Chapter 10: Diversity & Cultural Competency

“We inhabit a universe that is characterized by diversity.”

Desmond Tutu

There are few words in the English language that have more diverse interpretations than diversity. What does diversity mean? Better yet—what does diversity mean to you? And what does it mean to your best friend, your teacher, your parents, your religious leader, or the person standing behind you in a grocery store?

As we’ll use the term here, diversity refers to the great variety of human characteristics—ways that we are different even as we are all human and share more similarities than differences. These differences are an essential part of what enriches humanity. Aspects of diversity may be cultural, biological, or personal in nature. Diversity generally involves things that may significantly affect some people’s perceptions of others—not just any way people happen to be different. For example, having different tastes in music, movies, or books is not what we usually refer to as diversity.

When discussing diversity, it is often difficult to avoid seeming to generalize about different types of people—and such generalizations can seem like dangerous stereotypes. The following descriptions are meant only to suggest that individuals are different from other individuals in many possible ways and that we can all learn things from people whose ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, backgrounds, experiences, and behaviors are different from our own. Following are various aspects of diversity:

Race: Race is most often associated with skin color. Because of this we may come to think of race as purely biological, but this is not the case. What’s important to remember about race is that it is as much a social construct as any other dimension of a person. This means that how we think about race is not fixed; the way society defines race is always evolving.

Ethnicity: Ethnicity is a cultural distinction that is different from race. Ethnic groups share a common identity and a perceived cultural heritage that often involves shared ways of speaking and behaving, religion, traditions, and other traits. Race and ethnicity are sometimes interrelated but not automatically so.

Cultural background: Culture, like ethnicity, refers to shared characteristics, language, beliefs, behaviors, and identity. We are all influenced by our culture to some extent. The term is often used rather loosely to refer to any group with identifiable shared characteristics. Individuals may share the same culture but identify as different races or ethnicities. 

Educational background: This refers to the formal education a person has received. Colleges do not use a cookie-cutter approach to admit only students with identical academic skills. A diversity of educational background helps ensure a free flow of ideas and challenges those who might become set in their ways.

Geography: People from different places within the United States or the world often have a range of differences in ideas, attitudes, and behaviors.

Socioeconomic background: The term ‘socioeconomic’ refers to the resources that a person or group of people has access to. Those resources may be shaped by financial wealth and location (neighborhood, city, etc.), among others. People’s identities are influenced by how they grow up, and part of that background involves socioeconomic factors. Socioeconomic diversity can contribute to a wide variety of ideas and attitudes.

Gender roles: Today, women hold virtually all professional and social roles, including those once dominated by men, and men have taken on many roles, such as raising a child, that were formerly occupied mostly by women. These changing roles have brought diverse new ideas and attitudes to college campuses.

Gender identity: Gender identity is one’s personal experience of one’s own gender. Gender identity can correlate with the sex at birth, male or female, or can differ from it completely: males may identify as female or vice versa, or a person may identify as a third gender or as falling somewhere along the continuum between male and female.

Sexual orientation: You have likely heard or seen the acronym LGBTQ, this refers to many different experiences of gender and sexual orientation. People who identify as LGBTQ make up a significant percentage of people in American society and students on college campuses. Exposure to this diversity helps others overcome stereotypes and become more accepting of human differences.

Religion: For many people, religion is not just a weekly practice but a larger spiritual force that infuses their lives, including their values and traditions. Religion helps shape different ways of thinking and behaving.

Age: While younger students attending college immediately after high school are generally within the same age range, older students returning to school bring a diversity of age. Because they often have broader life experiences, many older students bring different ideas and attitudes to the campus.

Political views: A diversity of political views helps broaden the level of discourse on campuses concerning current events and the roles of government and leadership at all levels.

Physical ability: This refers to a person’s range of abilities. Most colleges and universities will provide accommodations for students who are differently abled and may require additional learning assistance, wheelchairs, hearing aids, service animals, and/or other tools to assist them.

It is also useful to understand some of the terms we use to describe generalized negative ideas about people who are different from us. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights nonprofit organization, defines stereotype, prejudice, and discrimination like this:

Stereotype: A stereotype is an exaggerated belief, image or distorted truth about a person or group—a generalization that allows for little or no individual differences or social variation. Stereotypes are based on images in mass media, or reputations passed on by parents, peers and other members of society. Stereotypes can be positive or negative.

