What is diversity ?What happens when you apply for a job and there is a half-hearted embrace of someone slightly different looking?What is Diversity Is it a buzzword or a commitment?Whether it is in a classroom or in a media report, the word “diversity” seems to be a very popular word now. It means different things to different people but ultimately it should be defined as tolerance of multiple ethnic or cultural backgrounds. It can mean the difference in increased business from previously ignored or overlooked populations. Companies and organizations are quick to use it in a marketing campaign, wherein they show advertising material with a cross section of various ethnicity represented…but let’s looks a little deeper. What happens when you apply for a job and there is a half- hearted embrace of someone slightly different looking? I will give you an example of a job I held for several years in higher education…seemingly a bastion of free thought. In the beginning of my relationship with the institution I was caught up in the possibilities of all that was advertised in their brochures. Page after page were glossy photos of “nontraditional” students advertising the enormous ranges of student backgrounds, whether it was a picture of a frail, gray haired woman in a wheelchair or a man in colorful tribal robes…it was an image the college embraced. I did too. I was made to feel most welcome by the admission staff who seemed to be thrilled that I was the third family member to attend the school and they continued to amplify how the diverse population of the student body was a microcosm of society itself. The school provided what it implied…a culturally diverse background represented by many students in each and every class I attended. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the many backgrounds and secretly admired the many obstacles that people would overcome to obtain their education..whether it was due to coming to America and learning a new language or the middle aged displaced worker trying to learn new skills…everyone was part of the fabric that made it so colorful. Publicly, we were encouraged and in some cases applauded in our effort to begin our journey…truly exciting! Speech classes with students struggling valiantly to pronounce each and every word properly when English was not their native language…and watching middle aged men co exist peacefully with their much younger classmates as they described many of the social ills due to the generation gap. A rich variety of culturally diverse backgrounds made for a beautiful experience! So why did I say “seemingly a bastion of free thought”?Because when we look at the whole picture we see a slightly different story sometimes…the helpful staff welcoming the new student can hardly get away with anything less than a friendly and helpful demeanor…and an instructor with a room full of students cannot single out people and make them feel isolated…but what about what happens off stage behind closed doors? I labored tirelessly for over 5 years to help students of all different backgrounds become successful and steer them toward cultural assimilation whereby they would learn how to understand college life, their classes and in many cases life in a strange new country. I never emphasized the differences though I quietly embraced them…instead I talked about how they belonged and how to thrive in their new life. I bought into the myth of diversity…I still do…but why then did 2 separate instructors state more than a few times how surprised they were that someone as old as I am can carry the message? What is Diversity written by Ken Bownes What is Diversity Sponsorspopular search term: diversity trainings, diversity education,diversity in education, diversity training workplace Most read articles - What is Diversity Home |
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