Banks, James, Willis Hawley, Amado Padillo, Donald Pope-Davis, and Janet Scholefield. “Strategies for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Prejudice: Essential Principles for Program Design.” Teaching Tolerance. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
This article was an amalgamation of twelve principles to improve inter-group relations and reduce prejudice. These interventions were meant to target youth in a school integrated program. Unfortunately these principles are merely framework and have no further research into their effectiveness. The principles focus on targeting both individual and institutional sources of discrimination (especially in work, learning, and social environments). They center on improving knowledge and cultural awareness of all ethnic groups involved (not only minorities). Based off of Psychological research, the paper focuses on cooperative tasks/equal-status roles to promote balanced contribution, and remove stereotypes surrounding work-efficacy. The researchers also suggests using authority figures to support the program, early-age involvement, and seamless long-term integration into class curriculum. In addition they say that the interventions should focus on what is the same and different between and within racial groups (including “social class, gender, and language”), to reduce generalizations and overstatements, and to avoid oversimplification. The previous principle also seeks to recognize what values and beliefs are shared between differing racial groups. The interventions should be aware that people may hold more than one cultural identity and be respectful of that. Finally these interventions must undo the misinformation that causes stereotypes to persist.
This paper provides useful guidelines for our group’s PenPal related classroom intervention wherein we connect students from one province/district with those of another (including reservation schools). The principles included are an excellent criteria for what would aid in reducing discrimination, and what would promote inter-group cohesion and relationships.
Works Cited:
Aboud, Frances E., et al. “Interventions To Reduce Prejudice And Enhance Inclusion And Respect For Ethnic Differences In Early Childhood: A Systematic Review.” Developmental Review 32.4 (2012): 307-336. PsycINFO. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
West, Stuart. “The Evolutionary Benefits of Cooperation.” Being Human. The Baumann Foundation, 10 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Aug. 2015
Eigenbrod, Renate, Kakegamic, Georgina, and Fiddler, Josias. “Aboriginal Literatures in Canada: A Teacher’s Resource Guide.” Curriculum.org. Curriculum Services Canada, 2003. Web. 30 July 2015.
Aboriginal Literatures in Canada is a teacher’s resource guide written by Renate Eigenbrod, a postsecondary Aboriginal literature teacher at Lakehead University. As a professor since 1986, Eigenbrod identified a lack of knowledge surrounding Aboriginal literature in both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. Eigenbrod, in collaboration two others, created this Anthology of Aboriginal literature in an effort to increase knowledge surrounding Aboriginal literature–and won a reward from the Curriculum Foundation for her efforts. Considering the anxieties toward American-Aboriginal acceptance, anthologies like Eigenbrod’s may act as a starting point within the Canadian English curriculum to improve knowledge regarding Aboriginal literature and its relationship to Canadian identity and Nationalism. This strongly relates to our goal to assess whether our curriculum is as representative of different cultures as it claims to be.
Works Cited:
“Dr. Renate Eigenbrod.” Centre for Human Rights Research. University of Manitoba, n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2015.
Hughes-Hassel, Sanda. “Multicultural Young Adult Literature as a Form of Counter-Storytelling.” Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy 83.3 (2013): 212-228. Web. 6 Aug. 2015.
In this essay, Hughes-Hassell argues that multicultural literature is needed as a form of counter-storytelling, defined as “telling the stories of those people whose experiences are not often told, including people of color, the poor, and members of the LGBTQ community.” In it, she includes examples of multicultural literature that could be taught as early as the pre-school level. Interestingly, Hughes-Hassell is the coordinator of the school media library program at The University of North Carolina, as well a professor at the School of Information and Library Science–it’s probably a good bet she puts her money where her mouth is.
She begins by noting a seminal 1965 article by Larrick, “The All-White World of Children’s Books,” in which Larrick tries answer a question from a five year old African girl who–looking up from a picture book–asked, “Why are they always white?” The subsequent examination of 5,206 children’s books published between 1962 books yielded just 6.7% containing one or more black characters, with less than 1 % being contemporary black characters. Most were historically based, and probably caricatures.
However, Hughes-Hassell shows that there is even more of a need for multicultural literature today, because according to 2010 US Census data, there are currently 74.2 million children under the age of 18 in the US; 46% of them being children of color and indigenous children. Furthermore, current immigration patterns will soon lead to “no majority racial or ethnic group.” Now is probably a good time to point out that Canada more actively solicits immigrants than America, with 20.6% of the total population being immigrants–the highest among G8 countries (The Economist attributes this to multiculturalism being an important part of our national identity, in an interesting comparison between Canada and the US).
