Valuing Culture:Looking Beyond Surface Culture

Friend#1: Diversity is the differences that are known and seen in individuals that determines how we react to one another. Culture is the way that a person is taught or raised. Relative #1:Culture is the inside of a person shining through the outside. Diversity is when a society accepts differences amongst one another. Friend#2: Culture is everything the a child is taught as they grow up, on how to act, think, walk, talk, love, and dwell. Diversity is understanding and making strides to accept people who are from a differewmt race, religion and culture. The connection that I saw in the definition that !y friend and relative made to the one that I have read about is the simplest ones from the videos with Ms. Derman-Sparks where she and her counterparts. The discussions between Ms. Derman-Sparks described diversity and culture as being the way a person is taught to live Laureate Education Inc., 2011). The aspects of culture that were ommited in our conversations were those of surface culture. Even though the topic of surface culture is something that is a obvious idea of culture, it was something that I thought would come up. The only thing that was discussed about surface culture was race, no one was categorized or stereotyped. As I listened to others give their insight on diversity and culture I couldn't help bit think about how my own ideas of culture and diversity were viewed. Society is blossoming into a new way of thinking which was present in the thoughts of my peers and relatives. The views of others is going deeper than skin tone and social class. Reference Laureate Education Inc., (2011). Family culture:dynamics interaction. (video file) Retrieved from http:\\class.Walden.edu

My Family Culture

Three items that come to mind that are significant to my family that I would take on this journey would be a Bible, photo album and my wedding bands. This is how I would explain to others what the items mean to me. I would explain that the Bible represents the totally of my family. Our dynamic as a family comes from the significance of the teachings of the Bible as followers of Jesus Christ. The Bible would be a way for the future of my family to always have something to hold on to that connects us to God. The photo album would have pictures of my grandmother, grandfather, mom, siblings, my husband, and his grandmother, grandfather, mother, father and siblings. The photo album will be a way to have an image of the people that are very special to me on hand at all times. Last, the wedding bands would be the second important. I can have something to glorify my marriage as well as pass on to my daughter, or son when there time comes to marry. I can start my on family tradition and cultural practice with the rings and albums. Maybe once a year we celebrate using the pictures. I would be devastated upon arrival, if I was told that I had to give up all of the items except for one of the them. I would feel stripped by anyone of the items being taken away. I would feel so hurt because everything that I owned and cherished was taken once, and now I would only be left with one thing. The choice would be very hard. Just like the parents entering our classrooms from other cultures having to be striped and taken away from their comfort zones (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). I honestly think that I would have a panic attack, a moment of breakdown; crying, screaming, yelling and eventually the feeling of defeat once I realize that this was gonna be my new way of living. It would take the love from my family to bring me to a sense of peace. I think that having my family around me would actually be more important than having the items, so I would be able to live with only one item. The insight that I got from this assignment is that the memories and time that we would spend together would make up for all of the material things we loose. That is what my family culture is about any way; the faith that we have, that keeps us safe allows us the peace in knowing that everything will be okay as long as we continue to pass on our belief in God, and each other. Reference Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Family cultures: Dynamic interactions. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu