Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I chose three women over the age of 45, from different geographical locations asking them to give their definition of culture and diversity and they were the following,

1.     Martina S.- “I am 47yrs old, African American, heterosexual, daughter, mother, and sometimes a father and provider, born and raised in Chicago, IL., and best friend. I am a cardiac patient and have been since I was 5yrs old. My definition of culture are rituals, customs, a particular belief system, food, and clothing. My definition of diversity is a group of people from many different cultures collaborating together for a common goal. For example, education, politics, protesting, socially, on many different things such as The Taste of Chicago. The Taste of Chicago are several vendors from different cultures coming together for common goals, economic, entertainment, and socialization purposes. People come from all walks of life to experience different foods and entertainment.”  

2.     Doris T.- “I’m 60yrs old, Christian, retired educator, Mom, auntie, wife, black female, ministers wife, speaker, sister, mother-in-law, friend, a decision-maker, nurse, lawyer, I’m me! Culture are different values, customs, ideas, languages, or beliefs. Each culture has different values and different points of view. All cultures are not the same. Culture and Diversity are different ethnic backgrounds and an example of that is a classroom.”

3.     Caroline H.- “My identity is Caucasian, the military, caregiver, Mother, Grandmother to be. Culture for me is the collection of traits and shares of demographics of values or beliefs. Whatever groups have in common for example, the Hispanic people have their own culture, the Caucasian, and etc. I just look at whether it be religion, and the way you celebrate different events. For me after being exposed to different demographics in the military I found that the Caucasian culture celebrates their culture, their background, their shard common traits the least. Growing up I just knew I was a white person and I just wasn’t exposed to culture. For me, diversity is listening to different demographics, different genders, and all-inclusive environments. So, if you look at people from different demographics and different perspectives and different experiences theirs more understanding. When you have a diverse group of people you can better understand. A diverse group of people can say, have you considered that from a different point of view?”

            Aspects of culture and diversity I have studied in this course was a perfect example of my mother-in-law when she said, “Culture and Diversity is different ethnic backgrounds and an example of that is a classroom.” This is a perfect example of diversity because, “the goals of anti-bias education easily adapt to the needs of children from immigrant families, provided that, as with other children, you respectfully partner with their families, incorporate the children’s home cultures, promote their home languages bilingual development, and pay attention to each child’s specific developmental issues” (Derman-Sparks, Edwards, J.O., 2010). During her interview my mother-in-law went into detail just like our book. This is why I compared the two; it gave an example as to where culture and diversity can be found and how ECE can execute goals for an anti-bias educational experience.  

            Caroline H., my next-door neighbor being raised in NC her understanding of other cultures like Hispanic or Asian was omitted in her life. She stated, “Being raised in the 70’s you were either black or white. I unintentionally grouped everyone as either black or white and I really didn’t think I was doing anything wrong, but I was discounting their entire diversity and their entire culture. As a Caucasian I was never taught anything from my European culture, it was just whatever was going on in America and we were White American. Our culture was the Fourth of July, Christmas, and whatever was going on in America.” I personally noticed that everyone I interviewed told me their age except for Caroline, she omitted that from the interview. The two African American or Black women that I interviewed included that as a part of their social identity.

            I was extremely appreciative to have the opportunity to see things from a Caucasian perspective because being African American I never thought that anyone who was Caucasian was at a deficit or omitted in any way shape or form. It was surprising for me to learn that my neighbor felt that she didn’t have much of a culture until her tenure in the Military. It was there she learned of many other cultures and their differences. I hope to have this opportunity again in the near future because it was very enlightening.

Reference

 Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J.O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).