Utah: state of many colors

Years ago, when Utah would trumpet its diversity, the gesture felt more like wishful thinking than reality.

But such is no longer the case.

Today, the startling influx of Hispanics, along with the steady immigration of Asians and African-Americans, has made Utah, indeed, a state of many colors.

While such high-profile populations have increased, other ethnic groups, too, have been quietly adding to their numbers and adding to the Utah mix. On Saturday, for example, the state's Italian population will sponsor its first cultural festival. The "ferragosto" (August feast) will be staged at Salt Lake City's Pioneer Park. The event begins at 11 a.m., with music, games, art and — needless to say — plenty of food. Organizers hope the celebration will be the first of many.

Utah's Italian population, like so many others, is on the rise.

Italians and other Europeans, of course, were a major part of Utah's early history. Perhaps because of skin tone, they blended in well with the predominant culture. That has often kept them "below the radar." The local citizenry tends to take members of the Italian, Greek, Spanish, Norwegian and other communities on a "case by case" individual basis. Broad, cultural stereotypes do not easily stick to them. They are accepted as a diverse lot, with a variety of religions, interests, politics and concerns. And that has proved to be a boon.

As the state's other ethnic populations grow, our hope is that groups such as the Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans will eventually benefit from that same "person by person" appraisal of individual strengths and weaknesses, virtues and vices. It is far too easy to paint an entire community with the same broad brush. But nailing traits to a complete race is far too easy. It is simply an excuse to not think, understand and embrace people as individuals.

Right now, the state of Utah is made up of quilt blocks from dozens of communities, shades and styles. When each member of each ethnic community is allowed to be seen as an individual — and not just as a "marker" for an array of stereotypes — that is when those quilt blocks will finally become stitched together in a single, sturdy fabric.

That will be when Utah's diversity will begin to feel like unity.