I’m of the opinion that this essay isn’t truly optional for most people who will apply to Bowdoin. It is a variation of the diversity prompt. It’s actually pretty nuanced though, clever and thought provoking. A student shouldn’t answer this without considering the context provided by the wording before the prompt.
This is a chance for a student to disclose something about how they approach diversity, differences, etc… The student shouldn’t just add, for example, how much joy they got by teaching themselves to juggle. But maybe they could add that they taught juggling to a bunch of local kids whose families are Somalian immigrants, and how through those kids they got to know something about the community.
This link gives info on how to approach a diversity essay, and other essays as well. Supplemental essay tips (plus the COVID question on the CA)