Want to make sure that the conversation turns into action? Diversity requires commitment. It also means being aware of the many similarities and differences among people and their cultures. They watched me till I was through. You can imagine how long the newly trimmed eagle lasted in the wild. Some examples are: In an effort to provide quality poems and stories, we diligently sought information on each of the works. Several hours later, the plane lands.The stewardess comes in and says, Welcometo Holland. Its a fundamental change to the way that hiring and work happens. Encourage participants to look around themselves and take note of all the things that make them who they are. Use this carefully created story to promote open-mindedness and cooperation and to dispel stereotypes about different groups of people. Do you think birds can be compared to human situations? Being able to accept expressions of concern from others. Can you name a group of people who were persecuted simply because of the color of their skin? What did it take for the crayons to begin to appreciate each other? ", Zero," answered the second 7-year-old boy with equal certainty. In fact, adults will benefit from engaging in thought-provoking discussions and questions found in this discussion guide. The cat is chasing the mouse. This guide can be used a variety of ways. Have you ever been faced with an unusual problem or situation that required you to use a specific skill? What did you learn as a result? . Specifying goals and constraints (limits). Baltimore, Md. By being honest, you are clearing the path for the conversation to be more productive each time it is had. Each individual in the group sat silently, harboring prejudices against the others in the group. The second-grade school teacher posed a simple enough problem to the class. There are four blackbirds sitting in a tree. Poornima Vijayashanker: Theres been a lot of talk and debate around the topic of diversity How do people's perspectives play a role in how they may answer the teacher's question? They watched as Green became the grass and Blue became the sky.The Yellow sun was shinning bright on White clouds drifting by. the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away. If you can bring more people into the conversation to share their own experiences, all the better! Diversity and inclusion may be a rich and complex matter but, as a leader, there are small things you can do with your team to get the conversation started and build an While it feels like these tactics set the tone for informed and balanced conversations, these tactics can easily invalidate the experiences of others. What holidays would we celebrate? What do you feel contributed to each person's decision not to share his or her log of wood? 1998 RHLReprinted with permission from RHL School. What is your biggest piece of advice for getting started with diversity and inclusion? How would you want people to react to you? This guide is also designed to help youth and adults value their own cultures as well as other people's cultures and to reflect on the lives and perspectives of people who are different from themselves. How can people with varying traditions, beliefs, and values learn to live together in the same community? When you're going to have a baby, it'slike planning a fabulous vacation triptoItaly. This poem is special because it can be adapted to discuss all areas such as gender, age, physical abilities, intelligence levels, racial/ethnic backgrounds, economic status, beliefs, family structures, places of residence, and so forth. The Coliseum.Michelangelo's David. Therefore, this publication will provide activities that can help participants: The materials and activities in this publication are appropriate for use by teachers, youth development leaders, diversity educators, childcare professionals, and education professionals in other settings. What should you do when people around you make judgments about another person? This includes the following skills: Caring for Othersshowing understanding, kindness, and concern toward others; giving attention to the well-being of others. WHY: People need to know that the organization is authentic about diversity and inclusion. We put together a compilation of some of the biggest effects here. Understanding the meaning of the information. It gives you a brief opportunity to experience a new reality on a firsthand basis. Use this poem to discuss the importance of valuing differences in people. And you must learn a whole newlanguage. How do we treat people who don't look like ushave different skin colors; are taller, thinner, or heavier; have braces or glasses; use a cane to walk; have wrinkles; are older, younger, deaf, or blind? Higher-level managers tend to love a clear number and honest statistics. Do you think it is positive or negative that everyone in the world is different? Since discussing the topic of diversity often leads to revealing personal information, participants need to feel comfortable when taking part in these activities. If all of us were color blindI know it's then we would findThat of the problems facing nationsThere'd not be one on race relations. How do you think the six people in this poem died? What assumption did each of the characters make about the others around the fire? . Dividing a task by identifying contributions by each person (roles). Conversation and group conversation are both practices we can get better at. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Feeling extreme elation at his good fortune, the mouse saunters forth out of the hole only to be grabbed up by the cat. I do like Red!" . . Messages must be sent and received for communication to have taken place. Aren't you glad, my good friend,Different though we be;We are here to help each other,I learn from you, and you, from me. These activities should be conducted in an environment that allows participants to feel comfortable with sharing. Do you believe that our world judges people by their outside differences or the beauty within? Showing sensitivity to other's situations and their well-being. Flores, V., and Donato, R. (1990). However, many activities may serve as the basis for an entire lesson. . I know I heard a dog barking." Diversity-driven incentive programs and diversity networking groups are a great start but can reach their full potential only in an environment that Equity requires preliminary work to identify imbalances, loopholes, or unequal starting places. . Trying to avoid tension may actually be counterproductive. you say, What do youmean Holland?? Look up this word in a dictionary and discuss any stereotypes you have as well as ones others have made about you. Without valuing the bird's special qualities, the man altered the bird to what he thought would be better. Young children will relate to these colorful characters. Hanson, M. J., Lynch, E. W. (1998). : Paul H. Brooks Publishing Company. In valuing diversity, one must be