Diversity and inclusion

Evolution of the minorities

The first picture shows a protest of black activists with big signs saying “We march for
integrated schools now “. At the time, segregation was enforced meaning that black people
didn’t have the same rights as white people.
The second picture depicts a young black girl going to school while there’s an angry white
mob screaming at her. Indeed, now in 1958, she earned the right to go to school.
Brown v Board 1954: End of segregation in schools.
The last picture is a stamp with a painting of three young kids singing the anthem in front of
the flag. It shows the growing diversity in the USA.

Strength in diversity

This document is an audio entitled “strength in diversity”. It deals with the increase of
diversity in the U.S. Indeed, the Hispanic community is now at 57 million so it increased by
2% while the Asian community by 3 % so they had the fastest growth rate of all the
ethnicities. On the other hand, white people are the only group that known a decrease. The
numbers are provided by National Census Bureau.

Building an inclusive workplace.

Black & Deker is a manufacturer of DIY, gardening, industrial tools and hardware.
Within the company you have affinity groups such as the African Ancestry Network.
They are welcoming everyone; you have diversity in the groups because the message is to
invite people to share experiences, cultures, histories and differences. (It would be
counterproductive to say to people “you’re not welcome in our group when you promote
Diversity and Inclusion”) You have many different affinity groups such as one for women,
veterans.
One of the benefits of having a diverse workforce is to be able to respond to the needs of
customers all around the world.

Do you think that diversity can be thought of in terms of ethnicity only?

Not only, you have to think about religions, social status, or even age and gender.
What is the point for business to have/to show/promote a diverse workforce?
As we said before, to respond to the needs of customers, but it can also be a way to
advertise. Some companies are greedy, and are diverse only when it matters (for example,
during black history month, or the gay pride).
 “All different but one duty”
We can see militaries, men and women. It’s a very diverse picture.
The deeper meaning of this motto/catchphrase is that even if you’re coloured or have a
different ethnicity you are welcome in the army, to protect and serve the country.

The video under study deals with diversity in a division of the military: 82 nd airborne division.
They’re a diverse division, in 1947 they were ahead of their time. (1948 Truman declared the
end of segregation in the military).
They set an example regarding diversity by welcoming over 120 different nationalities.
One soldier interviewed comes from Indonesia, he lived in Pennsylvania and joined as a
mechanic.
A woman is Hispanic, she didn’t speak English despite coming from the US, she lived in a
town composed of 99,9% of Hispanic.
A white soldier gained wisdom (=sagesse), knowledge about different cultures and met life
long-friend.

Must the army set an example in terms of inclusion?

What’s the point of a video like this? Good/Bad. Pros/Cons Advantages/disadvantages. Use
your critical thinking.

Diversity in the classroom:

The document was written by Jeremy Adam Smith. He writes about racial and socio-
economical question in San Francisco.
People think that diversity is good but what schools should aim for are results and not having
a diverse classroom.
However, the study shows that having a more diverse classroom provides better results, a
better atmosphere (less bullying, teachers are seen as fair etc.) Because you are used to
differences, you have less racial prejudices.
By putting your kids in a private school, and paying hefty tuition fees, you create a new
“social discrimination”. People with the most money/Wealthier people will send their
children to private school, and in the USA, it is mostly white people doing that, recreating a
new kind of segregation.
Grp 1

Diversity in the arts:

The text is about Edmonia Lewis. She was an artist. She is American.
She is African-American and from Native American descent. She was probably a slave. She
was in college, in Oberin. She still faced discrimination, she was accused of/framed for selling
art supplies and poisoning her fellow classmates. She then left for Italy before graduating.
She made “Forever Free” and sent it to Samuel Sewall. It celebrated the end of slavery. After
that, James Porter bought it with his own money and exposed it in Howard University.

How important is it to have diversity in the arts? And in other fields as we saw previously in
our classes?

You have a view on different cultures. It sends a message to a possible target. Art is
something that never disappear from history. It’s a vessel for history. It celebrates a part of a
community and celebrates their history.

Grp 2:

The text is about Edmonia Lewis, she travelled to Ohio, and joined/enrolled into Oberin
College when she faced discrimination.
She was African American and from Native American descent and faced discrimination.
She was accused of/framed for poisoning her roommates and stealing art supplies. It
prevented her from graduating. She left for Italy in 1865 where she made the sculpture
Forever Free. She sent it to Samuel Sewall an abolitionist lawyer in the hope of selling the
sculpture. And way later, James Porter bought it with his own money.
The sculpture represents a newly emancipated slave couple. It celebrates the end of slavery.
Forever Free is now exposed in Howard University, in Boston.

How important is it to have diversity in the arts? And in other fields as we saw previously in
our classes?

It’s a legacy, it can inspire other artists. Art is a powerful vessel to deliver messages. It’s
accessible to anyone. It commemorates important events in history, and it is supposed to
last forever. A community can learn their history through arts.