As Hughes-Hassell says:
“We cannot overestimate the power of seeing (or not seeing) oneself in literature. Culturally relevant literature allows teens to establish personal connections with characters, increasing the likelihood that reading will become an appealing activity. It helps them identify with their own culture, and it engenders an appreciation fro the diversity that occurs both within and across racial and cultural groups… multicultural literature can act as a counter-story to the dominant narrative about people of color and indigenous peoples.” (214)
Despite the growing diversity in North America, the dominant narrative continues to anoint white people as protagonists and perpetuate negative stereotypes towards less privileged groups, forming a “single story” that requires new perspectives.
We hope that our interventions will inspire young Canadians to crave the perspectives of those “different” from them.
Who knows, maybe that will even inspire them to write multicultural stories.
Works Cited:
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. “The Danger of a Single Story.” Youtube. TED talks, 7 Oct. 2009. Web. 13 Aug. 2015.
Austin, E.G. “The United States v Canada.” The Economist. The Economist, 20 May 2011. Web. 13 Aug. 2015.
Kugler, Tina. “Diversity in Children’s Books.” GalleyCat. GalleyCat ed. Jason Boog, 25 July 2013.
Larrick, Nancy. “The All-White World o Children’s Books.” Saturday Review. 11 Sept. 1965. Web. 6 Aug. 2015.
“Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity in Canada.” Statistics Canada. Government of Canada, 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Aug. 2015.
“Sandra Hughes-Hassell.” Google Sites. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2015.
Makherjee, Arun P. “Canadian nationalism, Canadian literature, and racial minority women.” Essays on Canadian Writing 56 (Fall 1995): 78-95. Web. 29 July 2015.
This source is a very interesting read, as it is written by an immigrant who came to Canada from India, and raises some important issues. She begins by comparing the “dream” of post-independence Indian nationalism to Canadian nationalism. The “dream” subtly refers to the problems arising from the split between India and Pakistan, but ultimately speaks to the hope of an inclusionary and empowering national identity shared by its citizens. With that in mind, he links to his personal comfort in immigrating to a nation where the Prime Minister–Pierre Trudeau–spoke openly and passionately about building “just society” practicing “multiculturalism” and “cultural pluralism” (which are not to be confused). However, Makherjee points to how racial minority women seem to feel especially alienated in Canada, and examines why. It seems that the way White Canadians “have employed vocabularies that claim universality despite their exclusionary nature” especially frustrate women who not only have to deal with their minority status, but the perceived injustices of being female (1). Regrettably, this issue comes up when defining ‘Canadian Literature.’
Therefore, it may be a good idea for interventions to consider ‘double minorities’ including those of mixed ethnicity, minority race along with being female, or minority race along with non-straight sexual orientation. Interventions could also target those who immigrated before Trudeau’s non-racist immigration policies vs. after.
Pierre Trudeau standing before a crowd in August 1971, mere months before announcing his multiculturalism policy. He was beloved, but now, opinion on him is more divided.
Works Cited:
Fiore, Frank. “Pluralism vs. Multiculturalism.” Examiner.com. Examiner, 1 May 2012. Web. 29 July 2015.
Jackson, Peter. “Thin line between love and hate.” The Telegram. The Telegram, 28 Sept. 2010.
Trudeau, Pierre Elliott. “Multiculturalism (speech delivered to the House of Commons on 8 Oct. 1971).” Canada History. Canada History, n.d. Web. 29 July 2015.
“Inda After Independence.” OCS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2015.
“The Just Society.” Edu.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2015.
Pope, Devin, Joseph Price, and Justin Wolfers. “Awareness Reduces Racial Bias.” NBER Working Paper No. 19765. Cambridge, MA: NBER (2013). Web. 29 July 2015.
The researchers of this article evaluated how raising awareness that racial bias exists using media as a medium could reduce said racial bias. It states that many institutional forms of discrimination have been alleviated through legal and social changes, implicit racial stereotypes remain. They cite a study showing that NBA referees were more likely to foul other-race basketball players than own-race ones. This study used the results of the aforementioned study by observing how the media coverage of the revealed bias altered the biased behavior. In essence, being aware that these biases existed reduced their manifestation so they were no longer observable, or perhaps optimistically, they were no longer present. What’s interesting to note is that there was no change in the racial bias before the airing of the media coverage.
