By Courtney Edwards
Professor Jan Yopp is a strong advocate for diversity. From being a former director of the Freedom Forum Rainbow Institute, to being a part of the Chuck Stone Program for Diversity in Education Media, to being the faculty advisor to the Carolina Association of Black Journalists, she welcomes diversity in all she does.
Yopp, however, doesn’t consider herself particularly diverse. She is Caucasian, of Swedish decent, a democrat, over the age of 60, was raised by two parents and had a few siblings. Being interesting and abnormal is considered diverse these days, but diversity comes in all shapes and sizes. Accepting diversity is all about welcoming the traits of others that make them unique.
“Let differences bring you together, not push you apart,” she said.
Yopp was well acquainted with the late Chuck Stone — an influential journalist, supporter of civil rights and Tuskegee airman who died in April. She said that Stone had a wonderful sense of humor and was a great teacher who believed in the power of diversity.
“He was a walking history book,” Yopp said, citing his familiarity with civil rights leaders Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Chuck Stone Program, created in 2007 to honor his legacy and celebrate diversity, allows 12 high school journalists to learn about each other’s different traits and improve their writing skills.
Yopp said she believes that in order to embrace diversity we all have to abandon our stereotypes and overcome biases.
“Accept that two people aren’t alike; accept people for who they are,” she said. She said she believes we all have a long way to go with acceptance, but that we are on the right path for now.