INCLUSION over Diversity | Kenyona Matthews | TEDxAkron
Summary
TLDRThe speaker, a diversity chair, critiques superficial diversity efforts, comparing them to a fruit platter where components are present but not integrated. Reflecting on personal experiences from Greensboro to college, they highlight the importance of moving from mere representation to genuine inclusion and active participation in conversations about race, class, and gender. The narrative emphasizes the need for institutions to acknowledge and actively dismantle racism, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone has a seat and a voice.
Takeaways
- 🍇 The speaker expresses a personal dislike for the concept of diversity as it is often superficially implemented, likening it to a fruit platter where elements are present but not integrated.
- 🤔 The speaker questions the genuineness of diversity efforts, suggesting that merely having diverse representation without meaningful involvement is insufficient to combat racism.
- 🏠 Growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, the speaker felt a disconnect between their racially diverse upbringing and the broader societal narrative often portrayed in media.
- 📚 The speaker's college experience at a predominantly white institution initially led to feelings of isolation and cultural shock, highlighting the stark contrast in racial dynamics.
- 🗣️ The speaker recounts instances of dismissive and harmful comments from white peers, which underscored the lack of understanding and engagement with issues of race and privilege.
- 🔄 A turning point in the speaker's college experience came when the institution acknowledged its racist history and committed to becoming anti-racist, leading to more inclusive practices and conversations.
- 💰 The speaker highlights the investment made by their college in anti-racism education, including offering courses and establishing a multicultural education department, as a sign of genuine commitment to inclusion.
- 🎓 The speaker's academic journey involved majoring in three different fields, which also included creating a course on the philosophy of black thought, demonstrating the power of inclusion in education.
- 📘 The speaker's experience at Guilford College was transformative, providing a model of what an inclusive society could look like, where every discipline was required to address issues of race, class, and gender.
- 🚫 In law school, the speaker faced derogatory comments and stereotypes, illustrating the ongoing challenges of being perceived as a token minority rather than a legitimate participant.
- 🌟 The speaker emphasizes the importance of moving beyond mere diversity to true inclusion, where every individual has a seat at the table and a voice in the conversation.
- 🍉 The speaker concludes with a vision for a more inclusive society, likening the goal to transforming from a fruit bowl to a fruit salad, where different elements are not just present but also interconnected and valued.
Q & A
What is the speaker's perspective on diversity?
-The speaker views diversity as superficial when it is only about representation without meaningful involvement or interaction among different groups.
What is the speaker's hometown and what is its significance?
-The speaker's hometown is Greensboro, North Carolina, which is significant as the birthplace of the sit-in movement.
How did the speaker's experience in high school shape their understanding of diversity?
-The speaker's experience in a majority-black high school allowed them to be rooted in their heritage and feel 'black love,' but also made them realize that not everyone they would encounter would look like them.
Why did the speaker choose to attend a predominantly white college?
-The speaker chose a predominantly white college to diversify their world and experience a different cultural environment.
What was the speaker's initial reaction to the racial discussions at the predominantly white college?
-The speaker was disheartened by the dismissive and harmful comments made by white students, which included denial of racism and claims of colorblindness.
How did the speaker's college respond to the need for real change regarding diversity and inclusion?
-The college acknowledged its racist history and committed to becoming anti-racist, offering anti-racism courses, establishing a multicultural education department, and fostering real conversations about race, class, and gender.
What was the speaker's involvement in promoting inclusion at their college?
-The speaker became heavily involved in various activities, majored in three different fields, and helped develop a course on the philosophy of black thought.
How did the speaker's experience in law school differ from their college experience regarding diversity?
-In law school, the speaker faced more overt racism and a lack of genuine diversity and inclusion, with some students referring to them and their black peers as 'affirmative action babies.'
What is the speaker's definition of an inclusive society?
-An inclusive society, according to the speaker, is one where people of all backgrounds are not only present but also have a seat, a voice, and are valued for their worth and integrity.
What is the speaker's goal for the communities they live in?
-The speaker's goal is for communities to evolve from being a 'fruit bowl' of separate elements to a 'fruit salad,' where different elements are interconnected and support each other while maintaining their individuality.
What challenge does the speaker issue to the audience regarding diversity and inclusion?
-The speaker challenges the audience to move past superficial diversity, to recognize and act upon the humanity of people of color, and to create an inclusive environment where everyone has a voice.
Outlines
🌈 The Superficiality of Diversity
The speaker begins by expressing a personal dislike for the concept of diversity as it is often superficially implemented, likening it to a fruit platter where each element is present but not integrated. They describe the common practice of merely checking off diversity boxes without ensuring meaningful participation and voice for the represented groups. The speaker reflects on their upbringing in Greensboro, North Carolina, a racially diverse environment, and contrasts it with their college experience at a predominantly white institution. They recount the dismissive and harmful attitudes towards race and racism they encountered, highlighting the challenges of being one of the few people of color and the pressure to represent the entire black experience in conversations about race.
