Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

For this assignment, we were asked to talk to at least three people and ask their definition of culture and diversity. The three people I chose to talk to were my mother, my male friend, and my teaching assistant.

For the most part, I got the same response on the definition of culture. From what I gathered, they all believe culture to be traditions, views, and beliefs of a group, typically based on their ethnicity or cultural background. My teaching assistant is Indian and to her culture involves things such has how she dresses, what she eats, and even how she interacts with others.

When I asked the for their definition of diversity, the response that I received was, "It's what makes us unique and different." Its a mixture of our language, gender, economic stand point, political views. To those I asked, it could be a number of things.

The answer I received seem to reflect some of what I have learned thus far about culture and diversity. When looking at someone's culture we look at their beliefs and traditions. What we miss is that someone's culture is not always a direct reflection of their ethnicity. Culture is more than just the color of your skin or what others perceive to be the norm of that group. One's family culture can be different from the dominant culture. Diversity can consist of so many things and can be viewed as things that make us different from other cultures. Diversity can also be seen as not having any connection to a particular culture. It would refer to sexual orientation and political views.

In reflecting on the thinking's of others, it has shown me that their is still a lot for me to learn when I comes to culture and diversity but I feel that I am on the right path.

My Family Culture

Scenario
A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

My Response
Trying to decided of three items I would take that represent my family culture was a task. For me, I don't have many items that I feel would reflect my family and our culture. I know for sure, I would bring my bible. For me, my spirituality and religion play a huge role in who I am and how I live my life. It is a direct reflection of my families beliefs. I would explain to other that this item is important because it gives me hope and connects me to a much higher being. It gives me in faith in a society that has been destroyed due to the catastrophe. 

The second item I would take would be my family photo album. I would take this because it shows where I have come from. It contains photos of several generations and is a big part of my life. It is the way I stay connected my families history. I would explain to others that it is a huge part of who I am. By bringing this I am able to keep the history of my family alive and I am able to share it with future generations, so they will know where they come from. Not only is it filled with pictures, each picture has a story and a memory that I can keep alive.Its a reflection of where I have been and where my family has been.

Coming up with a third item to bring is hard. As I sit here and type this, my  mind is coming to a blank. I am struggling to think of something that would be a representation of my family culture and in all honesty I can't think of anything that would. I think I'm struggling with coming up with items to bring because my culture is not reflected my material items or things that you touch. It's in the way I live my life. I'ts the way I was brought up and the customs and beliefs of my family that shows my culture. Even if I was told I could only bring one item, I don't think I would struggle with what to bring. I would take my family photo album, not to say my bible is not important to my culture, but to me it is something that I would live without because I'm very familiar with its word. I don't need it in my possession  for it to have relevance. I can still have my faith and spirituality without having my bible. Once lost the photos in my family album can not be replaced. 

As a result of this exercise, I am able to see that my families culture is not reflected my items but in how I speak, interact with others and live my life overall. Once I have children, it will be reflected in how i raise them. Its who I am and not what I have the shows it.