Vermont: The State With No Diversity

Sage Devereux

When I was little, I used to think Waitsfield, Vermont, was the whole world. I had never seen anyone that didn’t look like me: white, middle class, born and raised in Vermont. Now that I’ve grown up (a little bit), I’ve found the words Vermont and privileged to be synonymous.

Vermont is notorious for having a nearly all-white population. In fact, 96.2% of Vermont’s population is white. Locally, I could count the number of people of color that go to my school on one hand as well as the number of republicans. I love to preach the importance of civil discourse, but civility is easy when you're arguing the same point. I don’t know what there is to debate. 

There was a structured debate in my American History class where we were given perspectives of loyalists and patriots and we had to argue about independence. We lasted five minutes before the class erupted into yelling. Growing up with no opposition has bred a generation of students that don’t know how to have a conversation. There are many things I have gained from growing up in a small town, but I have lost so much more by never learning how to partake in civil discourse. 

I read articles and hear stories about how people get judged for their political affiliation, their stance on gun control, their perspectives on abortion rights, or any controversial topic in America today and I crave it. A world where everyone agrees sounds like paradise, but the whole world doesn’t agree. Maybe if I had never learned that the whole world wasn’t Waitsfield, Vermont, I would be more content; but I know all too well that I live in a bubble. I am hidden from controversy; I lack people skills and empathy. I am paralytically aware of the fact that I am growing up in an environment that isn’t preparing me for the world I hope to explore someday: not a small town in the middle of nowhere, but a world of diversity. 

I love Vermont with my entire heart, but I cannot wait to learn names I can’t pronounce and eat food that isn’t locally sourced beef. Waitsfield, Vermont, will always have my heart, but my mind has places to be and people to see.