Diversity - Embracing Our Differences

THE CHANGING FACE OF AMERICA;
WILL IT DIVIDE US OR UNITE US?
an you imagine a country where all the
people are the same color, come from
the same place, practice the same traditions,
hold the same religious beliefs and
speak the same language?
It would be a pretty ordinary place to live, wouldn’t it? Kind of dull
and uninspiring?
As one person put it, “When you are surrounded by sameness you
get only variations of the same.” How true that is!
America, of course, is anything but ordinary. It is a country full of
diversity; a colorful, ever changing place to live and work.
But some people don’t like diversity. Living with people of different
racial, ethnic and cultural heritage often threatens them and makes
them feel uncomfortable. And when these people let their fears take
over, problems arise.
You probably know by now that the United States has always had
such problems. They have been worse at some times and in some
places than others, but they are always present.
That’s why it is important to take a long, hard look at our diverse
nation and to understand the problems tat can divide us. Only then
can we begin to work toward the solutions that will unite us.
C
Newspaper Activities
We Are America
• People are sometimes identified by race
or ethnicity in newspaper stories. Go
through your Herald-Tribune and mark
such examples. Discuss why you think
this is done.
• Racial tensions can lead to violence. Look
in the Herald-Tribune for stories and
photographs about such violence. Discuss
with your teacher and classmates some
alternative actions when confronting racism
and other problems.
• Find examples in the Herald-Tribune of
the positive effects of diversity. Clip one
example and work with your classmates
in designing a bulletin board display.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK:
“We Are America” by Nicolas F. Shi, Washington, DC
ARTIST STATEMENT: “My work has been influenced by my Salvadorian upbringing, my
Chinese heritage, and my formal education in the United States. In my paintings, I mix
the boldness of contemporary American art with the harmony and simplicity of traditional
Chinese paintings and the bright colors of Central America.”
If some people were purple, and some people
were green, who would we discriminat against?
Sound ridiculous? Sound familiar?
– Madeline Black, Center for Education, Montesorri School, Sarasota, Florida
• Many movies deal with issues concerning
diversity. The Joy Luck Club explored the
lives of Asian immigrants in the United
States. Many of director Spike Lee’s films
deal with African-American issues. Check
the movie listings and reviews in the
Herald-Tribune’s Thursday Ticket section.
Are there movies centered on cultural
or racial themes? Discuss how movies
reinforce or dispel racial or cultural stereotypes.
Rents such a movie to show in
class, then write a review about how it
handles a diversity issue.
FLORIDA SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS: A.2.2.8; A.2.3.5; A.2.3.8; A.2.4.4; A.2.4.7; A.2.4.8
• Daily newspapers, like the Herald-
Tribune, reflect our multicultural society.
Using items you clip from the newspaper,
make a collage that illustrates how
our varied cultures form a vital,
vibrant society.
• Watch the Herald-Tribune for examples
of prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination
and racism in action. What were the
consequences of these actions. Share one
example with the class.
A Herald-Tribune Media Group Newspaper-in-Education Publication EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES 13