1. Words and Their Meaning: How are We All Diverse?

2. What is multicultural?
Let’s break this word down

3. What is multi?
Many
Varied
Different

4. What is cultural? Race Music Food
Faith, religion, values, family structure
Gender
Sexual orientation
Social class

5. Dimensions of “Culture”
The definition of culture can go on infinitely and is extremely complex.
Many of the dimensions are intertwined

6. Why do we need to explore the dimensions of “culture”
To avoid making judgment about someone based on one dimension

7. Nitza Hidalgo's "three levels (dimensions) of culture"
Concrete
Visible/tangible level
Surface level: clothes, music, food, games, festivals, celebrations, etc
Behavioral
How we define our social roles
language we speak, approaches to nonverbal communication, gender roles, family structures, political affiliation, other items which situate us organizationally in society
Symbolic
Values and beliefs
Most important in terms of how people define themselves
Value systems, customs, spirituality, religion, worldview, beliefs, morals, etc.

8. Which level do you think is the most important?
How many say the concrete?
Why?
How many say the behavioral?
How many say the symbolic?

9. Questions Worth Considering
When you meet somebody, which of those items (under any of the categories) do you use to understand them culturally?
Is your attempt to understand other culturally consistent with how you want to be viewed and understood?
What forces in our society might contribute to our simplification of others’ cultures, even though we don’t want to be defined simplistically ourselves?

10. Exploring Language Definitions
What is prejudice?
An attitude about another person or group of people based on stereotypes
What is discrimination?
An action or behavior based on prejudice

11. Exploring Language Definitions Cont’d
What is racism?
The systematic conditions that provide some people more consistent and easier access to opportunities based on perceived race or ethnicity
What is sexism?
The systematic conditions that provide some people more consistent and easier access to opportunities based on perceived sex, gender, or gender expression
What is heterosexism?
The systematic conditions that provide some people more consistent and easier access to opportunities based on perceived sexual orientation.

12. Can prejudice and discrimination be positive?
Yes!!!
I am prejudice toward my students
I am a discriminating eater
Social Justice
A prejudice toward someone is matched by an equal prejudice against somebody else

13. According to the definitions, anyone could be racists or sexist
The difference is Power.
Power combined with these words is the ability to enforce these conditions
We all have personal power and how we exercise this is very important
Do we stand up for things?
Who makes the rules and who do those rules benefit?
How do we affect change?

14. Why did we go over these words?
Different people mean different things when they use these same words.
We need to be very careful of our words, our judgments, our perceptions and our power.
Think about how does the way we are socialized to relate to these terms inform the ways we imagine they might be solved?

15. Connections to SEL Competencies
Which of the competencies are we focusing on this week?
Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Social Awareness
Relationship Skills
Responsible Decision Making
*** We are focusing on social awareness and relationship skills