IS EXPLORING DIFFERENCE DIVISIVE

Is exploring difference and diversity divisive? In recent workshops I have led and discussions around diversity of which I was a participant, I have heard people share this idea of divisiveness when exploring difference. Mostly people pose it as a question, “do you think talking about our differences is divisive?” When I ask them why, responses are usually because all of these differences separates from us from one another.

        I on the other hand do not think it is divisive discussing difference, but I do think it is revealing. Let me put it like this-

                 more personal exploration gives an opportunity for reconciliation,

                 while being able to give self-explanations give others revelations.

Simply being willing and able to traverse one’s own personal history, opens windows to community, to one’s self and to one understanding why they do what they do.

Imagine this, you work in a place where there are no images of you reflected. Fancy this idea, going to school and learning the history about a group of people that you identify with, but your history is not taught or acknowledged. What do you think having little to no information about your ancestry does to your self-image? Or what does it contribute to your understanding of your civic duty or social responsibility?

If I am not learning about myself or being taught something positive about my community, then I am still learning something. If you are not a part of my community or if you do not view me as an equal and you are teaching me, then what are you telling me about me and my people? What can you tell me about me or my people? I do not have an answer for these questions, but I posit that there are a lot of gaps in what can be taught from that unknowing perspective. And it is possible that these interactions can have an acerbic influence on my development.

                 SEEING DIFFERENCE AS A POSITIVE

Having pride in yourself or your history is affirming because you understand what you or your community came through, and you may be able to visualize a positive life for yourself. Knowing your personal history can help you control the image of “you” that you project to others. During all interactions, being self-aware supports one managing themselves because you are clear of your own preferences, biases, and potential responses. Moreover, one may also be aware of their non-verbals and the influence they can have on others during interpersonal interactions.

  If you have been ensconced in an untrue narrative of who you are or what your community is socially, then you may be threatened when another person is exploring their personal history, which dismantles the power of your personal narrative. Similarly, when a person explores their personal history and that dismantles the image of demise towards your community, they may be feel empowered. When a person is socialized in a culturally homogenous environment, entering a community with a menagerie of people can be intimidating. One has to re-learn how to relate to other people. When a person is constantly in a heterogeneous environment, they develop mechanisms to network and interface with other people.

Individuals that are accustom to viewing themselves as part of the model community or they have not viewed themselves through the lens of being different, they are not habituated in reconciling their identities with the identities of others. When I see others having pride in those personal elements that make them different, I feel excited to learn more about them, but I do not feel like it separates me from them. It does however distinguish parts of me from them. For instance, if I am walking with two friends and we are conversing in English, then during our conversation they start speaking in a Spanish that does not threaten me. Actually, it is impressive to watch a person go between languages. I do not feel like they are keeping me out, I feel they are expressing themselves and them doing it in front of me makes me feel they are comfortable around me. If I do not understand what is being said by my friends I can be vulnerable and ask them to clarify or repeat it. Heck I may ask them to teach me a phrase or some terms in their language.

There are some that respond ostensibly when people are celebrating pride in themselves and sometimes it is obvious. I think it is difficult to genuinely be excited for someone while they are is celebrating their difference and pride when I do not view them as equal and view them as inferior to me. If I have not explored my history, I may be feel inadequate witnessing others expatiate on their own. I think it is uncomfortable for a person to learn about others and to realize the magnitude of what you do not know about people that you see everyday. The feeling probably worsens when you accept that what you do not know is partially if not mostly a result from your complicit willingness to not explore other people.

Seeing people learn who they are and celebrate that may feel like they are learning this at your expense. So remove yourself from the equation of my self-exploration because my journey should be about me and not you. I must ask this question, what person or group benefits from me not knowing who I am? Because if a group benefits from my ignorance, then they are threatened by my self-exploration. That kind of revelation is so important to relationships because one can then see who is your true ally and those that are not. Further, that revelation may also expose those that care about your advancement and those that do not. Do not be fooled, but there are institutions, agencies, and businesses that thrive on the ignorance of people.

CONCLUSION

In closing, if you are exploring your personal history and you are learning things that enhance or challenge your self-image continue learning. What you are learning may provide insight to you on your positionality, on your biases, and even about your personality. Having a holistic view of yourself is a good thing because you can see areas you need to improve and your strengths, plus you can possibly trace it to your ancestry. I think when it comes to not doing your own exploration that is divisive being separate from yourself because it may mean you are divided from you people. If I am separated from my people, then I may be aligning myself with those that do not edify me or my culture. I am not saying that people that share my culture or edify me need to share my ethnicity or look like me. The people that are interested in my culture or share my culture are interested in me. If you are interested in me for the purposes of learning more about me then you do not have to compare yourself to me. You can celebrate me and I can also celebrate you.