Complete the following matching exercise titled, “Race: The Power of Illusion.” (Reference: http://www.pbs.org/race/002_SortingPeople/002_00-home.htm.) Post your results and describe your experience in trying to complete the matching exercise. What are your thoughts on how we approach diversity in the workplace based on our perceptions of race?
I only obtained a 50/50 score. It is true that our definition of race is subjective. Some people sometimes depend their judgment of who they are as a person based on the color of their skin and hair, shape of their nose, height/stature, etc. I was wrong. Some individuals have the freedom to identify themselves (that is, self-identification) of who they are as a person and not just from their country of origin because of their talents, creativity, and so forth. It is really the intermixing of peoples around the globe (that is, through slave trading, wars, famine, etc.) that made people as they are today. We cannot simply say that I am an American by reason of birth. When we become a citizen of another country, we become one of them. For instance, even if I live in Africa, Europe, Middle East, etc. most of my life, I can still become an American. Moreover, because generations come and go, there will be some genetic/biological variations depending on where I previously lived, whom I married, and so on. I believe that race is just a man-made concept. It was even theorized that we came from the same African stock thousands of years ago. What we know previously as a biased and discriminatory concept, such as race, is dependent on the color of one’s skin and geographic origin. However, race can still be positively used to identify any case of racial discrimination, one way or the other. I thus firmly believe that we are all human beings with slightly different yet shared traits.
Other than the description of my experience answering the matching exercise, my thoughts on how we approach diversity in the workplace based on our perceptions of race vary. Some people believe that we are all brothers and sisters living in the same world. Further, they believe that we should treat each other fairly and justly wherever we are – whether in the workplace or somewhere else, anytime. They believe the bible and science that we have but a single human origin. It is just that we have a variety of life’s chances/opportunities. Some people were just fortunate that they were born with white and wealthy parents. Nonetheless, going deeper into our single ancestry, we are but one human family anywhere, anytime. On the contrary there are people who believe they are superior than other races because they have a limited perspective in life. It is important for everyone to understand the truth based on scientific and/or biblical truth. Thus, we should approach diversity in the workplace with critical minds and open hearts.
Work Cited
Public Broadcasting Service. Sorting People: Can You Tell Somebody's Race by Looking at Them. n.d. Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 12 July 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/race/002_SortingPeople/002_00-home.htm>.
How do you handle loss?
I would like you to talk about a change in your life that was pretty large by your account. What happened and how did you ‘grieve’ your change? What would you do different the next time a large change happens in your life?
I halfheartedly agree with the statement that “change is not difficult because people do not want to change; change is difficult because there is a grieving process involved!” For my part, it takes both sides of the same coin. There are people who find change difficult to confront because of their self-perception, belief in their abilities, chances and circumstances in life, and so on. Nevertheless, it is much truer that change is hard because of the grieving process that people undergo. Most of the time, people do not want to be separated from their loved ones and/or home country.
I got married and my husband and I came to the US to complete my (that is, our education). Initially, I found it difficult to adjust because of the newness of my environment and the kind of people I have to deal with. I know I have a different culture, tradition, and other traits different from where I am now. I am thankful that I have with me my husband and I keep on learning the American way each day. Having first-hand experience living in this melting pot of the world, I know I have to learn to adopt well because I should somehow study every bit and parcel of the American life.
Even with our modern technology (especially, the Internet), I still miss my family way back in my place of birth. There are very memorable or sentimental events in my life that I cannot bargain for just about anything. Nevertheless, like what is oftentimes said, “Life has to go on.” Even with the grief of being away from my loved ones, I am very much optimistic that what I embraced as change, which is a part of any person’s life, I should not look upon as something not worth my choice. I love my family and husband, but I also have to grow up and mature the way change wants to. Hence, what I would do different the next time a large change occurs in my life is to accept that it is part of living, improving, and becoming a whole person. I have to live with it, make the most out of it, and continue to value what I have. Later in my life, I will not regret having dedicated my life to something worthwhile for myself, family, and other people who can truly be proud of my achievements.
