Diversity Reflection Essay

Diversity Reflection

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the diverse experiences that I have had in my personal and professional life. Fortunately, I have had a large mix of diverse friends and experiences in my life. This paper will discuss those diversities as well as the plan to expand on my current knowledge.

Keywords: Diversity, culture, differences

Growing up I always had the opportunity to interact with diverse groups. My father is a retired master sergeant of the United States Army. He is African–American and was born and raised Baptist in Kentucky. He married my mother who is South Korean and Buddhist. I spent the first three years of my life living in South Korea where my father was stationed. We...show more content...

It is always helpful to have some type of knowledge in case you meet or begin working with a person who is a member of a diverse group. If ever I encounter someone whose diversity I am not familiar with, I ask him or her questions to learn more. I do my best not to offend them by asking general questions and let them lead the conversation. I usually start off by asking where a person is from and go from there. I make it a point to let them know that I am always interested in learning about diverse groups so that they know I am curious about their culture. One of my favorite past times is going to festivals. This is a great way for me to learn about diverse groups. I only knew what textbooks taught me about Native Americans but when I moved to Oklahoma three years ago, I learned a lot more than I had ever learned before! I was able to visit the Museum of the Great Plains, attend Indian festivals, and make friends with Native Americans. Tasting, seeing, and interacting with them made the learning experience much richer than any book could have.

Not only do I support groups of diverse ethnic backgrounds, I also try to learn more about different religions, disabilities, and social diversities. I have visited the local Jewish Education Alliance several times in Savannah, GA and I was privileged enough to be able to tour the Jewish synagogue a few years ago. People with