Prejudice: A prejudice is an opinion, prejudgment or attitude about a group or its individual members. Prejudices are often accompanied by ignorance, fear or hatred. Prejudices are formed by a complex psychological process that begins with attachment to a close circle of acquaintances or an "in-group" such as a family. Prejudice is often aimed at "out-groups."

Discrimination is behavior that treats people unequally because of their group memberships. Discriminatory behavior, ranging from slights to hate crimes, often begins with negative stereotypes and prejudices. (Teaching Tolerance, 2019)

Surface diversity and deep diversity are categories of personal attributes—or differences in attributes—that people perceive to exist between people or groups of people.

Surface-level diversity refers to differences you can generally observe in others, like ethnicity, race, gender, age, culture, language, physical ability, etc. You can quickly and easily observe these features in a person. And people often do just that, making subtle judgments at the same time, which can lead to bias or discrimination. 

Deep-level diversity, on the other hand, reflects differences that are less visible, like personality, attitude, beliefs, and values. These attributes are generally communicated verbally and non-verbally, so they are not easily noticeable or measurable. You may not detect deep-level diversity in a classmate, for example, until you get to know him or her, at which point you may find that you are either comfortable with these deeper character levels, or perhaps not. But once you gain this deeper level of awareness, you may focus less on surface diversity. 

For example, at the beginning of a term, a classmate belonging to a different ethnic group whose native language is not English (surface diversity) may be treated differently by fellow classmates in another ethnic group. But as the term gets underway, classmates begin discovering the person’s values and beliefs (deep-level diversity), which they find can be shared across many cultures. The surface-level attributes, like  language, become more “transparent” (less noticeable) as deep-level attributes are shared.

As a college student, you are likely to find yourself in diverse classrooms, organizations, and – eventually – workplaces. It is important to prepare yourself to be able to adapt to diverse environments. Cultural competency can be defined as the ability to recognize and adapt to cultural differences and similarities. It involves (a) the cultivation of deep cultural self-awareness and understanding (i.e., how one’s own beliefs, values, perceptions, interpretations, judgments, and behaviors are influenced by one’s cultural community or communities) and (b) increased cross-cultural understanding (i.e., comprehension of the ways people make sense of and respond to the presence of cultural differences).

In other words, cultural competency requires you to be aware of your own cultural practices, values, and experiences, and to be able to read, interpret, and respond to those from different cultures. Such awareness will help you successfully navigate the cultural differences you will encounter in diverse environments. Cultural competency is critical to working and building relationships with people from different cultures. Because of this, it is a useful skill in many different settings, whether you are working on a project with classmates, collaborating with coworkers, or meeting new people on campus. Other people respond positively, consciously and unconsciously, when they feel comfortable and accepted.

We don’t automatically understand differences among people and celebrate the value of those differences. Cultural competency is a skill that you can learn and improve upon over time and with practice. What actions can you take to build your cultural competency skills?

Acknowledge your own uniqueness, because you are diverse, too. Diversity doesn’t involve just other people. Consider that you may be just as different to other people as they are to you. Don’t think of the other person as being the one who is different and that you are somehow the “norm.” For example, throughout the day reflect on your actions and experiences:

• How you speak to your friends and family
• What you eat 
• The music you listen to
• The books that you read

Your religion may seem just as odd to them as theirs does to you, and your clothing may seem just as strange looking to them as theirs is to you—until you accept there is no single “normal” or right way to be. Much of these choices relate to  your cultural background—so it makes sense that someone from another cultural or ethnic background is different in some ways. But both of you are also individuals with your own tastes, preferences, ideas, and attitudes—making you unique. It’s only when you realize your own uniqueness that you can begin to understand and respect the uniqueness of others, too. 

Consider your own (possibly unconscious) stereotypes. A stereotype is a fixed, simplistic view of what people in a certain group are like. It is often the basis for prejudice and discrimination: behaving differently toward someone because you stereotype them in some way. Stereotypes are generally learned and emerge in the dominant culture’s attitudes toward those who are outside that culture. A stereotype may be explicitly racist and destructive, or it may also be a simplistic generalization applied to any group of people, even if intended to be flattering rather than negative. As you have read this chapter so far, did you find yourself thinking about any group of people, based on any kind of difference, and perhaps thinking in terms of stereotypes? If you walked into a party and saw many different kinds of people standing about, would you naturally avoid some and move toward others? Remember, we learn stereotypes from our surroundings and often while we’re very young; however, thinking about the stereotypes we have is a first step in breaking out of these irrational thought patterns. 

