With all of the racism, hatred, prejudice, and persecution happening within the world, it’s easy to forget that we’re all connected. When things such as Brexit passes or when someone like Donald Trump becomes president, you’d think we as people have so many things that divide us that there’s no way we could live together in peace.
However, we’re all linked. Momondo is a company who states, “Momondo was founded on the belief that everybody should be able to travel the world, to meet other people, and experience other cultures and religions.” Based on the meaning behind its foundation, Momondo recently launched “The DNA Journey” which was meant to inspire people to learn about their ancestry. Through the journey they brought people together to learn how they really are genetically made up, down to the smallest percentage, and recorded their reactions.
Just seeing people’s emotional reactions of surprise and happiness when they discovered their true identity was inspirational. One woman, Aurelie, stated “There would be no such thing as extremism if people knew their heritage,” once she found that her DNA ranged from more countries than she knew of, and her statement couldn’t be more true. I imagine if someone knew the person they were rejecting entering a country in hopes of asylum was their long lost cousin, they wouldn’t be so harsh or so quick to react. Momondo states, “We hope it will inspire you to explore your own diversity and discover how you are connected to the rest of the world.”
By looking further into how we are connected, we gain a better understanding of who we are and open our minds to learn about our surroundings in terms of other cultures, nationalities, religions, ethnicities, etc. There is no such thing as a pure race. Once we realize and accept that, we will start to make progress. It is a difficult concept to swallow. You may sit there wondering, can I, someone whose decedents are from Eastern Europe, really be related to someone thousands of miles away in Honduras? It sounds far fetch, but it is possible. The reason is because of the way DNA works. As AncestryDNA expert, Brad Argent explains it, because we get 50% DNA from each parent and it works down the line. He is quoted saying: “They get 50% from their parents, and so forth and so forth and it goes back a long way. Those little bits of our ancestors trickle down through our parents, to us. So a genetic DNA test that looks at genealogy elements such as ethnicity can tell you where your ancestors have come from.” Considering the amount of migration and colonization that has taken place in history, it isn’t out of the ordinary to have a genetic makeup that places people in all parts of the world. As Momondo’s motto goes, “An open world begins with an open mind.” Not only must people open their minds to be more accepting of others and their differences, but they must also open them to all of the possibilities that result from living in a diverse world.

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