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How Traveling Can Break Borders  

By Hannah D’Avanzo

When I was a second-grader living in the United States, my parents homeschooled my brother and me, and we spent several months traveling to Hawaii, Pohnpei, and the Philippines. I remember many school days spent on the beach studying the culture of where I was visiting.

Due to this, a desire for travel was instilled in me at a young age. Some treasured experiences include swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines with local Filipino fishermen, visiting several temples in Korea among people who differ in worship style from me and going to Nicaragua during a revolt. I spent days listening to the local’s struggles and stories.

Travel spurs curiosity.  Though I have traveled overseas my whole life, I feel that there are so many more places to visit and beautiful cultures that have yet to be explored.

I spent a year living in Italy as I studied the language and culture, fitting in exploration time of other European countries. These cultural experiences have shaped who I am today. Everywhere I went, I took a little piece of the rich cultural experiences with me.

Due to traveling, I saw a variety of races from a young age. Seeing people who looked different than me was normal. Strongly appreciating other cultures was something my family instilled in us. I believe traveling has a strong power to create cultural awareness and open one’s mind.

At the same time, traveling leaves you vulnerable, and many times you have to rely on the kindness of other people who look nothing like you, which leaves you with an appreciation of people. Most times you will be surprised at how pleasant these experiences are.

Travel spurs curiosity.  Though I have traveled overseas my whole life, I feel that there are so many more places to visit and beautiful cultures that have yet to be explored.

Travel also gives you the ability to relate to others. Most people take pride in their countries and ethnic backgrounds. Asking questions can open doors to great conversations and even friendships.

Growing up in the southern United States, I felt racism heavily and the underlying separation between cultures and the ignorance many people carry. It was always hard for me to grasp why people separated themselves and automatically assumed things about different races.

Though not everyone is able to travel overseas due to expense, I believe there are many opportunities around us to get better acquainted with people from different cultures.

Listen, learn, try their food. Be truly open and curious. By breaking boundaries and having honest discussions, I believe many stigmas can be broken.

 

 

 

 

 

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Fashion designer Kirsten Ley on Diversity: ‘I love using models of every background’

Kirsten Ley is a Canadian couture designer who recently moved her line to Paris.  In just 12 months, she has participated in seven international shows, displaying three collections.

Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Ley at New York Fashion Week, and she talked to me about her latest venture.

“I moved to Paris with my labels three and a half months ago,” she said. “… It’s kind of been this rebirth of my brand, and so I (titled) this collection ‘Naissance,’ which means birth in French.”

When asked about the diversity of models displayed in her line, Ley said:

“I find that my brand has a lot of dichotomy, and I love using a wide color palette. I love using models of every background and ethnicity and race and it just really speaks to me because I love having everyone a part of this.”

 

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Ethnicity on the Runway : New York Fashion Week Designers Talk Diversity

By Hannah  D’avanzo

My media outlet, HD Access Media, has allowed me to attend international events and meet people of all backgrounds. One thing I noticed at designer shows is that diversity was often limited.

Attending Milan Fashion Week in previous years, for example, I recall not seeing a variety of ethnicities represented among designers, models or even the audience attending the shows.

So, when I recently had the opportunity to attend New York Winter Fashion Week, I decided to investigate as part of our Interactive Journalism class at Southern Adventist University.

Though most people would like to claim that diversity is important to them, how far will diversity go? Will women of ethnic backgrounds be included in this exclusive circle?

After several days of watching shows and talking to designers, my previous perspective changed.

Many designers said diversity was important to them. They not only expressed the belief but acted upon it by including models of different ethnicities to model their clothes.

I spoke with designers from all different parts of the world who came to showcase their designs and beautifully incorporated their culture into their clothes.  Present were Middle Eastern designers, Asian designers and European designers. 

Those I interviewed included Hakan Akkaya, Christian Cowan, Kirsten Ley, and Marisa P. Clark.

Along with diverse designers, we saw models of all backgrounds proudly showcasing the newest trends and embracing their ethnicities.

To summarize New York Winter Fashion Week:  It was a time where we could see, feel, and hear diversity, both on and off the runway.

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Hannah D’Avanzo – Just Call Me Hannah

To ask who I am, one would get an answer that is complex, yet straight forward. My first name is simple, Hannah. My last name, if spelled correctly, comes with an apostrophe…D’Avanzo.

I am a child of two parents who are from different races and have very different cultural practices. My mother is Filipino and my father is Italian. In our home, strong Asian values prevailed yet I only understood and spoke the language native to my father. For that reason, I often felt that I should choose which race I would be more a part of than the other. In reality, I am not just one or the other.

Today, as I expand my knowledge of research and race, I realize my background does not dene me, but is an accessory of who I am.
I do not have to choose one race because one box can’t be as encompassing as I am. I am diverse, and diversity is beautiful. Having said that, I am very excited to be a part of Interactive Journalism, where we will closely explore and write about diversity, race and unity within the Adventist church. I hope you will follow our posts and enjoy our discoveries on investigating diversity.