Celebrate Our Differences

    By Mayar Hussien

    Celebrate Our Differences cover image

    11 Apr, 2024

    a girl in a yellow dress standing in front of a row of houses with flowers in the foreground, magical realism, a storybook illustration, Cliff Childs, comic cover art

    Meet Lily, a curious little girl with an insatiable hunger for knowledge. She was always fascinated by the differences she noticed in her friends and neighbors.

    two young girls standing next to each other on a sidewalk in front of a house with yellow flowers and trees, american scene painting, a comic book panel, Brothers Hildebrandt, comic cover art

    One day, Lily asked her mom, 'Why do people look different from each other?' Her mom thought for a while and decided to turn this into a learning adventure.

    two girls are standing next to each other in a room with bookshelves and a window with a plant, lyco art, a comic book panel, Artgerm, official art

    With a wave of her hand, Lily's mom transformed their living room into a magical world filled with characters that represented different human traits.

    a cartoon girl in a yellow dress surrounded by children in a crowded city street, with a yellow light shining on her, magical realism, a storybook illustration, Ella Guru, comic cover art

    Lily moved from one character to another, learning about different skin colors, hair types, eye colors, heights, and weights. She was amazed at the diversity.

    a woman and a girl sitting on a couch in a living room together, one of them is wearing glasses, academic art, a comic book panel, Artgerm, comic cover art

    'So, that's why people are different,' Lily exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with understanding. 'But does that make someone better than the other?'

    a woman and a girl standing in front of a book shelf full of books and bookshelves with books, serial art, a storybook illustration, Ada Gladys Killins, storybook illustration

    Her mom smiled and shook her head. 'No, Lily. Our differences make us unique, but they don't make anyone better or worse. We are all equal.'

    a group of children standing on a sidewalk in a park with trees and grass in the background, with a cartoon of a group of children standing on a sidewalk, samikshavad, a storybook illustration, Ella Guru, promotional image

    The next day, Lily went to the park. She looked at her friends with new eyes, appreciating their unique traits and differences.

    a group of children walking down a sidewalk in a park with a tree and a building in the background, american scene painting, a storybook illustration, Chris LaBrooy, official art

    She played with them, laughed with them, and for the first time, truly saw them for who they were - unique individuals, each beautiful in their own way.

    a girl in a yellow dress standing in front of a mirror in a bedroom with two other girls in the mirror, magical realism, a comic book panel, Cliff Childs, storybook illustration

    That night, Lily stood in front of her mirror. She looked at her reflection, her long black hair, her brown eyes, her medium skin tone.

    a cartoon girl in a yellow dress standing in a bedroom with a mirror and dresser in the background and a bed with a yellow blanket on it, lyco art, a storybook illustration, Alice Prin, comic cover art

    She smiled at her reflection, her heart filled with a newfound love and respect for herself and her unique traits.

    a group of children standing in a classroom with a teacher in the background and a teacher in the foreground, serial art, a storybook illustration, Ella Guru, official art

    The following day at school, Lily shared her newfound knowledge with her friends and teacher. They were all impressed and decided to celebrate their diversity.

    a group of children standing in a room with a teacher in the background and a teacher in the foreground, lyco art, a storybook illustration, Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, comic cover art

    From that day forward, Lily not only loved and accepted her own unique traits, but also appreciated and respected the differences in others.