Courageous

Conversations

about

Diversity &

Multicultural

Inclusion

Julie Connor, Ed.D.

Dreams to Action www.DrJulieConnor.com

The Second Grade Homework Assignment

Draw a picture of what you would like to be when you grow up.

Write a sentence to tell what you like about your career.

The Second Grade Homework Assignment

The picture on the previous slide was proudly drawn by Loretta, a second grader. Her mother works at Home Depot. She sells shovels.

Today’s Art Assignment

Portraits

1. Create a portrait of

someone you know.

2. Sketch an outline of

their face.

3. Use a “flesh” colored

crayon to color the

skin.

When does a phrase become a

slur?

• Mrs. Brown told her students, “We’re having as much fun as a barrel of monkeys!”

• Mrs. Brown told her students, “Stop monkeying around.”

• Mrs. Brown told her African-American students, “Stop monkeying around.”

Audience + Intent + Political Correctness = ???

“Thank God for Brown v. Board of Ed. Now everyone is equal.”

• Bleach bombings at African-American students

attending the University of Austin (The Examiner, Oct.

5, 2012).

• In Arizona, crimes targeting Muslims rose nearly

50% from 2009 through 2010; crimes targeting

Latinos increased 11%. (The Arizona Sun, Oct. 5, 2012).

• In California, anti-Hispanic hate crimes increased

nearly 47% (The Arizona Sun, Oct. 5, 2012).

A word from U.S. elected officials … “The institution of slavery that the black race has long believed

to be an abomination upon its people may actually have been a

blessing in disguise… African-Americans were better off than

they would have been had they not been captured and shipped

to the United States.”

- Rep. Jon Hubbard, Jonesboro, AK, from his book, Letters To The

Editor: Confessions Of A Frustrated Conservative (2009)

“There is no solution to the Muslim problem short of expelling

all followers of the religion from the United States.”

- Rep. House Candidate Charlie Fuqua, Batesville, AK, from

his book, God’s Law (2012)

"The young folks that are coming into each of the [armed]

services are anywhere from 17 to 22-23. Gee whiz, the hormone

level created by nature sets in place the possibility for these

types of things [sexual assaults] to occur.”

- U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (2013)

A Girl Like Me …

• A Girl Like Me

A 17 year-old recreates Dr. Kenneth Clark’s 1939 “doll test” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWyI77Yh1Gg&feature=player_detailpage

• The Doll Test Revisited

Children learn about stereotypes when they’re not discussed at home http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1vTnGnmiM3c

• If This is How the Nice Kids Think

Why we must engage in honest, courageous conversations http://bit.ly/18Pap5i

• Darker Side of Fair

Documentary filmed in India discusses a “light skin” preference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4jx9UEMxjk

The Missouri State Fair

Sedalia, MO Aug. 11, 2013 http://blog.showmeprogress.com/diary/8609/at-the-missouri-state-fair-last-night

Minority Groups

Celebration of DIVERSITY includes respect and understanding of racial and ethnic differences; but it also refers to "differences between people including, but not limited to:”

Gender

Color

Age

Sexual Orientation

Family Background

Economic Status

Spiritual Belief

Political Affiliation

State of Minnesota, Cultural Dynamics Education Project Building Cultural

Connections® Curriculum & Trainer’s Guide, 2000

Cultural Consciousness

Unconscious “Innocence/Ignorance”

Dys- Conscious

Semi- Conscious

Conscious

What is the difference between Color-Neutrality,

Color-Blindness, and Color-Consciousness?

I

Don’t

Know

I Don’t

Know!

I Don’t Know,

But I Think I Do!

I Know

I Don’t Know!

I Know I Know!

Courageous Conversation

COMPASS

Courageous

Conversations

Compass

Believing Thinking

Acting Feeling

Moral Intellectual Soul Head

Relational Emotional

Heart Body

Courageous Conversations About Race, Singleton & Linton, 2005

Courageous Conversations About Race, Singleton & Linton, 2005

Hmmmmm?

I don’t see color. I treat everyone the

same.

Racism and sexism happen all over the world.

I think some people use diversity as an

excuse.

Thank goodness for Brown v. Board of Ed. Things are different now. We are all equal.

I was just kidding!

I’m so glad you’re not like one of them. You know, you’re a credit to your people.

You don’t see other races complaining. I

think it’s reverse racism (or sexism).

Some of my best friends are African American, (Hispanic, etc.).

You speak such good English.

For someone who is Black/Brown/Red, I was impressed because he/she acts White.

Courageous Conversation

COMPASS • Consider the following topics:

– Affirmative action

– Michael Vick “dog” trial

– Culturally-biased mascots

– Illegal immigration

– National health care

– DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)

• Where do you position yourself on the compass?

• How do you respond to people with different points of view?

Labels

• Labeling ACTIVITY

• How do we LABEL one another?

• How do we LABEL ourselves?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYYSFpFGRBE

Recognize Rituals

What habits and rituals do

we unconsciously

internalize and

perpetuate?

Recognize Bias Evaluate Values

Act on Values

How can we promote

INCLUSIVITY?

Recognizing Core Values to Fight Oppression in Higher Education,

Steiert & Bartulski, 2012

Recognize Rituals

What habits and rituals do

we unconsciously

internalize and

perpetuate?

Recognize Bias

How does this internalization

affect personal biases?

How do these biases affect

action?

Evaluate Values

Act on Values

How can we promote

INCLUSIVITY?

Recognizing Core Values to Fight Oppression in Higher Education,

Steiert & Bartulski, 2012

Recognize Rituals

What habits and rituals do

we unconsciously

internalize and

perpetuate?

Recognize Bias

How does this internalization

affect personal biases?

How do these biases affect

action?

Evaluate Values

Understand how core

values affect the

internalization process and

personal biases.

Act on Values

How can we promote

INCLUSIVITY?

Recognizing Core Values to Fight Oppression in Higher Education,

Steiert & Bartulski, 2012

Recognize Rituals

What habits and rituals do

we unconsciously

internalize and

perpetuate?

Recognize Bias

How does this internalization

affect personal biases?

How do these biases affect

action?

Evaluate Values

Understand how core

values affect the

internalization process and

personal biases.

Act on Values

Acting through core values promotes

authenticity in human

interaction.

How can we promote

INCLUSIVITY?

Recognizing Core Values to Fight Oppression in Higher Education,

Steiert & Bartulski, 2012

Courageous Conversations About

Oppression

• Strategies for interrupting oppressions:

– Give others the benefit of the doubt

– Ask, “What did you mean by that?”

– Allow them to explain themselves

– Own up to personal ignorance,

biases and emotions

– Act authentically through your own values

• Starting the conversation:

– Identify the oppressive language

– Dialogue how the language is oppressive

– Offer alternative language choice

Dialogue Invites Understanding

“Isn’t it amazing that we are all made in God’s image and yet there is so much diversity among his people?”

Archbishop Desmund Tutu

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

Dalai Lama

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Julie A. Connor, Ed.D.

Dreams to Action

www.DrJulieConnor.com

julie@drjulieconnor.com