Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I asked my mom about culture and she blew me aways with her answer.  I thought she would talk about the things like costumes, festivals, and food. She talked my grandma and the values and morals that she still tries to live by today. She said my grandfather made them go to church every Sunday. No one ever stayed home. She mentioned working in the fields, how they stayed cool under the pecan tree when it was hot like it is now. Diversity to her is when we all, (my family) come together to eat and enjoy each other company.

My friend Virginia who is also my classmate from high school laugh at me because she said ‘girl you know we are like night and day when it comes to culture. She told me about church, (we are both Baptist) but her culture does not say in there all day. The food we eat is so different. She does like greens, okra, and neck-bones and rice though. I had to laugh on that. Her answer to diversity is the different people she works with. Her co-workers are from all over the world.

I learned about surface culture and deep culture this week. Surface culture is all about what we see on the outside or what is on top. Food, costumes, festivals, photos and artifacts are the material things that people hold close to them. My mom and Virginia talked about the deep culture, what is inside of each of us. It is our ways of doing things. Mom tells of going to church every Sunday. Virginia talking about the difference in time each of us spent in church. Diversity is left out because I believe that culture is just that, and it is what we have to respect when it comes to other children and their families.