Diversity Training

I went to a Diversity Training session with Eric Davis last Friday and really enjoyed iF. I went in expecting it to be a 3 hour lecture and was pleasantly surprised with how he decided to do things. The topic that we spent the most time on was oppression of minorities and the need to understand that. He gave us an example of if we were to all play monopoly, but since he’s invited us to his house, and has provided food and drink, he decides he will take Boardwalk and Park Place and the railroads. This fits in rather well with how things actually happened, seeing as up until the last 50 years there was not equality by law, and even after that was attained it doesn’t just go back. The later part of the example of monopoly is he agrees not to cheat anymore, he won’t give himself anything more, as though that makes things out to be on an even playing field. He tries to give these little concessions to appease the other ‘players’ but the fact is he’s nice and safe while if any one of us land on his property we’ll be bankrupt.

Another example Eric Davis gave us involved us all coming to the front of the room. He took one volunteer to lay on a table as his subject to emphasize his thoughts. At one point, he had the guy on the table lay at an awkward tiring position, and then stepped away for a minute. When he returned he asked why none of us helped the guy on the table, and everyone was sort of dumb founded. It seemed he wanted to show us how we are sort of programed to follow orders. He didn’t order us not to help, but it was implied through his orders. We thought we were observers while he only had one volunteer only to learn we were all playing active rolls in this simulation.

Another interesting thing we did was try to decipher a “language” on the board. He showed us a bunch of symbols in no order, and we tried to learn them with them making little to no sense. He then showed us the symbols in their natural order and it became very clear. It was an example of how something might make sense to one but not another. What you say or do may not be see the same way if people are from a different background.

I’d say what hit me the most was the last exorcise we did. It was an exorcise intended to show it what it may be like if we were to come out as being gay to our family and friends. We had 10 pieces of paper, and were instructed to put down 4 names of people important to us, 3 ways we relate to others (family mostly, like son, father, ect), and 3 institutions/places we belong to. I had the most trouble just with the first part. I really couldn’t figure out who was important to me, nothing came to mind and that saddened me a bit. When we had something written down on each is when he told us to tear one of each up. It is gone. We didn’t know why initially but I was quite okay with this. To me, the first one I ripped up just made sense. I ripped up my uncle, who I don’t see much anyhow, my job which I’m quitting, doesn’t bother me much, and cousin (my relationship with my cousin, that I don’t see much). Next had to pick 2 more of our choosing, got rid of my Karting and my mom since she’s leaving anyhow to Afghanistan for 6 months. I was left with 5 cards when he came by and took my grandpa from me, and my grandson card, leaving me with my dad, being his son (a little repetitive), and a student at Cascadia. It was only then that he revealed to everyone what the purpose of this exorcise was. I must admit I didn’t put much thought into that, but rather how empty it made me feel to begin with. That has been on my mind much of the last week actually, I keep thinking about it trying to figure out how to fill this void. Of course right now I don’t really have the time. I’ve been doing nothing but going to school and to work and home if you can call it that.