Face to Face...A response to Islamophobia

After having the privilege of listening to the profound ideas of Deepa Kumar, I could not help but replay a few of her quotes in my head. In particular, it was this statement in reference to Islamophobia, "Face to face contact breaks it" that really resonated with me. Currently, I work with a group of 12 international students at the College of DuPage. They are actually all studying and living in the United States on a grant funded by the U.S. State Department. Some people may be bothered to learn this information considering the current situation of many American citizens. With that, I realize that the mission of the state department in choosing 'underserved and underrepresented' from countries like Pakistan, Egypt, and India is very strategic on both ends. It comes down to forming relationships by breaking borders, misconceptions, and stereotypes. When we speak of "them" in a very distant sense, we are forgetting their humanity -- a key point that was made by Kumar. In my situation, I have seen the discussions between people from very different backgrounds and I have seen the progress that has been made. While, it is obvious that there are subjects where people have to 'agree to disagree', I am constantly reminded of the importance of intercultural education and building relationships with people who may be very different. All in all, I have seen the incalculable benefits of 'face to face' contact in humanizing others' ideas, beliefs, and values.