The researchers also highlight that racial biases are malleable, and can be altered. Methods mentioned to reduce racial bias involved: monitoring accuracy of individual decision making, closer physical proximity to people of other groups, exposure to multi-cultural education, and exposure to situations that contradict the bias. “Implicit discrimination suggests people have certain mental associations between a group and a given attribute,” awareness of these biases and attributing them as internal are mentioned as possible ways to control them. I would go further to saying that correcting these inappropriate beliefs, through education and cooperative task exposure with the race discriminated against would potentially alleviate these implicit stereotypes.
What can be grasped from this article is that “public awareness can reduce the degree of racial bias”. Please do bear in mind that this study is not experimental, but instead relied upon observation and interpretation (causation and mechanisms can’t be inferred). Nonetheless, it relates to our research because we want to promote awareness of the diversity of Canada in order to remove exclusivist and reductivist notions people may associate with national identity.
Works Cited:
Desmond-Harris, Jenee. “Implicit Bias Means We’re All Probably at Least a Little Bit Racist.” Vox. Vox Media, 23 June 2015. Web. 13 Aug. 2015.
“Implicit Association Test: Are You Secretly Racist? (Hint: You Are).” Science 2.0. Science 2.0, 6 Aug. 2012. Web. 29 July 2015.
Taylor, Lisa K., and Hoeschmann, Michael. “Beyond Intellectual Insularity: Multicultural Literacy as a Measure of Respect.” Canadian Journal of Education 34.2 (2011): 219-238. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
In this illuminating study, Lisa Taylor and Michael Hoeschmann examine the efficacy of multicultural curriculum across Canada. Following from previous research that examines how much students learn about different cultures, they take things further by analyzing the respect such multicultural education engenders, as well as considering other avenues of learning, such as the family, media, and community.
It starts by bringing up excellent points such as the changing demographics within Canadian society, concluding that “Canada is an imbalanced mosiac, one with increasingly diverse cities on the one hand and, on the other, rural communities with small numbers of immigrant and racial minorities and large numbers of Aboriginal peoples” (222) The growing number of First Nations actually surpasses non-native population growth, but while immigrants prefer to settle in cities (comprising 27% of urban populations vs. 6% of rural populations), Aboriginals prefer to reside in rural areas (with 50% living in rural or Northern Canada). Thus, the “national survey covers 942 grade 10 and 11 students from 10 urban and ‘rurban’ boards in 5 Canadian provinces that takes stock of multicultural education in the 21st century context of youth’s multiple and multi-media spheres of learning” (220).
The survey was used as an opportunity to teach rather than ‘test,’ and gather the actual opinions students hold regarding 6 subject areas:
Cultural practices, Literature, History, Science, Math, Sports/PE/and Art.
The cumulative average score was 50.23%, but since the topics were probably not fresh in their memory, this should be interpreted as strong. The topics receiving the highest response rates of knowledge claimed by participants are particularly interesting: Arranged marriages (95.4%), Japanese haikus (89.5%), Anne Frank (82.4%), Chinese railway workers (81.7%), and Harriet Tubman (79.2%). The latter four were overwhelmingly drawn from school experiences, whereas arranged marriages received the highest scores in the categories of knowledge claimed from media, family, and community/friends. The latter four elicited the most anti-racist sentiments, whereas arranged marriages and other cultural practices tends to fall into the Eurocentric discourse seeing them as ‘backward’—even when discussed in school. Thus, the researchers found it encouraging that “it is in this section that out-of-school sources of multicultural literacy dramatically outstrip school based sources” (228).
However, we think that if, for example, students learned that while partners arranged couples may not love each other to the extent ‘love couples’ do during the honeymoon period, measures of love may actually be higher for the former after five years, they may see things differently. Nonetheless, the point stands that cultural practices may be given more justice in a university setting, whereas the other topics—eliciting curiosity or pride for out-members and in-members respectively—should be the focus earlier on.
