Appreciating Diversity

Operational Definitions of Diversity Diversity in and of itself embraces all human differences. Diversity builds on the commonalities that bind us together. Diversity serves to eliminate discrimination, marginalization, and exclusion based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, disability, religion, national origin or military status.

Self-Evaluation Take a moment to describe yourself in terms of who you are in relation to how you define diversity:

Quotes Who stated the following message? Check your answer. “Be the change you want to see in the world.”  Sitting Bull  Barack Obama  Mahatma Gandhi  Albert Einstein

The Correct answer is: Mahatma Gandhi

Quotes Who stated the following message? Check your answer. “I note the obvious differences between each sort and type, but we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”  Confucius  Cesar Chavez  Jinato Hu  Maya Angelou

The Correct answer is: Maya Angelou

Quotes Who stated the following message? Check your answer. “We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”  Jimmy Carter  John F. Kennedy  Thomas Sowell  Rudyard Kipling

The Correct answer is: Jimmy Carter

Abecedarian to Enlightenment Listen, not just speak Learn, not just teach

12 Steps of Diversity 1. Homogene – we are of the same gene. 2. Check-in with your core identity It is important to focus on commonalities instead of differences. Your core id needs to talk to your friends core id. 4. Diversity should be looked as a chance to learn as well as one to teach. 5. When interacting with someone from diverse background it is important not to judge them. 6. Admit when you make a mistake and be respectful.

12 Steps of Diversity 7. Break one habit with another habit – instead of judging learn about diversity expand your cultural comfort zone. 8.Travel – You may not be able to go to a foreign country, but you can travel to other states to experience their diversity. 9.Read about diversity – Read books by multicultural authors. 10.Learn a different language – you do not have to become proficient just learning a few key words or phrases. 11.Learn the difference between prejudice and dislike. Prejudice is not recognizing and appreciating the cultural differences of those around you. 12.Grasp on to diversity and hold on. Make a commitment to learn about diversity.

Diversity within Diversity It is a disservice to individuals within a group to lump them all into one category. Not every individual within a group thinks, acts or reacts the same. It is important for everyone to understand this concept even those within the group. Examples of this?

Myths about Diversity It is a problem It is the responsibility of the human resources department It is just about race and gender It is about minorities and women in the workplace It is exclusive It is another fad It is another version of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action jorMythsofDiversity_Velasquez.pdf jorMythsofDiversity_Velasquez.pdf

Myths about diversity Click on search our articles In the search box type in myths about diversity

Inclusion and Exclusion Inclusion is active, intentional, and includes the ongoing process of working within diversity as it relates to the intellectual, social, cultural, geographical and individual components of others in ways we may connect to them. Through inclusion one’s awareness, content knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding may increase. When an individual is stereotyped for being in a certain group they are often limited and excluded from the whole. This takes away from their individualism as well their accomplishments. Ethnocentric – Evaluating others from your own cultural reference.

Mohammed Bilal Follow the link the watch Mohammed Bilal speaking on the 12 steps of diversity (You may recognize him from Real World, San Francisco).

The End Result This Powerpoint was designed, created, and intended to do two things; First, as a college student you are now identified as being a critical thinker. We hope that this presentation aids in your ability to think critically about issues related to diversity. Second, we want you to walk away with new explorative ideas and thoughts about diversity as it relates to yourself, college students, family and friends.

Think About Diversity in relation to: o Opportunities o Does diversity impact opportunity? If so, how? o Accomplishments o In what way does diversity impact accomplishments? o Challenges o What challenges does diversity present? Text Box

Additional Reading em_et_al.pdf em_et_al.pdf lliams_et_al.pdf lliams_et_al.pdf Search for differences between Etic and Emic viewpoints on culture.