Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

***I spoke with three friends/colleagues of mind and gathered their views on culture and diversity. The information from these interviews/questions is as follows: Andrea (Mexican-American) 1. Definition of culture: We (Mexicans) are very family oriented and believe in helping each other. Most of us are Catholic and have a high respect for authority. We believe in teaching our children all about our heritage. Thus, my family and I travel to Mexico at least twice a year, so that my children get to experience the great culture that I observed when I was a child. In Mexico, there’s a real sense of community, families believe in helping one another. If one family needs food, another family will not hesitate to give of what they have. 2. Definition of diversity: Mexicans are very diverse. Most people think that all Mexicans are the same but some are Cuban, Spaniard, Puerto Rican, and Venezuelan. David (Haitian) 1. Definition of culture: Culture is made up of family. The family is the backbone of society. In my country my culture is very close-knit. We rely on each other. Therefore, my culture is very dependent on one another to survive. 2. Definition of diversity: In my country diversity is prominent. We are African but yet we speak Haitian Creole, English and French. Therefore we have mixture of culture and traditions which makes us very diverse. Julie (Caucasian) 1. What is culture? Socioeconomic, economic, racial, and demographics determine the culture of a person. 2. What is diversity? Diversity is recognizing and acknowledging the differences between various cultures. Reflecting on the comments and answers my friends provided on the aspects of culture and diversity, I discovered that their responses were different and complex. Complexity is a term that Janet Gonzales-Mena spoke of in the multimedia presentation, Culture and Diversity. I felt as if I gained much knowledge as I they spoke about their culture. Another important aspect Janet Gonzales-Mena spoke about was not making a prediction of a person’s culture and diversity, based on their background. For example, I assumed that ALL African men took on dominant characteristics, as associated with being the ‘men of the household’ although, after speaking with David, Africans such as himself, focus more on the family aspect of culture, instead of individualizing the men as a single entity (or main focus) of the family. My friends were very genuine in sharing their views on culture and diversity. They omitted nothing, instead were candid in sharing their experiences. Overall, I learned that culture and diversity influence the way in which children and family are viewed. In addition, I learned that children learn culture from their families and/or the people around them. Culture leads to identity, therefore, all views of culture and diversity should be embraced and children should feel confident that their culture matters! Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2012). Culture and Diversity [Video webcast]. Retrieved from http://www.courseurl.com