Overall, the study finds that when “schools do teach particular material, it has tremendous staying power in the minds and memories of young people” (229). However, historical figures seem to be recalled more than actual movements, perhaps accentuated by the media’s over-fascination with celebrities. That would also explain why the histories/achievements of the African Diaspora are remembered more than that of First Nations, because of an increasing interest in African American culture in the media. Notably, the media was the most important cited source of information for white people with a homogeneous background and peer-group, whereas it is the least important and school is the most important for immigrants and those with a culturally diverse peer-group (230-231).
Therefore, we agree that “multicultural curriculum reform can represent a vital intervention”; and that it “can be understood, not as a dry exercise in knowledge acquisition, but as a process of becoming Canadian” (231). However, we would add that the media must also be used as a tool to raise cultural awareness and combat stereotypes. Also, if multicultural curriculum were introduced earlier on, that may encourage students to have already formed diverse peer-groups, and view cultural practices in a more respectful manner.
Works Cited:
Bentley, Paul. “Why an arranged marriage ‘is more likely to develop into lasting love’.” Daily Mail. The Daily Mail, 4 Mar. 2011. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
“Anchorman has Kardashian Meltdown News Blooper.” YouTube. News Funnies, 10 Aug. 2015. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
“Anne Frank.” Biography.com. Bio., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
“Arranged Marriages.” IML. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
“Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity in Canada.” Statistics Canada. Government of Canada, 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Aug. 2015.
“HAIKU for PEOPLE.” Toyomasu. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
“Harriet Tubman.” Biography.com. Bio., n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
“The Ties That Bind.” MHSO. FCCRWC, 2010. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
Troyen, Joe. “The Return of the Pen Pal for the Internet Age.” 1776. 1776, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
This article states that pressure on teachers to prepare students for tests by focusing strictly on academics (to improve school funding and global standing) has been the cause for schools removing PenPal programs (they provide knowledge that is “not testable”). This article mentions that PenPals offer a great opportunity for English-speaking students to gain cultural awareness, and for non-speaking students to practice their language skills with English-speakers. The author of the article Joe Troyen created the program (PenPal Schools) that connects students from different countries, and has both an academic focus and creates discussions on “foreign cultures, current events” and more. The program uses apps for computers and mobile devices. The goal of the course is to promote cultural awareness, and collaboration on global issues (“environmental sustainability, gender equality, human rights”). This program is pay-what-you-want, and is aimed at “learners who can’t afford to pay”.
Connecting this to our intervention, it seems that a program like this is easily integrated into classroom settings. The goals of cultural awareness and cooperative tasks and discussions make sense as cooperation has been an effective tool in promoting acceptance of out-groups.
Works Cited:
Garner, Richard. “Academic focus ‘driving students to quit A-levels’.” The Independent. The Independent, 21 Jan. 2013. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
McLeod, Saul. “Robbers Cave.” SimplyPsychology. SimplyPsychology, 2008. Web. 11. Aug. 2015.
Troyen, Joe, et al. PenPal Schools. PenPal Schools, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
Walker, Cheryl. “Indian Nation: Native American Literature and Nineteenth-Century Nationalisms.” EDuke Books Scholarly Collection. Duke University, n.d. Web. 30 July 2015.
While not exclusively about Canada, Indian Nation: Native American Literature and Nineteenth-Century Nationalisms deals with the Native American role with respect to the development of the American identity. Cheryl Walker, the author of Indian Nation, is “an expert on the writings of 19th century Native Americans”. As a professor at Scripps College in California, her expertise lies within American identity and its variations. Walker’s goal is for American-Indians to be accepted as inherently American, rather than as minorities within America. That goal closely mirrors our desire to create an inclusive national identity where a priori or presumption does not limit what being Canadian means.
Works Cited:
“Professor Cheryl Walker.” US History. US History, 9 Nov. 2000. Web. 30 July 2015.
Hey group,
I like how Renate uses the anthology as an educational resource in hopes of improving knowledge of Aboriginals, and to help increase acceptance. That resource is complimented by Devin Pope et al.’s article suggesting that providing people with information can reduce these biases, and discrimination. Arun Mukherjee’s essay was interesting because it gave me a fresh perspective on what problems immigrant citizens face, and especially those of visible minority groups. I did not think Canada was a society that isolated people, and treated those of minority status with injustice (except for primary & secondary school discrimination). As for the mixed ethnicity focus, at least in my case it hasn’t been a problem post-secondary or in terms of being treated by the law or employers. However, I cannot speak for those who don’t appear prominently physically Caucasian, but I imagine it would be a different experience. I agree with the interventions including those of double minorities. Any group that experiences discrimination or prejudice should be included in the intervention so that it can aid in correcting the biases against these groups.
