Welcome Our New Ambassador: Adem Wijewickrema

Adem Wijewickrema, 12th Grade

Atlanta International School

Atlanta, Georgia

Instagram: @wijphotography

I wanted to join the National Diversity Coalition because of my past experience with diversity in my school and my work as a peer facilitator at SDLC for multiple conferences, where I gained the experience to promote safe yet valuable discussions among groups. I also am partially Middle Eastern and South Asian, which allows to me bring two cultures to a conversation along with a wide range of perspectives.

I am passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work because as someone who is Middle Eastern I feel we are underrepresented in many environments like most schools. There is a lack of understanding of our culture and beliefs. Sadly, this causes a lot of stereotyping, racism, and discrimination towards Middle Eastern students in schools due to what is published about what occurs in the Middle East and the lack of exposure people have to people from the Middle East. As someone who is South Asian as well, I feel there is a similar issue with people from South Asia and the way they are portrayed on TV and in the media, so I wish to provide people with better exposure to people from other cultures so they can gain an understanding of these cultures. In my school, I would hope to see a wider range of diversity in regards to the staff and the students. I would also hope for more diverse sessions where students can share their identities and give their fellow students a look into who they are and what their experiences are. I would also like to promote a safe environment where everyone feels welcome to share their experiences and ask questions about other people's experiences as well.

The Ambassadors of The National Diversity Coalition are student leaders from schools all around the nation that collaborate in the coalition to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion at their school. The Diversity Alliance Executive Team will collaborate with you to elevate your DEI work on a bigger platform with various events and initiatives. If you are interested in joining, please fill our Join Us Ambassador Form.