Do not try to ignore differences among people. Some people try so hard to avoid stereotyping that they go to the other extreme and try to avoid seeing any differences at all among people. But as we have seen throughout this chapter, people are different in many ways, and we should accept that if we are to experience the benefits of diversity. Don’t apply any group generalizations to individuals. As an extension of not stereotyping any group,  don’t think of any individual person solely in terms of group characteristics. Be open-minded and treat everyone with respect as an individual with his or her own ideas, attitudes, and preferences. 

Develop cultural sensitivity for communication. Realize that your words may not mean quite the same thing in different cultural contexts or to individuals from different backgrounds. This is particularly true of slang words, which you should generally avoid until you are sure the other person will know what you mean. Never try to use slang or expressions you think are common in the cultural group of the person you are speaking with. Similarly, since body language often varies among different cultures, avoid strong gestures and expressions until the responses of the other person signify he or she will not misinterpret the messages sent by your body language. 

Take advantage of campus opportunities to increase your cultural awareness. Your college likely has multiculturalism courses or workshops you can sign up for. Special events, cultural fairs and celebrations, concerts, and other programs are also held frequently on most campuses. There may also be opportunities to participate in group travel to other countries or regions of cultural diversity. 

Take the initiative in social interactions. Many students just naturally hang out with other students they are most like—this is just part of human nature. Even when we’re open-minded and want to learn about others different from ourselves, it often seems easier and more comfortable to interact with others of the same age, cultural group, and so on. If we don’t make a small effort to meet others, however, we miss a great opportunity to learn and broaden our horizons. 

Work through conflicts as in any other interaction. Conflicts simply occur among people, whether of the same or different background. If you are afraid of making a mistake when interacting with someone from a different background, you might avoid interaction altogether—and thus miss the benefits of diversity. If you are sincere and respect the other person, there is less risk of a misunderstanding occurring. If a conflict does occur, work to resolve it as you would any other tension with another person. You will never regret trying your best to communicate to resolve a conflict.

Developing your cultural competency will help you be more in tune with the cultural nuances and differences present in any situation. It is also the first step in being able to appreciate the benefits diversity can bring to a situation.

In today’s global, interconnected world, communication is more vital than ever. Technology has played an important role in this globalization. With just a simple online search, we can learn about other cultures and traditions. But how does this changing landscape affect your college experience?

College has not always been a welcoming realm of diversity. Thankfully, times have changed in much of the world and education is more accessible now. Many of us spend most of our lives around people who share at least some of our values, opinions, and traditions. Regardless of where you grew up, you may not be used to interacting with people who have different beliefs, perspectives, languages, or cultures from your own. But in a college environment, people come from many different states, or even countries, to pursue their studies. Your classroom will likely be made up of individuals of varying ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Each class is unique, and you will have the opportunity to work with many types of people in the college environment. 

The ability to communicate across cultures is valuable. What gives it power is your sincere desire and commitment to create understanding. If you truly value cultural diversity, then you can discover ways to build bridges between people.

Use the following strategies to do so, and invent more of your own:

Start with self-discovery. The first step to developing diversity skills is to learn about yourself and the lenses through which you see the world. One way to do this is to intentionally switch lenses—that is, to consciously perceive familiar events in a new way. For example, think of a situation in your life that involved an emotionally charged conflict among several people. Now, mentally put yourself inside the skin of another person in that conflict. Ask yourself, how would I view this situation if I were that person?

You can also learn by asking, what if I were a person of another gender or didn’t speak the native language? Or if I were older or younger or differently abled? Do this exercise consistently, and you’ll discover that we live in a world of multiple realities. There are many different ways to interpret any event— and just as many ways to respond, given our individual differences.

When communicating with someone whose background may be different than your own, speak and listen with cultural sensitivity. After first speaking with someone from another culture, don’t assume that you’ve been fully understood or that you fully understand the other person. The same actions or words can have different meanings at different times, even for members of the same culture. It’s always OK to ask questions to make sure you both understand and are understood, as long as your intention is to encourage understanding. 

Questions such as these can help ensure understanding and clarify questions that you may have:

• Did I understand you when you said…?
• Can you please explain what you mean by….?
• How could we think about this differently?