🌟 Embracing Inclusion and Change
In the second paragraph, the speaker shares their transformative experience at Guilford College, where they transitioned from feeling alienated to becoming an active participant in fostering a more inclusive environment. The college's acknowledgment of its racist history and commitment to anti-racism resonated with the speaker, who then invested heavily in various campus activities. They pursued multiple majors, including political science, philosophy, and African-American studies, and were instrumental in developing a course on the philosophy of black thought. The speaker's active involvement and the college's genuine efforts towards inclusion made them feel valued and heard, setting a standard for what an inclusive society should look like.
🚫 Overcoming Stereotypes and Advocating for Inclusion
The final paragraph details the speaker's challenges in law school, where they faced derogatory comments and stereotypes, being labeled as an 'affirmative action baby.' Despite these setbacks, the speaker remained resilient, refusing to let these comments define them. They call for a societal shift from mere diversity to true inclusion, where people of color are not just present but have a voice and are valued for their contributions. The speaker aspires for a world where communities are not just diverse but interconnected, learning from and supporting each other, which they liken to a fruit salad rather than a fruit bowl. They conclude with a heartfelt desire to leave a more inclusive world for future generations.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Diversity
💡Inclusion
💡Superficial
💡Racism
💡Anti-Racism
💡Heritage
💡Affirmative Action
💡Stereotype
💡Philosophy of Black Thought
💡Inclusive Society
💡Equal Opportunity
Highlights
The speaker expresses a deep dissatisfaction with the superficial understanding of diversity, comparing it to a fruit platter where elements are present but not meaningfully integrated.
The speaker's personal experience growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, a diverse environment that was the birthplace of the sit-in movement, provided a strong foundation in their heritage.
The contrast between the speaker's high school experience in a majority-black school and their college experience at a predominantly white institution highlights the stark differences in cultural immersion.
The initial shock and culture shock experienced by the speaker at a Quaker college, which was a predominantly white environment, emphasizes the importance of diversity in educational settings.
The speaker recounts dismissive and harmful comments made by white peers regarding race and racism, illustrating the need for more informed and empathetic conversations on these topics.
The speaker's decision to stop engaging in unproductive conversations about race and racism at college, due to the lack of genuine understanding and empathy from peers.
The transformative moment when the Quaker college acknowledged its racist past and committed to becoming an anti-racist institution, which deeply resonated with the speaker.
The speaker's active involvement in their college's efforts to promote inclusion, such as establishing a multicultural education department and offering anti-racism courses.
The speaker's personal academic journey, majoring in political science, philosophy, and African-American studies, which reflects their commitment to understanding and addressing diversity and inclusion.
The creation of a unique course on the philosophy of black thought, which exemplifies the speaker's proactive approach to fostering inclusion and representation in academia.
The speaker's experience of being labeled as an 'affirmative action baby' in law school, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by people of color in educational settings.
The speaker's reflection on the importance of moving beyond mere representation to genuine inclusion, where people of color have a seat and a voice in society.
The speaker's challenge to society to recognize and act on the humanity of people of color, rather than merely paying lip service to diversity.
The analogy of moving from a 'fruit bowl' to a 'fruit salad' as a metaphor for the transition from mere diversity to true inclusion and integration.
The speaker's vision for an inclusive society where individuals are connected, learn from each other, and support one another while maintaining their own worth and integrity.
The speaker's personal motivation to contribute to a more inclusive world for future generations, particularly for their daughter, emphasizing the importance of leaving a lasting impact.
Transcripts
thank you very much hello so I'm a
diversity chain er and I have to be
honest with you I hate diversity
diversity to me is kind of like a fruit
platter all of the parts are present all
are represented but they're kept
separate they're not involved in any
meaningful way it looks cute it looks
good but it's superficial people want to
make sure they have one Asian a few
black folks throw in a couple of women
and sprinkle some other and it's all
good because that's diversity the answer
to racism we don't have to do the real
work
we don't have to make sure that those
that we bring into the boardroom
actually have a seat and a voice we just
got to make sure they're there when
we're thinking about diversity I knew
when I was growing up that I didn't live
in the most diverse kind of way I grew
up in a small town well not so small but
small Greensboro North Carolina it was
the birthplace of the sit-in movement my
hometown and my side of town was
majority black I went to a majority
black high school Dudley high and there
I loved it because I was surrounded by
black love and I was able to route
myself in my heritage but I kind of got
the feeling from watching TV and movies
that that wasn't real life that not
everybody I was gonna come in contact
with was gonna look like me so I decided
I needed to versafine my world and I
sought out a lily-white
school when it was time to go to college
I found it - I found the Quakers
y'all it doesn't get any whiter than a
Quaker friends let me tell you it was a
shock it was a shock to my culture it
was a shock to my soul but I enjoyed
myself after a girlfriend made some
changes during my first year there I
noticed that I was one of only a few
people of color we could count ourselves
on one hand in my class and I can
remember when we would be talking about
issues with race about race and racism I
can remember the things that the white
folks would say that were harmful and
