Perspectives on Diversity & Culture
I asked three people to define culture and diversity for me. I found that each of them quickly and easily defined culture but had to stop and think about how they wanted to define diversity.
Person Number One: My fellow co-worker, Christine, and an Early Head Start Home Visitor. Christina was born and raised in rural Indiana.
“Culture is a set of beliefs followed by a group of people. Diversity is a variety of different beliefs within one community.”
Person Number Two: My new supervisor, Pam, Site-Manager for Head Start and Early Head Start Home-Base. Pam is from the East Coast but has lived in rural Indiana for the past 25 years.
“Culture is the combination of your beliefs, behaviors, actions, and language that impacts the way we think and determines what we value. Culture impacts every aspect of our lives. Diversity is the differences between cultures and accepting these differences with respect so that we can all live and work together for a common goal.”
Person Number Three: A father on my caseload, Joyarsi. This father is from Honduras and has lived in the United States for several years.
“Culture is one’s language, where someone is from, holidays that you celebrate, and your beliefs. Diversity is multiple cultures in one area.”
The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied this week that are included in these answers can be seen in the second answer in that culture touches all aspects of our lives and surface culture which is depicted in the third answer. The definitions of diversity from the second person depicts what we have learned in our studies that diversity is acceptance and respecting differences in one another.
In the last response the parent that I interviewed only mentioned surface culture, they omitted deeper aspects of culture such as housing arrangements, values, role of children, gender roles, and how these deeper aspects impact our actions, interactions, behaviors, and the way we think and feel.
I found this assignment insightful and was very interested in what others had to say when they were defining culture and diversity. This assignment has influenced my own thinking and made me consider exactly what culture and diversity consist of by becoming more aware of it in my daily interactions with others. It has also made me realize that most people define culture based on people’s beliefs and surface aspects such as holidays, language, and foods.
I enjoyed reading your blog and the different responses you received. I found the younger participant I chose related culture to foods and ethnicity. The older ones realized that it is goes deeper. I also found it an insightful assignment. I think some people were careful with what they said as not to appear insensitive.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a great assignment, it really is a neat experience to see the different perspectives on diversity and culture.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I really enjoyed reading your blog because each person describes culture and diversity in so many ways and like you said, the third person you asked only described the surface culture and didn't really take the time to think about what makes a person who they are. People are influenced by so many things in the world. This assignment has really made you think about what makes you who you are.
ReplyDeletePerson number one really defined culture and diversity very well. This gave me something new to think about. Good post.
ReplyDeletePam's response to culture in relation to determining what we value was interesting because it's easy for us to say how we would do something or what a parent should be spending money or time on even. When in fact some of those decisions and value systems are not ours to determine. I have enjoyed reading your interviews as well as those of my other classmates.
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