Whenever I use the word “diversity” I think of the old SNL skit where a Sean Connery impersonator is playing Jeopardy. The clue is “diversity” and his response is “I believe, Alex, that it is an old, wooden sailing ship.”
Add words like inter-cultural, multi-cultural, and multi-ethnic into the mix and it can become confusing to keep up with jargon, let alone the concept of diversity. Leaders and strategists point to the ever-increasing ethnic minority in America becoming the majority within 15 years. What this means is that the way the dominant white majority currently sees ethnic minorities is how they will be perceived. Whites will be considered outsiders who stick to their own unless they learn how to interact with ethnic groups.
Whites who can develop genuine relationships with individuals across the ethnic divide will be the ones who avoid retreating as their world advances. White run and dominated organizations, clubs and churches will be less and less influential while those that diversify and become multi-ethnic will grow and thrive. Skills such as the ability to interact with and know various cultures will be as valuable as formal education.
You can ignore this trend, fear its coming, or embrace it and be an active participant.
Filed under: Multi-ethnic Tagged: | diversity, Multi-ethnic, trends