Look for individuals, not group representatives. Sometimes, the way we speak glosses over differences among individuals and reinforces stereotypes. We can avoid such errors by seeing people as individuals—not spokespersons for an entire group. It’s important to note here that even if our intention is not to hurt someone by referencing a stereotype, it still reinforces the idea that all members of this group share this trait, and this diminishes the individual. 

Be willing to accept feedback. Members of another culture might let you know that some of your words or actions had a meaning other than what you intended. Avoid responding to such feedback with phrases such as “don’t get me wrong”, “you’re taking this way too seriously”, or “you’re too sensitive”. Instead, listen without resistance. Open yourself to what others have to say. Remember to distinguish between the intention of your behavior and its actual effect on other people. Then, take the feedback you receive and ask yourself how you can use it to communicate more effectively in the future. You can also interpret such feedback positively—a sign that they care enough about their relationship with you to have serious conversations, rather than write you off. You will make mistakes, everyone does. But these mistakes are less important than the lessons we take away from them.

Develop support systems. Many students find that their social adjustment affects their academic performance. Students with a strong support system—such as family, friends, members of the same church, members of a self-help group, and a mentor—are using a powerful strategy for success in school. As an exercise, list the support system that you rely on right now. Also list new support systems you could develop. Support systems can help you bridge culture gaps. With a strong base of support in your own group, you can feel more confident in meeting people outside that group.

It can be hard to distinguish the differences among terms like bias, prejudice, and discrimination. How is bias different from prejudice? And what does it mean when someone explains they have felt discriminated against? As you will read, we’re not always aware of the stereotypes we hold about other groups of people and we can unintentionally make others feel uncomfortable. Developing cultural competency begins with honesty with ourselves and a willingness to accept that we have probably made mistakes.

Bias

This definition of bias (developed by the University of California, San Francisco) shows us that it isn’t always easy to recognize how we or others may be biased:

Bias is a prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another usually in a way that’s considered to be unfair. Biases may be held by an individual, group, or institution and can have negative or positive consequences. 

There are types of biases:

• Conscious bias (also known as explicit bias) and
• Unconscious bias (also known as implicit bias)

It is important to note that biases, conscious or unconscious, are not limited to ethnicity and race. Though racial bias and discrimination are well documented, biases may exist toward any social group. One’s age, gender, gender identity physical abilities, religion, sexual orientation, weight, and many other characteristics are subject to bias. 

Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one’s tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing. 

Unconscious bias is far more prevalent than conscious prejudice and often incompatible with one’s conscious values. Certain scenarios can activate unconscious attitudes and beliefs. For example, biases may be more prevalent when multi-tasking or working under time pressure.

(University of California, San Francisco, 2019)

The Southern Poverty Law Center shows us that biases can be incredibly complex. Ideas and attitudes we pick up when we’re very young can stay with us even when we’re old enough to develop our own values.

Social scientists believe children begin to acquire prejudices and stereotypes as toddlers. Many studies have shown that as early as age 3, children pick up terms of racial prejudice without really understanding their significance.

Soon, they begin to form attachments to their own group and develop negative attitudes about other racial or ethnic groups, or the "out-group". Early in life, most children acquire a full set of biases that can be observed in verbal slurs, ethnic jokes and acts of discrimination.

Once learned, stereotypes and prejudices resist change, even when evidence fails to support them or points to the contrary.

People will embrace anecdotes that reinforce their biases, but disregard experience that contradicts them. The statement "Some of my best friends are _____" captures this tendency to allow some exceptions without changing our bias.

Scientific research has demonstrated that biases thought to be absent or extinguished remain as "mental residue" in most of us. Studies show people can be consciously committed to egalitarianism, and deliberately work to behave without prejudice, yet still possess hidden negative prejudices or stereotypes.

A growing number of studies show a link between hidden biases and actual behavior. In other words, hidden biases can reveal themselves in action, especially when a person's efforts to control behavior consciously flags under stress, distraction, relaxation or competition.

(Teaching Tolerance, 2019)

Prejudice

Unfortunately, prejudice and hate still exist in America, including on college campuses. Prejudice exists against racial and ethnic minorities, women, people with different abilities, older adults, LGBTQA—virtually all groups that can be characterized as “different.” All campuses have policies against all forms of prejudice and discriminatory behaviors. But it is not enough for only college administrators to fight prejudice and hate—this is a responsibility for all good citizens who take seriously the shared American value of equality for all people. So what can you as a college student do?