Great job team,
Landon
Interesting insight, Landon. It seems to me that you have conflated discrimination with minority groups, but while the common perception is that the majority group is always the perpetrator of persecution, we must remember that any member of our society can feel discrimination. For one thing, a person may belong to one majority in one aspect, but perhaps belong to the minority in other aspects. Who feels more discriminated, a homosexual Caucasian man or a heterosexual Aboriginal women? It is certainly hard to measure the amount of discrimination that one receives.
Another point of view that should be examined is how a sole white man (who belongs to the majority) may face discrimination or violence in the hands of a group of minority when outnumbered in a particular circumstance. For example, I recently had a conversation with a white man in Winnipeg who was attacked solely because of his race. From personal experience, he knows that racial tension can be harmful to members of both the visible majority and visible minority alike.
Lastly, it is important to distinguish cases where a person perceives discrimination and when one is actually a victim of discrimination. While talking to a Caucasian man in Moncton, he expressed the feeling that he belonged to the least privileged racial group in Canada because white people are blamed for the problems of colonialism, and he believes that the federal government’s attention to attracting immigrants and immigrant votes means that white people are left behind. While I don’t necessarily agree with him, we must acknowledge the ramifications of self-diagnosed victimhood and how that hampers progress in racial integration.
It was in no way my intention to limit discrimination as something that only happens to minority groups. I understand that anyone in
society can face discrimination as well. I only meant to say that I felt that I did not experience Canada in a way similar to immigrants or minority members due to the fact that I don’t physically appear to be non-European, and simultaneously since I was born here. In addition I mentioned that I can not attest for, nor comment on, the difficulties faced by mixed race citizens who are do not appear to be physically Caucasian because that’s what I am (doing so would degrade others’ experiences).
Trying to compare who is discriminated against is not only hard, but also demeaning and ineffectual. It’s like comparing who is in more pain after an injury, it’s all subjective.
Great points,
Landon
Sorry for the late contribution, Hailey and I have been swamped with assignments for this other course.
I just wrote an essay on Ship Breaker, a young adult dystopian novel set in America in the near future where current immigration patterns have led to no racial or ethnic majority, but almost no one has a holistic cultural identity, or even an awareness of their ancestral past. In other words, the “melting pot” of American society has overcompensated, or been subsumed in an increasingly globalized world ruled by multinational corporations. Race is such an implicit issue in the novel, but culture and family are set up as important parts of one’s personal identity, perhaps suggesting that the idea of racial supremacy has rusted over like the scrap metal in shipbreaking yards. Bacigalupi, the author, was partly inspired by these pictures of real ship breakers in India and Bangladesh: http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/site_contents/Photographs/Shipbreaking.html
Now tell me that there’s not something soul-bearing about those opened up ships. Nonetheless, the paralleling of metal and flesh, as if they constitute spare parts, points to the dehumanization of disenfranchised people all over the world, throughout history–through systems of greed and environmental racism that operate largely behind the scenes. I definitely recommend the read.
Here’s a website looking at environmental racism in Canada, including 2 interesting essays on the topic: http://www.cehe.ca/ER . I can’t help but think about the outrage against the proposed pipeline, especially by Indigenous peoples who would have had it in their backyard.
It’s interesting that privilege and discrimination can both be so invisible, like the boundaries demarcating countries. However, when I think of Canada I don’t think of boundaries, I think of prairies, lakes, and rainforest. And I’m sure others have other positive associations that fill them with pride of being Canadian. I think the interventions we’ve been coming up with, particularly the pen pal one, would broaden and elucidate one’s idea of what it means to be Canadian, and appreciate the diversity both within and across cultures.
Hey Evan,
I love how you related this to our other course and referenced Ship Breaker! Race is such a significant aspect of that novel. The author really hits home the significance of racial and gender involvement/inclusion in narrative works. I found little pieces of everything in Ship Breaker that I found extremely inclusive, and I think that the reference is totally applicable.
Hailey
Tim, I think it’s really interesting how you have been asking these questions about multiculturalism to people across the country. You’ve already offered interesting anecdotes both here and on facebook. I’d love to read more in our dialogue summary.
