I
asked three diverse people for their definitions of culture and diversity. Here are their responses:
Parker (18 year
old Caucasian male):
“Culture
is the traits our community has at any given time. A person’s belief at any given time. It can change.”
“Diversity
is people’s different cultures. The
different cultures that are living together.
Like the black culture, the white culture…it’s the differences between
them and how they come together.”
Mindy (45 year old Caucasian female):
“Culture is
anything that shapes you, anything that you are a part of or become a part
of. I think culture changes – you aren’t
in a specific culture your entire life.”
“Diversity is an
individual’s own uniqueness. There is
diversity in everything – not just race.”
Wajira (43 year
old female Sri Lankan immigrant to the United States):
“Culture
is beliefs, rituals, society, customs…like religion. It is hard to maintain our culture in
America. We still try to maintain our
culture at home and communicate with our children in our mother tongue. Children in Sri Lanka getting westernized in
our country due to international schools.”
“Diversity
is to treat everybody equally and not to be racial or prejudice. Everyone has the same color blood (red). We need unity.”
As I reflect on these answers, it seems like everyone has their own definition of what culture is, but all are correct. The respondents focused on surface culture, which are the things you can see, hear, taste, and touch. It is the rituals, religion, race, and traditions. Other aspects of culture were not mentioned such as gender, economics, employment, ideas about education/raising children, household structure & hierarchy, etc. However, all my interviewees commented how culture changes, and how one is shaped by the culture that surrounds them. I love how Mindy stated that “Diversity is in everything.” Every individual is unique. Both Waji and Parker talked about people coming together and needing unity. Waji made a powerful statement that resonated deeply with me, “Everyone has the same color blood (red).” We are all diverse and have different cultures that influence and shape us, but we also have many similarities.
Interviewing
others who are from diverse cultures has helped me understand, as Louise-Derman
Sparks & Edwards (2010) said, “when we interact with someone from a
different culture, we discover that the way we do things is not the only
way. How we respond to that experience
will either limit or expand our understanding (and acceptance) of the idea that
there are many ways to be human” (p.
55).
References
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.
Collett,
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your friend Wajira's comments. As an immigrant myself I find it hard to maintain my family's culture within the American culture. Although we may able to maintain some surface aspects of our culture, maintaining aspects of our deep culture not as easy due to influences from the dominant American culture. For example the concept of dating doesn't exist in our culture but I am well aware that whether or not I allow my daughter to date is an issue I will have to face as my she becomes a teenager in years to come.
I also think her comment that everyone has the same color blood, is a great reminder that although we may have our differences, we are all human beings. I have heard this comment several times during my childhood. It was during a time when my countrymen were at war with each other over ethnic differences. It was great reminder to us that at the end of the day, whichever group you belong to or identify with culturally, we are all human.