Decide that it does matter. Prejudice threatens us all, not just the particular group being discriminated against in a specific incident. Don’t stand on the sidelines or think it’s up to the people who may be victimized by prejudice or hate to do something about it. We can all do something. 

Talk with others. Communication has great value on campuses. Let others know how you feel about any acts of prejudice or hatred that you witness. The more everyone openly condemns such behavior, the less likely it is to reappear in the future. This applies even if you hear another student telling a racist joke or putting down the opposite sex—speak up and tell the person you find such statements offensive. You don’t want that person to think you agree with them. Speaking up can be difficult to do, but it can be done tactfully. People can and do learn what is acceptable in a diverse environment. 

Report incidents you observe. If you happen to see someone spray-painting a hateful slogan, for example, be a good citizen and report it to the appropriate campus office or the police.

Support student groups working for change. Show your support for groups and activities that celebrate diversity and condemn prejudice. Once you become aware of such student activities on campus, you’ll find many ways you can help take a stand. 

Celebrate diversity. In many ways, you can learn more about diversity through campus programs and activities. The more all students participate, the closer the campus will come to being free of prejudice and hate. Be a role model in how you act and what you say in relation to diversity, and you may have more effect on others than you realize.

You might find yourself in the presence of someone who tells a racist joke, makes a homophobic comment, or utters an ethnic slur. When this happens, you have a right to state what you observe, share what you think, and communicate how you feel.

Depending on the circumstance, you might say any of the following:

• “That’s a stereotype and we don’t have to fall for it.”
• “Other people are going to take offense at that. Let’s tell jokes that don’t put people down.”
• “I realize that you don’t mean to offend anybody, but I feel hurt and angry by what you just said.”
• “I know that someone told you that story, but I still think it’s racist and creates an atmosphere that I don’t want to be in.”

Speaking up in this instance may be the most difficult type of communication you will ever do. However, if you don’t do it, you might give the impression that you agree with biased speech. In response to your candid comments, many people will apologize and express their willingness to change. Even if they don’t, you still know that you showed integrity by aligning your words with your values.

When it comes to helping minimize discrimination, you are in an environment where you can make a difference. Express your viewpoint. This is training for citizenship in a multicultural world.

Facing Discrimination

If you yourself experience prejudice or discrimination related to your race or ethnicity, gender, age, physical ability, sexual orientation, religion, or any other aspect of diversity, don’t ignore it or accept it as something that cannot be changed. As discussed earlier, college students can do much to minimize intolerance on campus. Many overt forms of discrimination are illegal and against college policies. You owe it to yourself, first and foremost, to report it to the appropriate college authority.

You can also address prejudice in other ways. Join a campus organization that works to reduce prejudice or start a new group and discuss ways you can confront the problem and work for a solution. Seek solidarity with other groups. Organize positive celebrations and events to promote understanding. Write an article for a campus publication explaining the values of diversity and condemning intolerance.

What if you are directly confronted by an individual or group making racist or other discriminatory remarks? In an emotionally charged situation, rational dialogue may be difficult or impossible, and a shouting match or name-calling seldom is productive. If the person may have made an offensive remark inadvertently or because of a misunderstanding, then you may be able to calmly explain the problem with what they said or did. Hopefully, the person will apologize and learn from the experience. But if the person made the remark or acted that way intentionally, confronting this negative person directly may be difficult and not have a positive outcome. Most importantly, take care that the situation does not escalate in the direction of violence. Reporting the incident instead to college authorities may better serve the larger purpose of working toward harmony and tolerance. 

SOURCES

• “Diversity and Cultural Competency” from Effective Learning Strategies at Austin Community College. Authored by Laura Lucas. Provided by: Austin Community College. Available at: https://www.oercommons.org/courseware/8434. License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
• OpenNow College Success. Authored by Cengage Learning. Provided by: CEngage. Available at: https://oercommons.s3.amazonaws.com/media/editor/179572/CengageOpenNow_CollegeSuccessNarrative.pdf License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
• “Test Yourself for Hidden Bias” from Teaching Tolerance. Provided by: Teaching Tolerance: Available at:  https://www.tolerance.org/professional-development/test-yourself-for-hidden-bias (accessed March 11, 2019)
• “Unconscious Bias”. Authored by: University of California, San Francisco. From UCSF Office of Diversity and Outreach: https://diversity.ucsf.edu/resources/unconscious-bias (accessed: March 11, 2019)