Colleen Godfrey
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People from diverse backgrounds are
inherently able to work and live together with
respect and harmony. Prejudices, fears and
stereotyping about people who are different
from ourselves are learned behaviors that
often interfere with healthy communication
and trust between individuals and groups of
different racial, ethnic, and cultural
backgrounds
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National Multicultural Institute
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The purpose of diversity training is to help
individuals and organizations examine their
assumptions about diversity and assist them to
become more culturally competent. Training
goals are:
Increasing awareness of the participant’s own
biases and experiences with difference.
Building specific professional skills in the area of
diversity.
Expanding knowledge and competence to work
effectively in a multicultural environment.
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National Multicultural Institute
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Must focus on:
Awareness
Knowledge
Skills
• Must occur at both the Intellectual and Emotional
Levels.
• Uses a Synergistic learning which means that the
use of valuable experiences of each participant
must be tapped into.
**Most of the learning comes from listening and
sharing thoughts, experiences, and feelings with
one another. When doing a diversity training with
your staff or students, always make the activity
interactive and experiential.
**There are no experts in this training.
“For the beginner there are many possibilities. For
the expert there are none” Old Buddhist saying
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Be open
No dumping
Confidentiality
Self-Responsibility
Participate at your own comfort level
Take Risks
“Ouch” then educate
Listen deeply
Have fun
Remember people are entitled to their own opinion
Remember people are at different stages.
Don’t interrupt
Be respectful of everyone’s time
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No…
◦ Shame
◦ Blame
◦ Guilt
Learn from the “Ah Ha” moments
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For the purposes of this discussion the intent is to include all
aspects of being culturally diverse even though some have more
meaning than others to many people. The differences are:
Race
Gender
Ethnicity
Religion
National Origin
Socioeconomics
Age
Sexual Orientation
Physical and Mental Challenges
Staff Activities
Student Activities
Video Clips
Resources
•Used to help build relationships with
others
•Used to help build empathy and
understanding
•Used to help build relationships with
others
•Used to help build empathy and
understanding
•Powerful messages to help people
become more comfortable sharing their
story
•Books, Videos, Articles and Websites
We need to have empathy and understanding. We need to be allies for our
families, co-workers, family and friends and most of all our children
on
Indian
I am pretty sure I can find flesh colored band
aids
I am pretty sure I won’t get stopped and frisked for wearing a hoodie
Unpacking the Invisible
Knapsack—Peggy
McIntosh
Peggy McIntosh and
Colleen Godfrey
National SEED Project 26
San Anselmo, Calfiornia
August 2012