Recently, a study of the most diverse cities in the USA release its results, and my hometown as well as my home county, was ranked…

… #1 for being overall the most diverse small city (population size less than 100,000) in the nation.

I was not surprised. As the study says in its opening,

America is undergoing an extreme makeover, thanks to rapid demographic diversification. By 2050, you won’t even recognize her. But America’s transformation is more than skin-deep — it is economic, too. Not only have waves of immigration changed the face of the nation, they’ve also brought in fresh perspectives, skills and technologies to help the U.S. develop a strong adaptability to change.

Yep, my hometown so-to-speak has morphed and adapted from being a small, mostly white middle class suburb of the Nation’s Capital to being a huge powerhouse on its own with a population at around one million.

My “hometown” is not really a town or a city. It is what’s called a “census designated place.” Our “local” government is provided by the county in which we live — not by a town mayor or town council. There are a variety of reasons for that, and some time when you want a wonky history lesson, I will tell you.

But for now, I am truly appreciating what it takes to support the community where we live. We have neighbors who struggle on a daily basis to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, while some others have such wealth that they fret and whine when their Lexus lease is close to expiring and they have to exchange their two-year-old car for a new one. Oh pfft-ffft.

We have neighbors who work two or three jobs a day to be able to live here and send their children to about the best public schools in the nation. We also have neighbors who quibble as to whether that private school over here has a better academic curriculum than that private school over there so little Johnny can get into Stanford University, Harvard, Yale, or M.I.T. when he graduates.

We have 39 different religious institutions on 3 miles of the road on which my former high school is located. Driving on that road is an amazing education on various religions just by observation of their structures and frequency of use.

With all these differences that in some areas lead to major conflict and disagreement, I am appreciative even more what it takes in the county where I live to provide support for those who need it in such a way that it smooths out the economic challenges carefully so we all get along generally okay. We are not sitting on a tinderbox of explosions of violence because of years of investments in what I call “community-building.”

I am pleased to have played a small role in building community ties that strengthen our relationships and understanding of one another. I can’t count the number of meetings I have led or been a part of to build those bonds.

I also own and rent six small homes to local heroes whose entry-level incomes make it difficult to afford to rent (not to mention own) property in our county where they serve. It is very expensive to live here! But again, thanks to a county-provided renter’s support program, I can participate by providing housing for local cops, teachers, and firefighters, retain ownership of an investment that will support me in retirement, and not “lose my shirt” to carry these properties as an owner. (Long way of saying, I don’t generate a profit from these rentals, but I don’t lose money on them, either. Overall, “it’s a wash.”)

There are some people who dislike how quickly America is changing. But rather than resist the inevitable, my home county has — for decades — embraced it, planned for it, adopted to change, and implemented plans and programs to accommodate inevitable changes.

That costs money; our county tax-supported operating budget this year is $5.6 Billion — $5,600,000,000! Add the $4.5B capital budget (schools, government buildings, parks, and roads) — that is $11.1B in taxes collected this year from residents and businesses of our home county. But in return for all those taxes — we get peace, tranquility, and understanding among a large and diverse population. It’s worth it.

I have blogged from time to time that I am proud of the community and county of my birth. I have served in elected and other non-partisan public office. I continue to be the “old sage wonk” that shows up at meetings. I continue to rattle the cages of current elected officials to keep them focused on what I think is best for our neighbors. Why? Because…

Life is short: BE a part of the community where you live.