During our Intro to Global Engagement class, we had the opportunity to meet with several speakers. In one session, we had the honor of meeting Julie Mughal, the Associate Director for Humanitarian Action at Fairfield University. That day, I remember introducing ourselves, talking about our majors, and touching a little on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which I did not know about until that class, and one month ago I had the opportunity to go to the United Nations and see the 17 of them. Then, we discussed chapter 10, Engaging Intercultural Communication for Social Justice, of the book Intercultural Communication, a chapter that touched my heart.
The reading focused on what it means to be human—regardless of what you know, where you come from, or your socioeconomic status. One of the key qualities of a global citizen mentioned was courage, but not in the traditional sense. It emphasized the courage to respect others’ perspectives and opinions even when you have a completely different one, and when you in fact do not agree with the other person.
As an immigrant, I often feel like Americans should make the effort to understand my culture, language, and point of view. But I sometimes forget that they are human too, and that I also need to respect and accept our differences and their traditions. I’ve been reminding myself to choose curiosity over judgment.
Another powerful part of the reading was the idea of the heart as the house of empathy—its door opens when we allow ourselves to feel the pain of others. It’s not easy to be open or to show vulnerability, but if we want empathy from others, we have to be brave enough to share our hearts with the world. When we do, others are more likely to respond with empathy in return.
References:
Curto, Isabel Espeso. “Un Exceso De Empatía Puede Complicarnos La Vida – Psania.” Psania, 6 Feb. 2025, www.psania.com/un-exceso-de-empatia-puede-hacernos-la-vida-algo-mas-complicada.
Sorrells, Kathryn. Intercultural Communication Globalization and Social Justice Kathryn Sorrells. Sage, 2013.
