Global Dialogues

I grew up with a foot in two worlds. One of those worlds was Western Wisconsin, and the other was on the other side of the Earth, in China. Growing up in a mixed-race household, where my mom was from China and my dad was from the United States, I felt uniquely tied to many global issues. Political strife between the U.S. and China would lead me to feel immense anguish as I continuously worried whether I could still be connected to my family on the other side of the world. In that sense, my mind has always been focused on global fraternity as my family itself spanned across the world. I spent a lot of my childhood dispelling common misconceptions about China and emphasizing the differences between the government and the people. Growing up in a mixed, divided family made me realize how understanding a different perspective could lead to seeking more nuanced ways to address issues. My biological family was split across the world, forced to grapple with differing cultural and political ideas, yet we still are family and care for each other deeply.

This past summer, I spent time on the U.S.-Mexico border learning about the ways in which the physical and political border separates families and friends. I met asylum seekers who have been barred from coming to the U.S., but cannot return home. I spoke with members of the Tohono O’odham Nation whose historical land is sliced through by the U.S.-Mexico border. There are countless borders across the world which we choose to let divide us, deciding who we deem the most important to us. My own family is divided across borders, and as political tensions rise, I wonder what that might mean for us, yet there are already countless people living that reality. As the world creates divides based on skin color, language, cultural background, identity, and much more, we must consider whether it is the physical borders that divide us or if it is the way we have set up our society.

Imagining human fraternity in the world and within politics is essential for moving beyond these barriers. I believe that centering a belief in human dignity, respect, compassion, empathy for others, and good faith engagement, can help us work towards a more unified world. Through a belief in the dignity of every human, we can understand that although we may have different values, morals, and philosophies, we still all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Additionally, an emphasis on compassion and empathy can go beyond those differences and towards understanding. While good faith engagement may seem difficult at times, believing that others are generally coming in from a positive perspective can open doors to learning, understanding, and change.

Although there are so many divisions and tensions today around the world, recognizing our deep connection to others in this world can help us move forward, and reimagine our capacity for global love and fraternity.

Aliyah (Allie) Schlicht (SFS'27) is a junior in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.