Why ScanMyPhotos Celebrates and Fosters Diversity of People and Ideas

diversityFor 28 years, our customers from across the nation have entrusted their precious memories into our care. We’ve received photos of family vacations, historic moments, and so many smiling and happy faces of all backgrounds, ethnicities, races, genders, and sexual orientations.

Every picture we scan represents a true portrait of our nation and our world. Each one arrives at ScanMyPhotos to be preserved without prejudice or reservation.

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Our photo scanning technology doesn’t care or discriminate who’s in the picture. As each snapshot carefully passes through the digitization process, a memory is preserved. In light of current events, this is a process we all need to adopt.

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Looking at diversity through an objective lens

Unfortunately, subjectivity can often lead to bias. Learned behaviors which can be passed on to future generations are what often results in hate, racism, and discrimination. As we move deeper into a digital world, there is something we can stand to learn from our rapidly advancing tech. Algorithms, data, and technology is, by nature, objective. So, as this recent NPR article states, it might help if we all take an engineer’s approach to our current diversity and inclusion challenges and setbacks. It’s important we focus more on the data and numbers rather than negative anecdotes and fear-based emotions.

“Ultimately, America’s answer to the intolerant man is diversity.”

— Robert Kennedy

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Why diversity is important

We’re living in a tipping point. As events shed light on the ugly depths of intolerance and hate, we need diversity now more than ever. We need diversity in our schools, on our playgrounds, at our grocery stores, and where we work. Why? Because diversity offers fresh new perspectives on old problems; it opens up new worlds of experiences and viewpoints; it can lead to empathy—a better way of understanding the people who we live and work with.

“A lot of different flowers make a bouquet.”

— Muslim Origin

This is why ScanMyPhotos is passionate about the diversity and inclusion of people and ideas. We’ve seen the tapestry of American history, photo by photo. The 300,000 photos we scan each day show a diverse picture of every family and person in our nation. No one photo is more precious than the other—each and every one is an invaluable piece of a complex and colorful puzzle.

So, in this age of heightened emotions and fears, we can be pioneers. What we’re asking is simple: take little steps. Encourage diversity at every cross-section of society—whether it’s by helping your loved ones remember their roots or saying hello to a stranger, let’s make it a mission to celebrate, embrace, and preserve diversity in every moment.