Welcome to the first episode of the Aurai Online Podcast – People Helping People Make Awesome Stuff Happen, where we’re going to talk to people involved in social change, developing cultural ties, and cool project that are making a difference.

For this first episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mikela Thomas, the Diversity liaison at Cheshire Elementary School, about culture and diversity. The Oltenangy school district in Ohio has a diversity liaison for each school – and she has used her position to put together an impressive annual cultural festival.

She shared her story – how and why she developed the program in her school, how she moved around growing up and experienced diversity in her own life, and shared stories how diversity has effected students in her school – and how they’ve been able to break down barriers.

From my experience, diversity and travel go hand in hand. The more we learn about culture by interacting with people and opening up and sharing our stories, the more accepting and tolerant we become. It’s the first step to combatting xenophobia and developing stronger ties around the world, which in turn leads to more peaceful relationships and people working together in collaboration.