Hi Grace, thank you for the post. This is really a difficult mission and it needs the collaboration of all. Learning some communication skills such as the “broaching” that Jyotsana mentioned and also leadership skills might better prepare us for these difficult and unpredictable conversations in class. I feel that training or workshops to teach every teacher on these theories and skills should be universalized. First, we need to master them as if they are common sense, and second, we can plant it better for the next generation.

Really excited to hear that music was your gateway to other cultures. I am constantly telling anyone that will listen that music is the universal language. It allows us to communicate with people all over the world, and at a really deep and intimate level what’s more.

Aside from great literature and the foundations of western music, I’d like to mention a couple more things we have Arabic culture to thank for: coffee, algebra, and hospitals.
It’s already a “can’t live without” list!

Thank you so much for the post and your willingness to be open about your fears. I think it is difficult. I think also, that there is at least a two-fold answer. I have “monitored” discussions over racial issues. These discussions mostly deal with racism in the ancient world, and therefore are “monitor-able” and we can discuss issues. However, as a middle-school and high-school student, I encountered blatant racism from students and parents. I never let it slide. I did not tolerate it in the classroom and would address it directly with students. As for parents…..the worst I every got was a very angry man who just refused to talk to me anymore. As Emma stated, it’s a tough issue, but if we don’t address it, we tacitly condon it. One professor I talked to lately had a situation of racism occur in his class. He took the lead in the discussion, bringing the student around to the ways in which their argument was a racist one. The student did leave the classroom, however, the professor followed up with an email stating that he was not attacking her, but hoping to show the ways in which racism flourishes in America. The student was back in class for the next session.

There are a lot of micro-discrimination around us, and sometimes we have to forgive those people because they actually don’t know about it or do it unintentionally. I believe the best way to solve this is through education, and as future young professionals and professors, we can make a great example in our own classroom or working environment. Just like your several solutions listed above to promote inclusion. Let more students and co-workers know about these micro-discrimination, and we can build a healthy and comfortable living/learning environment for everyone.

Dr. Nelson, yes we should continue to talk about these issues, and we should continue to provide opportunities for all, recognizing as you said our uniqueness and different paths taken… we also need to work on the root of the issues so that in the future being diverse, being inclusive is “second nature”, that it will happen without it needing to be “forced”…so reaching an ideal world. … And with your comment, I realized that I kept my taking on diversity, at the perhaps superficial level, of different ethnic backgrounds, gender, etc without accounting for the diverse paths, the privileges/disadvantages… so that is the other component how people perceive diversity? what is the first thing that comes to mind? do we recognize the depth of meaning?

Hi Carlos – I appreciated your post as even reading through it, looking through the comments, and thinking about what I want to say – it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. You’re right; the words diversity and inclusion bring about all kinds of heavy feelings and opinions both positive and negative. It can be challenging to articulate experiences and perspectives about these topics in a way that is not offensive. The more we talk about it, the more I think it becomes easier though. When I took the Preparing the Professoriate course last semester, we talked a lot about the election and how it had impacted some of our students. I thought that there was no way that the discussion could go well, however it was very informative and everyone treated each other with respect. I also learned so much from my classmates. That course has helped to prepare me for some of the discussions that we are approaching this week in class, but I’m learning that it can take time and practice.

This blog recalled my memory when I just entered college. Actually before college I just staid at my hometown and the all the students were from the same city and share the same dialect and living habit. But in college, students were from different parts of the country and have various experience before they came to the same college. I agree with you that sometimes people feel uncomfortable when they have to deal with diversity. But it’s inevitable since the integration of the society, everyone should learn to work with people from different background.

Halal, is it me you’re looking for..

No.

The mistaken waiter is clearly a grade A goon, however it was well-intentioned goonery at least (they were trying their very hardest to be accommodating). Another nice example I think, of how far we have come, and how far we have yet to travel.

Also another unlikely doctor: Brian May from Queen has a PhD in astrophysics. Go figure.

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Thank you for your thoughtful post. Also thank you for sharing the NYT articles. I also have to agree with Jyotsana’s analysis about the wording “non-resident alien”. I am very glad that Virginia Tech has been a welcoming community for you, but I would also like to see us as a country move away from language of “alien” and the intendant categorization the word denotes in todays political environment. Thank you for bringing it to our attention and know, that I for one, don’t approve of such words or classifications.

Thank you for your thoughtful post. Also thank you for sharing the NYT articles. I also have to agree with Jyotsana’s analysis about the wording “non-resident alien”. I am very glad that Virginia Tech has been a welcoming community for you, but I would also like to see us as a country move away from language of “alien” and the intendant categorization the word denotes in todays political environment. Thank you for bringing it to our attention and know, that I for one, don’t approve of such words or classifications.