Good Morning! Here’s the Monday Morning Blog!
Parents and Teachers: Did you touch base with that teen in your life this week?
Teens: Did you touch base with the adults in your life? Let them know what is happening with you? I bet they would love it if you did.
February is Black History Month
With February being Black History Month, I’ll be focusing this month’s posts towards people and events that have shaped our country’s view of different races.
With our country struggling with racial relations, I will be focusing on the teen challenge of accepting diversity and inclusion of others who are different from ourselves.
Respecting Diversity and Inclusion
When it comes to diversity and inclusion, here are the definitions,
Diversity
Diversity is understanding that there are differences between people. Not only racial differences, but differences in culture, religion, sexual orientation, where you live and how much money you may make.
Inclusion
Is accepting and including people who are different from ourselves and including them in what we are doing as equal partners.
This quote from Verna Myers, a Diversity and Inclusion Expert explains the relationship between these two ideas.
While we can see and understand that there are differences between us and others, do we make a point to include those who are different from us? Or,
- Do we shun them?
- Bully them?
- Treat them differently because they are different from us?
The fact that we have historically treated people differently from ourselves has gotten us to the place we are now. Unable to get along with people who may be different from us. The Respect Diversity Foundation has programs they offer for kids and teens to teach us about diversity and inclusion.
Respect Diversity Foundation
This foundation is located in Edmond, Oklahoma. Its mission is to promote tolerance and acceptance across differences through communication, education, collaboration and the arts. They offer a program to educate kids and teens called “Different & The Same.”
“Different & The Same”
This is an engaging diversity program the foundation created to meet a need to educate kids and teens about diversity. They take this program to the schools and educate not only the kids and teens, but also the teachers and community.
Through this program, teens became kinder and more compassionate towards people. Some even became activists and advocates for diversity and inclusion with other people. This is the kind of grass root level teaching that needs to be done to help heal our country. Here is a link to more information about the Respect Diversity Foundation and to the “Different & The Same” program.
There is another program out there to teach us about how to bring the ideas of diversity and inclusion into the workplace and other organizations. This college program is offered at Villanova University and other colleges throughout our nation. It would be something to consider if our teens are looking for a way to learn more about diversity and inclusion and become an advocate in companies and organizations they are involved in as adults.
Diversity and Inclusion – A graduate certificate program
Villanova University, located in Villanova, PA offers a certificate program called the Inclusion and Diversity strategy. It is the study of effectiveness of inclusion and diversity initiatives in organizations and other places in their lives. It is a part of the Human Resources course of study and is becoming a popular course of study to understand diversity and inclusion and actively improving those relationships in workplaces, organizations and other parts of our lives and society.
With our country struggling with racial relations, understanding diversity and activating ways of inclusion are important pieces to healing our country and improving how we are relating to one another. Here is a link to more information about the Inclusion and Diversity Strategy Certificate offered at Villanova University.
The Hard Way incorporates diversity
When my editor Michelle and I worked through revisions of The Hard Way, we have characters of different racial backgrounds interacting in the story. Not only to show what racial makeup would typically be found in a borough of a city like New York City (which Manor City is loosely based on), but to show that characters of different backgrounds could come together as friends. Learn more about the book on the books tab of my website.
What can we do?
Find out how the teens in our lives feel about diversity and inclusion of others. Teach them with the programs that are available at places like Respect Diversity Foundation. This will go far to change the current views and to start adopting the ideas of diversity and inclusion in our society. What experiences have you faced with Diversity and Inclusion of yourself or others? Please let me know in the comments below.
PS – Something to check out!
Boys Town talks about Diversity this week
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about Boys Town as a Teen Resource because of their programs and how they advocate for teens. Here is a link to my blog post.
This week on Wednesday, February 10th at 12:00 PM CST, Boys Town will be hosting a Facebook Live event, The History of Diversity at Boys Town. Diversity is a foundational part of their organization. The founder of the organization, Father Flanagan began providing care for children regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. Be sure to stop by their Facebook Page on Wednesday to check it out. Boys Town – Facebook
Have a great week!
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