dismissive they would say things like I
don't see your color really they would
say well racism is it real anymore they
would say well if black folks did X Y &
Z and I stopped listening so I don't
know what they said after that they
would say I don't have privilege why are
you mad at me and what was really funny
y'all is that they would give me all
those answers after they would stop the
conversation they were having cuz I was
not a part of it anyway and look at me
and say Sonny
what do you think you know that loaded
you that you were that wasn't just about
Sonny that you that was kinda they
wanted me to wrap up the entire black
experience put it in a tight little box
and serve it up on a platter they wanted
me to make sure that I conveyed
everything they needed to know and in
those moments I would try at first I
would try I would okay Sonny don't panic
you can do this you got to make sure
you're soft so that they can hear you
but you speak with honesty so it's based
in truth and I would give my truth and
get all that crap back I stopped talking
when they would look at me and say Sonny
what do you think I don't know what do
you think I mean I guess we're all
colorblind I stopped having the
conversation and for awhile I considered
transferring to a different school but
when I came back in my second year my
Quaker institution was ready to make
some real change
they weren't going
to count people anymore and my Quaker
institution after some hard work from
some people of color on our campus
decided that they were going to proclaim
from the President to the bottom of the
staff that we are a racist institution
that wants to work towards being
anti-racist y'all I fell in love I
started to invest so much time energy
and effort but guess why because they
were investing time energy and effort
and being inclusive we were having real
conversations and everywhere from the
cafeteria to the classroom and in those
conversations we were talking about
issues around race class and gender I
can remember that my institution was
paying eight thousand dollars each
semester to offer anti racism two and a
half day courses to any and everybody
who wanted to come we establish a
multicultural education department and
that department had money and they would
host things for us multicultural folks
it was awesome we were having
conversations and cafeterias and all
over and I was loving it and not to be
quite honest with you I fell in love and
started doing hard work on their behalf
I became mrs. Gilford I was in
everything and everywhere
I mean you if you wanted to know what
was going on at Guilford you just asked
me in four years I
I majored in three different things
political science philosophy and
african-american studies and I can
remember pay attention to what we did we
were doing real work we were requiring
that every discipline have some course
that focused on race class and gender I
was a foster major who do you think I
studied a bunch of old white men so I
went to my professor dr. McLeod and I
said can we do something and she said
what about a course on the philosophy of
black thought and between the two of us
it was first an independent study we
developed a course where I was able to
study w eb de Bois and Booker T
Washington dr. King Malcolm X sedona
truth dr. Maya Angelou y'all this is
inclusion at work
I felt like I was a part of something I
had a seat
and a voice and when I left Guildford I
was better off because of Guildford I
knew what an inclusive society looked
like and because of Dudley I have I was
rooted in my heritage so I move here to
Akron hey y'all
brought my southern charm and everything
and here in Akron I was in law school
and I was ready for when diversity would
make a mockery of me because here in
some areas in law school diversity ruled
over inclusion like for instance when we
come back to start our second year I
remember we lost a lot of students law
school was hard we lost a lot of
students but the loss of our black
fellow classmates was all the more
visible because it wasn't so many but so
many of us to begin with the story's
hard for me so I remember when I was
walking around the corner and I was
getting ready to go to class there was a
group of white students that were
standing off to the side they didn't see
me at first and I remember overhearing
the conversation and they called us all
me included affirmative action babies
who couldnt said we couldn't handle the
work didn't belong to be there didn't
belong our scholarship money then we
were taking opportunities from real
lawyers I did hold my head up and turn
that corner went about my business
because I knew if I were to express my
hurt then it would just justify the
angry black woman stereotype because I
was a little bad too so I can help walk
in and they did stop their conversation
to their credit snickered under their
breath but they stopped their
conversation I want y'all to hear me
when I say these moments are common for
me moments when people question my
intellect moments when people question
my space in the room moments when people
write me off like a politically correct
answer to equal opportunity diversity
well I got a surprise for you
y'all I am black I'm a proud black woman
and B and I am no lesser because of that
I just want to challenge you to think
when are we as a society when are we
gonna move past this when are we gonna
see the humanity and people of color
when are we gonna just take the pain
that they give us and act instead of
denying defend diversity will always
give us space in the rooms but it leaves
no room for our thoughts in our ways of
life inclusion will change our rooms
inclusion will make sure we all have a
seat and a voice and check this out it's
got a challenge for you
once you hear the voice you have to act
to make some changes that's inclusion
that's what matters for me I just want
to make sure that I'm leaving a better
world for my daughter an inclusive world
will do that for her so I think of
diversity like a fruit bowl and let's be
honest Akron we're still that fruit bowl
if you think about communities on the
east side versus communities on the west
side they look and feel completely
different we've got a lot of work to do
but my goal is for us to be a fruit
salad my goal is for us to be able to be
connected my goal is for us to learn and
lean and support each other's flavors
but make sure we allow for people to
have their own Worth and integrity
because that will be an inclusive
society and America and Accra will be so
much better when we can say we are
inclusive much love
you
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