas, and traditions from across the globe. We naturally seek out community and belonging because, as humans, we’re wired for connection. We’re globalized.

To those who oppose diversity, I ask: what is your alternative? A world divided by walls, drained of color, isolated?

I don’t think the anti-diversity naysayers are against diversity as much as they are against a diversity that is front and centre, leader and pillar, core and need. Because diversity for those who hate it want it to exist in a certain place – a place that is hidden, quiet and untouched. It’s easier to ignore, devalue and let it die if we just put it away.

Here’s the reality: diversity is inherent. It cannot die. It will always come back.

No, diversity will not die – we will. Every. Single. One. If languages aren’t regularly spoken, if they don’t adapt or if they don’t evolve to fit the generational changes, they die. If a species of a plant or an animal doesn’t adapt to changing climates and environmental habitats, they die. If we think that our walls and our borders and our biases will enable us to live, we’re wrong. We found each other without cell phones and we can find each other again.

You have a choice. We all do. But remember - regardless of what you choose, diversity will always have its beautiful way.

Diversity isn’t our strength.

Diversity is it. Embrace it. You’ll be free when you do.