Growing up in Switzerland, I have been able to witness the rich culture and diversity that has developed over the past 800 years.  This extensive history has given me a good understanding of the importance of creating towns where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can feel a sense of belonging.

From inception, it has always been very important for Avalon Park Orlando and each of the communities that we build to embrace diversity.  First and foremost, respect, understanding, and learning come from knowing each other and belonging to something together:  a community.  And I believe a healthy community is made up of a diverse body of people.  This melting pot of perspectives gives the community depth and allows its members to live life inclusive of every background and belief regardless of generation, origin, race, and income class.

As a developer, one of the ways that we build diversity is literally by building an open community at every price point.  I personally do not think gated communities with only single-family homes at one price point (often at the higher end) create a healthy community. It is our vision to create communities with every price point from an apartment to a townhome, to a single-family home and estate, where you are almost guaranteed diversity just in this aspect.

Additionally, it is not uncommon in Avalon Park to have families with 4 generations living within walking distance of each other. The grandparents can spend quality time with the grandkids after school while the parents may still be at work.  Building roots in a community is a healthy way to make any town and family strong.

Another diverse component is the inclusion of our global partners.  Several times a week we have intercontinental video calls.  Generally, early in the morning in Orlando, we discuss business, politics, and other subjects with our offices in Switzerland, Singapore, and Australia. When friends and business partners from 4 continents, with different ethnical backgrounds, share ideas for the good of Avalon Park, diversity can be realized at its fullest.

It is also my belief that an important component of culture is art. Art, according to the Oxford English Dictionary is, “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as a painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”  This expression can come in all forms, from the languages we speak to the visual activities, like paintings, sculptures, music, and dance.

While there are several platforms already in the community for the arts of various mediums, we have identified an additional opportunity to create a centralized space to celebrate art, culture, and diversity throughout the year. The Avalon Park Arts and Culture Center, scheduled to open Saturday, April 9^th, will serve as a hub for our community to come together for education and community-building through the arts.  To find out more about the center and how you can get involved, visit the website here. Additionally, this month we celebrate the diversity in Avalon Park Orlando with the multi-cultural event, Absolutely Avalon, on Saturday, April 9^th, 5-9 pm.  We invite you to join us as we celebrate everything that makes your community great!

While these are just a few examples of how we embrace diversity at Avalon Park Group, we continue to grow, learn and develop how we can create communities where every person feels like they belong and can live, learn, work and play together.

We would love to hear your ideas on how you would like to see the arts and culture celebrated in our community, by sending an email to me at Info@AvalonParkSun.com.

Beat Kahli