INCLUSION over Diversity | Kenyona Matthews | TEDxAkron

Summary

The 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

00:00

🌈 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.

05:01

🌟 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.

10:02

🚫 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.

Keywords

💡Diversity

Diversity in this context refers to the presence of different racial, ethnic, or cultural groups within a community or organization. The speaker criticizes the superficial representation of diversity, likening it to a fruit platter where different elements are present but not integrated. The speaker's dissatisfaction with this superficial approach is evident when they discuss the lack of meaningful involvement of diverse individuals in decision-making processes.

💡Inclusion

Inclusion is the act of involving and valuing all members of a community or group, ensuring they have a voice and a seat at the decision-making table. The speaker contrasts diversity with inclusion, emphasizing that while diversity is about presence, inclusion is about participation and influence. The speaker's experience at Guilford College, where they actively worked towards being anti-racist and inclusive, exemplifies the concept of inclusion in action.

💡Superficial

Superficial in this script denotes a shallow or surface-level approach to diversity that does not delve into deeper issues of equity and participation. The speaker uses the term to describe the initial state of their college, where diversity was present but not meaningfully engaged with, as well as the broader societal approach to diversity that they critique.

💡Racism

Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice. The speaker discusses racism in the context of their experiences and the need for institutions to acknowledge and actively work against it. The script mentions the speaker's college proclaiming itself a 'racist institution' that wants to work towards being anti-racist, illustrating a commitment to addressing racism.

💡Anti-Racism

Anti-racism is the active opposition to racism by advocating for policies and attitudes that promote racial equality. The speaker's narrative includes their college's commitment to anti-racism, which involved acknowledging past racism and taking steps to educate and change institutional practices, such as offering anti-racism courses and establishing a multicultural education department.

💡Heritage

Heritage refers to the traditions, beliefs, and practices that are passed down through generations in a culture or family. The speaker mentions being rooted in their heritage, which is tied to their identity and the community they grew up in, a predominantly black high school in Greensboro, North Carolina. This heritage is a source of pride and identity for the speaker.

💡Affirmative Action

Affirmative action is a set of policies intended to increase opportunities for members of groups that have been discriminated against, such as racial minorities. In the script, the speaker recounts an incident where they were derogatorily referred to as 'affirmative action babies,' highlighting the backlash and stereotypes faced by beneficiaries of such policies.

💡Stereotype

A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. The speaker mentions the 'angry black woman' stereotype, which they navigate to avoid reinforcing, as an example of the harmful and limiting perceptions that can be associated with racial and gender identities.

💡Philosophy of Black Thought

This concept refers to the intellectual and philosophical contributions of Black thinkers and leaders throughout history. The speaker's initiative to develop a course on this subject at Guilford College exemplifies the importance of inclusion and representation in academia, allowing for a broader understanding of diverse philosophical perspectives.

💡Inclusive Society

An inclusive society is one that values and incorporates the perspectives, experiences, and contributions of all its members, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background. The speaker's goal for Akron and beyond is to move from being a 'fruit bowl' of separate elements to a 'fruit salad,' where different identities are interconnected and valued for their unique contributions to the whole.

💡Equal Opportunity

Equal opportunity refers to the idea that all individuals should have the same chances and rights, particularly in employment and education, regardless of personal characteristics such as race or gender. The speaker critiques the concept as sometimes being used as a superficial solution to deeper issues of systemic inequality and lack of genuine inclusion.

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