The systemic racism, subtle or blatant, that occurs today starts with the ideas that we grew up with. We have grown up with the negative stigma around minorities in that they are deemed criminals, lazy, dirty, reckless, just to name a few. The heart of progress is the education we receive as children. The generations to come need to understand that the quality of life should not be determined by how you look. Everyone is valid and beautiful in their own, diverse ways. Before being exposed to life outside of public schooling, I petition to make Cultural Diversity an elective for the Hillsborough County education system.