Cultural Diversity

Cultural Diversity: What was your reaction to the discussion and activity Denise presented in class? How has your outlook on diversity changed from high school to now? Why is diversity important to our culture and our education?

      

Cultural diversity is not a new subject to me.  Throughout my years of school we have learned about it and each year during high school we had a diversity week.  During the week we have speakers come in and activities to embrace and celebrate our differences.  One day we would dress up like our heritage or wear a flag, another we would have sort of a potluck of different types of ethnic foods.  We learned that it isn't just about race, like most people think, it is so much more. 

My outlook on diversity hasn't really changed from high school to now.   I went to Waterloo East High School where it is known for the diversity, and unfortunately why it is labeled with bad reputations.  To give you an idea of the diversity I'll give a few estimated percentages: 68% Caucasian, 28% African Americans, and the rest other (Mexican, Asian, and Bosnian) with different religions and genders out of a school with a little over 800 people. The major difference between high school and now is more of a range of differences.  There are a lot more races, especially Asian, which I'm not use to, speaking other languages, and more types of religions.

Why is diversity important? It is important because the world is full of differences causing the diversity and it is important to understand the differences, but also embrace them.  Diversity relates to people more and more as we get older.  If we don't understand it now it could possibly hurt us later in life.  It is seen in education, work, and daily out on the streets.  Diversity isn't the problem, the problem is when the differences aren't understood and accepted between people.  Some of my friends couldn't be more different from me sometimes, but that's what makes us friends.  To lighten the mood from a serious topic I have added a picture of two of my best friends, one being African American and the other Korean.

"Much of the vitality in a friendship lies in the honouring of differences, not simply in the enjoyment of similarities." (Unknown)

Social Media

For Social Media Week I decided to create my own website.  While I was creating the website I found out that it took a lot of information to start.  I realized that I could go on and on about my high school accomplishments but I'm in college now.  I learned that it's time to have more experiences to learn and make more accomplishments.  One thing I knew before hand is that I don't like to talk about myself but I realized that this is a website for possible future employers and I need to show them who I am.  So after creating my website I know that it is time to create my college experiences.

Social media has become a powerful thing, especially lately.  Today it's almost odd not to have a facebook.  Now recently others have and are being popular like facebook, for example twitter, instagram, and pinterest.  As each one of the types of social media grows so do the amount of people who get involved in them.  This is why social media can help people connect more, not just friends and family but also future employers.  Social media allows the ability to make connections, that were unheard of in the past, to help with the future and reaching goals.

The articles over social media were entertaining.  It surprised me how fast social media has grown and all the connections you can make by using it.  The articles emphasized how many people can see what you put online and the important of how you present yourself.  I myself didn't think about my twitter name until recently.  I let my friends create my account and was know as @heather_swag on twitter.  This being an example of one of the twitter names that wouldn't be the best for people, especially future employers, to know me by.  I have changed it but the lesson for the day is don't let your friends create your social media accounts.

If you'd like to see my website it is https://sites.google.com/site/heatherlynneobrien/ but remember it's always developing or you can follow my new and improved twitter @HeatherOBrien_.