Cultural Diversity on Campus

"SYNERGY FROM OTHERS":
CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS

"Synergy from Others" defines some key dimensions of diversity and the effects of assimilation in the past, examines obstacles such as stereotyping, garbled communication, and collusion, and suggests how to institutionalize the changes that move valuing diversity from rhetoric to reality.

This presentation also available on Video!

Scenes Included in the Program:

WE HAVE BECOME THE SAME
Life would be easy if we were all alike, but it would be BORING! A montage alluding to a homogenous world illustrates why celebrating diversity is a far more attractive route.

COKE ADDS LIFE?
This humorous vignette provides an example of how we inadvertently prevent ourselves from experiencing all the flavors life has to offer. The character tells about his "Coke" drinking family, and how taking the Pepsi challenge reveals the satisfaction he could have had if he had given other brands a chance.

*IMPOSTOR
A young woman recounts her family's move from a large city to "small-town-USA". She is socially successful until she begins to feel that her Jewish heritage must be kept a secret in order to maintain that acceptance. The resulting low self-esteem prevents her from celebrating accomplishments. Instead, she feels like an impostor.

TYPES
The absurdity of some commonly held stereotypes regarding race, age, and gender becomes obvious in this humorous diatribe. Some double standards between men and women are examined as well.

*THE BASHER
Bias, hatred and violence born from anger backfires when a man participates in a violent act with his peers, only to discover later that his daughter was one of the victims. This no-holds-barred look at racism emphasizes that we must move beyond intolerance to insure our mutual survival.

FIVE STEPS TO MANAGE DIVERSITY
Institutionalizing change in the workplace would be smoother using this five step process.

*TEACH
When a class rebels against analyzing the poetry of Walt Whitman on the grounds that he as gay, a young lesbian conveys the inspiration she felt when the teacher explained the importance of studying good literature, regardless of the author's sexual preference.

FOREST FOR THE TREES AND WENDALL GREENE
One man's uplifting story tells how his heart and mind were opened after working with someone of a different culture. Now, as a supervisor, the lessons he has learned help to maximize the potential of each individual.

*Denotes possible scene substitutions
*UNFAIR
In an attempt to file a complaint, a Spanish-speaking worker becomes frustrated when language is not her only barrier at work.
*INGREDIENTS
Dietary restrictions and a need for detailed information regarding his product send this employee reeling from increased responsibility. Flexibility and willingness to change quickly alleviate his stress and create a renewed enthusiasm for the job.
*REGULATORS
Until diversity is truly embraced in regard to all employment and opportunity, federal guidelines will be needed to insure equity. Here, one personnel administrator vents her frustration with government requirements that dictate who she may hire.
*PHRASES
This "equal opportunity offender" manages to insult seemingly every race and religion in his retelling of a soured business deal.

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