willing to accept that differences are okay and learn to value one's own uniqueness and specialness.". As one of our first initiatives, were holding a town hall for XYPN members on how to have effective conversations on sensitive subjects like diversity. All my life I'vedreamed of going to Italy.". The facilitators must select the activities that fit their groups and their situations. As the cat dangles the beaten mouse by his tail in preparation for a tasty morsel, the mouse in a plaintive, dejected voice says, But I don't understand. : Texas A&M University Printing Center. Start with hiring: Ola Ayeni says that hiring millennials has helped conversations about diversity in the workplace because millennials dont want and they're all braggingabout what a wonderful time they hadthere. Reading: considering ideas, thoughts, information, or messages that have been written. I asked a preachera nice fellowIf souls were black or white or yellow;He said he thought the soul of a manWas neither white, nor black, nor tan. How did you feel after making that assumption? How would you react? If the forest were the world,And all the people were the trees;Palm and pine, bamboo and willow,Live and grow in harmony. When applied to an organization, defining diversity should include cognitive diversity (diversity of ideas) and cultural diversity. Speaking: talking or verbal communication; conversation; planning, organizing, and presenting a speech. Raising a child that has a disability is an experience Emily Perl Kingsley referred to as similar to planning a trip to Italy but being taken to Holland instead. Coordinating the interaction (working together) to complete the task. The mouse is the typical, small, meek, desperate creature we would expect. "And no one here likes Orange, but no one knows just why. 1. This story can be used to discuss discrimination and the effect it has on those who are discriminated against. These eight steps are sure to provide a powerful start and keep you on track. He said he thought that it was true,From listening to a God he knewThat we would someday, somewhere findThat even Christ was color blind. We want to talk about X, there's a way to do that from the perspective of diversity and inclusion, as well as with empathy. This is a powerful story that can be used to show what can happen when people hold prejudiced views. What do you think made the boy ask about the black balloon? Reflect on the story. It's OK to be afraid, but get over it. '", And when the black balloon was filled,They watched it rise and glide.It's not the color, son," he said,But what you've got inside.". Imagine you lost your ability to walk, see, or hear. Why do you think this man was filling balloons and then letting them float high into the sky? Has anyone ever made an assumption about you based on your race (physical attributes)? Accepting responsibility for your part of the task. What would we gain and what would we lose? How do people's upbringings affect their acceptance of people who are different from themselves? Considering alternative responses and opposing viewpoints: Based on what I know, is the statement true? As businesses in the U.S. become more globally focused, the need to prepare youth to be competitive in the marketplace is even more prevalent along with the need to teach sensitivity. The little black boy watched a man,Blow up balloons one dayWhen each balloon was filled, the manLet each one float away. Diversity and Inclusion: How To Navigate Conversations About Diversity And Inclusion in Tech Transcript. Are people sometimes like this box of crayons? The critical-thinking process can be stated as a set of questions you ask and answer yourself. FOMO: People do not want to miss out on the benefits or be left out. Clever Black. Which holidays would no longer be celebrated? The important thing is that they haven'ttaken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthyplace, full of pestilence, famine, and disease.It's just a different place. And the last man of this forlorn groupDid naught except for gain,Giving only to those who gaveWas how he played the game. Facilitators should know that the activities in this guide should be used as discussion starters or icebreakers. Why did the little girl take the box of crayons home? Pretend you were in the class in the story. Starting with values that matter Color Blind. Higher-level managers tend to love a clear number and VISUALIZATION: People need to see it to believe it can be true. Who do you think the cat and the mouse represent in our society? Ruff!! And for the rest of your life, you willsay, Yes, that's where I was supposed to go.That's what I had planned.". This story is a wonderful way to generate dialogue with adults regarding the topic of physical and mental disabilities. Did the man know the importance of the eagle's claws and beak? What did they all have in common? Were new friendships formed? How to Start the Conversation About Diversity & Inclusion Ask Questions. In what ways do you think they are similar to the box of crayons? Take a moment to think about what diversity means to you. But he knows that the cat will be waiting for him. . How does it differ? Expand dialogue to include physical disabilities; learning styles; places of residence: urban, rural, and suburban; rich, poor; age; gender; religion; morals, values, traditions, and more. . Learning to Learnacquiring, evaluating, and using information; understanding the methods and skills for learning. Have you ever shared any of the thoughts or beliefs of the six characters? What would you change and why? How does this story parallel the history of America? Start from a place of humility: Genuine curiosity, vulnerability and respect for the other person as well as yourself typically elicits mutual trust and facilitates shared understanding. Maybe theyre already working on making recruiting diversely a goal, it just hasnt been shared publicly yet. . Supporting the efforts of others to learn. Diversity & Inclusion training within agencies can help with that. 2. How would you have answered the teacher's question? Have a plan mapped out that you can share in the opening conversation. As he begins to regain his composure, he begins to worry about his immediate future. This poem presents the story of five men and one woman, each with their own prejudice that inhibits rational thought. But everyone you know is busy coming andgoing from Italy . Explain. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Do you think it is okay for people to act this way? If they liked the same things, talked the same, and acted the same, would you have as much fun with them? But there's been a change in the flight plan.They've landed in Holland and there youmust stay. Planning a strategysetting a goal and determining ways to reach that goal. Why do people have different skin colors? What were the benefits of the box of crayons working together? 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