Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

 From my conversations I believe that a person’s experiences highly impacts their meaning of culture and diversity.  Speaking with different individuals that I am close with about their meaning of diversity and culture was very interesting. All three gave a different level of meaning. For me when I think of diversity what comes to mind is multifaceted and various differences that are linked in some way or another. Culture for me is a person’s way of life.

 1^st Respondent-Mrs. Warner

Relationship-Friend

 Her background: Mortgage Loan Underwriter

 Diversity: A mixture of cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, and demographics

Culture-morals and beliefs

2^nd Respondent-Mrs. Johnson

Relationship-Mother

Her Background- Social Worker

Diversity: A mixture of things that don’t resemble but still consist of a person being treated equally

Culture-Your Experiences

3^rd Respondent-Mrs. Guardio

Relationship-Teacher Assistant

Her Background –Mother and 1^st year teacher assistant

Mrs. Guardio provided an example of her experiences as it relates to culture and diversity.

She explained that her family loves to gather together for every occasion. She even showed pictures that represented the unity and the many gathers that her families have had. She went on to speak about her son who has Cerebral Palsy and how he is treated differently and the way  they are looked at. She explained that people part ways when they walk to a restaurant or a public place. She doesn’t like it, but she sticks her chest out nice and tall with pride to show them she is not ashamed. She and I spoke about the differences that people see in others can one day affect another.  She showed so much passion discussing her experiences. She also mentioned how difficult it had been for her to learn to speak English. Her husband taught her and made it an important part of his life to teacher. He would explain to her you have to Mi hija.  You have to learn how to speak and learn English.