Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

This week, we tackle the fascinating topics of culture and diversity. I sent emails to my friends from our NAEYC local affiliate and our African American Breastfeeding Alliance. I chose these two groups among my other affiliations because these are groups of individuals tirelessly working to improve children’s lives by volunteering their times and money and advocating for issues relevant to healthy child development. Here are some of the insights on culture and diversity that my friends shared. Thank you to Tammy, Deborah, Joan, Shelley and the two people who wished to remain anonymous.

Tammy Bartholomew, a lecturer at the Lecturer-Early Childhood Education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Curriculum & Instruction (bartholt@uww.edu)

Culture: I would define culture as attitudes or behaviors that are characteristic of a group or individual. For example, a neighborhood can have a certain culture, our families, etc (the way we think, dress, talk, and our values are part of our "being" or cultural which shape who we are - our attitudes/behaviors).
Diversity: My most basic definition of diversity would be "an inclusion of variety" - and this inclusion could be in relation to "things" or people. You can have a diverse grouping of buttons which may include shape, size, colors, number of holes, etc. Diversity in terms of people could include differences or "uniqueness'" within the group ranging from gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, physical and intellectual abilities or disabilities, religion, ideologies, etc. To me, acknowledging uniqueness and exploring differences and similarities leads to a deeper understanding of others as well as ourselves at times.

Shelley King-Curry, M.S., Nutrition Education Program Specialist at the University of Wisconsin – Extension, Cooperative Extension (shelley.king-curry@ces.uwex.edu)

Culture—sum total of ways of living, including 1) values, 2) beliefs, 3) beauty standards, 4) linguistic expression, 5) patterns of thinking, 6) behavioral norms, and 7) styles of communication which a group of people has developed to assure its survival in a particular environment.

Diversity—the mix or demographics of who we are; attributes that can be counted and measured and put in a spreadsheet. Diversity is not the same as multiculturalism.

Multiculturalism: (Multicultural Process of Change)—refers to the process of recognizing, understanding, and appreciating one’s own culture as well as the cultures of others. It stresses learning to appreciate the impact of differences in social location based on such variables as race, gender, class, age, sexual/affectional orientation, religion, physical ability, and language. This learning process is dynamic; as we begin to see the impact of differences, our sense of ourselves, others, and the world shifts. We impact others and others impact us differently. There is an interactive process occurring, potentially at all levels.

Joan Mrkvicka, Owner of Joanstotspot, Family Childcare Provider (www.joanstotspot.com; joan@joanstotspot.com

Culture is the atmosphere/environment you were raised in. What your family was all about. How and what they eat, how and where they sleep, how they treat their children and parents/grandparents, what their religious and political views are. Most children grow up in a certain culture according to their family values. As they grow up and out into the world, they experience the diversity/difference in their world. Sometimes their families’ culture determines how they respond to the diversity in the world. 

Even though, I initially wanted to choose and analyze three responses, I decided to add the following two because they summed up other points my friends made:

Debby LaBerge Owner Play Daycare (deb6of15@yahoo.com)

Culture is the values and beliefs of a group of people that are acted upon.

Diversity is the God given beauty of being different from anyone else.

Anonymous

Culture:  Activities of daily life specific to a common group. Expectations of offspring that they should follow. Mechanism to help the group continue surviving.

Diversity: More than one culture occupying an area, trying to continue surviving as a culture while interacting with many other cultures.

The answers provided reaffirmed what I have learned this week about culture and diversity. Culture encompasses both our obvious and unconscious behaviors and beliefs. They have also highlighted the different ways our social identities (e.g., being a woman, a director, and professor among others) influence of individual cultures. In addition, they highlighted the role individual family cultures play in our interaction with the diversity of the world. I see a strong connection between understanding one’s own background and respecting and appreciating people from different cultures, which ultimately lead to a widespread multiculturalism when everyone is accepted for who they are, and the ways they partake in our human experience. I believe the issues of diversity, and cultural understanding will be among the major issues we will need to address as a field. We have a role to play in ensuring that every child is given the tools necessary to successfully navigate the complex waters of culture and diversity.