We Need Ways to Connect with Our Neighbors

By Jacqueline Segovia,junior, Chelsea High

Inequality is a huge issue in the world, and in the United States there is a long history of different cultures being treated unequally. Our city of Chelsea is no different, as we have prejudice within the community that affects connection between people of different cultures, races and beliefs. Real equality in Chelsea might be hard, but it is something that we can get with effort and dedication. There are some things we could do in order to make Chelsea a better place for everyone. First of all, creating an app about Chelsea is going to help bring unity. Secondly, having more English classes available is going to help bring peace. And lastly, creating a multicultural group will help build respect and unity.

Technology is everywhere and used by everyone. If Chelsea creates an app that informs people about current activities and allows them to sign up for them, it is more likely that residents will get involved with the community, and more importantly, with their neighbors. Having people from different backgrounds and different countries participate in the same events can lead to greater connections that weave a stronger fabric of community. For example, if parents could simply check an app to find out about the different activities available to their little ones they would be more likely to participate, which would create better childhood experiences. Similarly, if more families could easily volunteer to assist in developing events in Chelsea it would help to build citizen unity and pride. A Chelsea app could also be useful in scheduling English classes. While someone might not learn English because class times conflict with a busy work schedule, simply taking an app survey could inform the community of the times people are available, and classes could be scheduled to meet residents’ needs. Having English classes for adults is possible, the only thing required for it is the effort to realize it.

Having more English classes available is going to help bring peace. As we know, language is a huge barrier that interferes with the communication between people. Miscommunication can lead to multiple problems. Chelsea citizens have multiple native languages that are not English. If we had more English classes, the citizens would be more likely to effectively communicate with each other, removing one more barrier to understanding. Learning English will benefit the citizens in multiple ways. Since the majority of people who do not speak English are adults, having the chance of a better job would be a strong motivation for them to want to participate. Another benefit is that adults will feel free to go out without the concern of not understanding what others are saying. Parents will feel more comfortable getting involved with the activities in the community. If everyone spoke the same language, we would have a better communication leading to more peaceful relationships with our neighbors.

 Creating a multicultural meeting place will help us get more involved with our neighbors to build unity and respect. Because residents would be under one roof interacting with people from different parts of the world, they would be more likely to build respect towards each other. We would also feel a stronger connection with everyone since we would spend time actually getting to know them and their story. It is better to get knowledge of other cultures by ourselves instead of letting stereotypes mislead us. Having a multicultural group will inspire each one of us to interact and treat others equally.

The Chelsea of our dreams is within us. The Chelsea of our dreams is in our decision of whether or not we will strive to improve the communication between us.

The above essay was the winning entry from Chelsea High School in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Essay Contest.

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