northern voices online encompasses many aspects of life including languages, beliefs, food and music. It is celebrated in numerous ways around the world.
Educators in the four long day care centres reported an intentional focus on diversity. Table 3 shows details of the nature of this educator focus and the associated pattern of understanding.
1. Listen to the Voices
Listen to people from all walks of life share their stories of overcoming adversity and finding hope in the most unlikely places. The podcast includes artists, designers, composers, makers, writers, dance artists and musicians from all over the North of England. They talk about their inspiration, how they keep audiences engaged and the importance of maintaining their unique identities and cultural traditions in a rapidly changing world.
The podcast also features interviews with actors, directors and producers who speak passionately about the need to create work that celebrates and represents their community. Actor Leo Wan speaks about surviving a pandemic as an artist and asks why theatres release Black Lives Matter statements, while Director Alan Lyddiard shares his thoughts on the community-professional binary in theatre. And Poet Shirley May talks about learning from empowered young people through the lens of bone-crunching dance routines.
The podcast also features everyday Christians from the North of England like Levi who share how Jesus has changed their lives and given them a secure identity. And it includes an interview with the founder of The Climate Conversation, a network that brings together those practising an ecological way of living in the UK. It’s vital that we hear voices like these, as global lawmakers push new technologies that will only exacerbate the damage caused by industrial agriculture.
2. Celebrate Your Culture
When people share their cultures, it builds trust and increases productivity. It also provides an opportunity for employees to learn about each other. Consider hosting a potluck, encouraging employees to bring food from their home countries and regions, and offering diversity training. Misunderstandings and conflicts in the workplace often arise from different cultural expectations, such as the expectation that looking someone in the eyes when speaking to them is a sign of attentiveness. To prevent these problems, encourage your team to talk about their cultures, dispel stereotypes, and celebrate the rich experiences that everyone brings to work.
It’s easy for children to fall into the trap of thinking that only people from outside the United States have culture. At Disney Elementary School’s annual Culture Night, students are reminded that even the United States has its own unique cultures. Each year, fifth-grade classes research and create a display for the event to showcase the 50 states. In addition, the school’s ESL specialist explains the event to linguistically diverse families and students are encouraged to attend with passports, which they receive upon arriving at the event. They earn a stamp for each regional display they visit, reinforcing the idea that everyone has a culture.
3. Learn About Other Cultures
While a person’s culture defines them, it isn’t limited to their ethnicity or nationality. Culture encompasses beliefs, language, food, music and arts, social institutions, traditions, history and more. This includes non-verbal behaviours such as body language. For example, in the United States, looking people in the eye while speaking tends to be viewed as an expression of attentiveness, but this gesture is often perceived as aggressive or intimidating by other cultures.
Your workplace is a great place to learn about the cultural heritage of your coworkers. Getting to know one another is a valuable way of breaking down stereotypes and preventing the misunderstandings that can lead to conflict.
A good place to start is with a company or community’s culture night, where you can learn more about the values, traditions and customs of different communities. Then, consider what you can do on a personal level to learn more about other cultures.
For example, if your company holds a music-themed culture night, you can ask employees to share the cultural significance of their favorite songs with the rest of the workforce. This is a fun and engaging way to help everyone get to know one another, and it will make the office environment more inclusive. It can also reinforce the idea that every culture has value and is worth celebrating. At Disney Elementary in Orlando, Florida, students have a 50 States Project where they choose a state to research and create a poster presentation and float for the school’s annual culture night celebration.
4. Share Your Culture
There’s so much more to a person than their ethnicity or nationality. A person’s culture also encompasses their beliefs, values, traditions, food, music and art, language, and social institutions. Knowing what these are helps you understand a person’s worldview and makes it easier to connect with them.
Expanding your cultural awareness can also help you learn and grow in a professional context. If you work in a high-tech industry that deals with international clients, for example, being able to communicate and interact with people from other countries can open up many more career opportunities within your organization.
It’s important to remember that every country and region has its own culture. One way to celebrate this is through a region-specific event. For instance, Disney Elementary’s annual Culture Night includes a showcase of the fifth-graders’ 50 States Project. Students each choose a state to research, then create an exhibition of the different aspects of their chosen region.
Other ways to showcase culture include hosting a potluck, creating a holiday tradition, or celebrating your heritage during a family gathering. At the workplace, a diverse culture can increase team morale and improve productivity. Showing appreciation for your colleagues’ backgrounds and experiences, helping them feel safe to express their cultures, and providing diversity training all contribute to a positive work environment.
Getting to know other cultures can be as simple as visiting your local museum. You could even watch a documentary or read a book about the history, accomplishments, and tribulations of various societies.