Peace,

a person could assume by your use of the word "assimilation" and the phrase "sitting at the table" that you think that the groups of people who previously were "unwelcome" have no impact or influence on the systems that they "join" and that they bring nothing of value to the table. But that isn't what occurs and I don't think that what you meant, or is it?

I believe that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

{Feel free to substitute a better mathematical or scientific quote or theorum or whatever for what I'm trying to say}.