Thanks Evan! I must say, this course really made me travel with an open mind and provoked me to engage in meaningful dialogue with the people I meet on the road about what it means to be Canadian and how we are different from other countries. I think our national pride should begin with appreciating the policies in place in our laws that allows us to live freely. While building up legal system is an ongoing process and there is still much inequality in spite of our best efforts, we must be thankful for the few precious legal tools that protects enshrines our right to freedom, the most celebrated of course being the Charter of Rights and Freedom. I think that when we move beyond the political side of things it begins a little bit more difficult to pin down our Canadian identity. That is why I believe in promoting communication between individuals from far-flung communities, so that we appreciate our diversity and perhaps not be afraid of it. I believe that people who try to find label what is Canadian and un-Canadian do so by excluding the experience of other Canadians (often times those of minorities) and being blind to what other countries have to offer that are in fact quite similar to us. In maintaining that we are somehow exceptional makes us unconsciously project our own views of Canada to the entire nation and prevents us from listening to the narratives of other Canadians.
Hey Group,
I wanted to touch on the Chimimanda Adichi YouTube video, because this video resides with me very personally.
I am the Vice President of Membership for my sorority on campus, Delta Gamma. One of the most central and significant aspects of sorority life is recruitment. Recruitment keeps members flowing in to your respective chapter, allowing your chapter to continue to exist on its respective campus/as an international organization.
The reason I mention this is because I find that sororities are largely frowned upon at UBC. I joined UBC knowing that I would join a sorority, and I have had nothing but incredible, eye-opening and meaningful experiences in my respective sorority since pledging in fall of 2012. Looking at sororities (and other clubs) like we might look at race/ethnicity, I have to admit that I feel like I’m discriminated against for my extra-curricular involvement as a sorority woman. Many of us avoid wearing our letters around campus and/or in our classes because we are afraid of the potential backlash that we might face from fellow classmates, as well as professors.
While this is a very different form of discrimination, it is discrimination nonetheless. My single story is that I am a sorority woman, so I must be an elitist, rich, self-serving bimbo who pays for her friends and lives for campus nightlife. My well-rounded story is, well, much different. I am a humbled woman from a middle-class family in Abbotsford, BC. I live for my friends, my family, my education and my health. I am financially independent from my family, and I have been since beginning university at seventeen years old. I am the Vice President of my sorority on campus, I have attended leadership conventions, received awards for my scholarship, and I have become the well-rounded woman that I am today largely with the support of my sorority.
While this has absolutely nothing to do with Canadian literature, it has everything to do with eliciting change. As we are a society that is motivated to elicit change and foster equality in the world, it is up to us to erase our judgements and learn the whole story instead of judge by the single story, whether this is regarding race and ethnicity, gender/sex, race, age, or even extra-curricular involvement. Baby steps are key.
I hope you found this insightful,
Hailey
I think that is very insightful because you’re discriminated just because of the letters you wear.
We have to stop this tendency to judge a book by the cover. Seriously. I know that because skin is such a visible thing, it becomes a proxy people use to judge others, but we are all the same on the inside.
Honestly, I find it boring when a story doesn’t have people from different backgrounds. It is mind-boggling how characters in children’s books are almost all white. Therefore, white children learn from a very early age that they are the future, and others learn that they don’t matter. That is the message that it sends. It was heartbreaking to read that essay and see how minority youths get discouraged from reading because they don’t feel like they have characters they can identify with. How hard is it to just draw characters in different colours? Why does inserting a minority character in a story mean that you have to serve stereotypes? I love it when books have characters from different cultures, but don’t make a big deal out of them being different. On the other hand, it’s nice to have contrast in between characters, but see that they do have similarities—which does not distract from uniqueness.
I’ve learned that it’s important to consider one’s cultural background but, ultimately, we have to value the individual. Studies show that workplaces that value cultural distinctness rather than having a ‘we are all the same’ message actually get much more out of their employees. However, when getting past whatever invisible cultural barrier there may be, there is the opportunity to get to know someone on a more profound level to see their true uniqueness. Culture impacts one’s way of seeing the world a lot, but it impacts everyone differently. Therefore, valuing one’s culture is one step, but not the last.
Like you said, baby steps are key. If you’re someone who values diversity, you can see so many beautiful sights along the way. There are so many amazing people in the world, and it’s pointless to stop yourself from engaging with them because of something as superficial as skin colour.
Or sorority membership, aha.