Growing up I think I had the best of both worlds.
I grew up in an environment where my parents and family instilled in me pride about my culture and heritage. Yet, I lived around people from all different backgrounds and faiths. It wasn’t until recently that I looked back over my life and realized how much my upbringing has shaped my world view and my career path.
One experience in particular stands out. When I worked at a college in metro Detroit I was the coordinator for two programs. One was “A Conversation on Race” which focused on diverse topics such as interracial relationships, white privilege, and race and politics. The second was the “Multicultural Immersion Program” which encouraged students to explore other cultures and rediscover their own. These were important opportunities for dialogue and it taught me that people can appreciate and respect the differences that each cultural group possesses. We just have to be open to talking about them.
These experiences have never left me and in times like today when people want to go to their respective cultural silos, here I am to stand in the middle of the room and say NO, let’s talk and learn from one another!
There is a quote by Martin Luther King that embodies the work I do every day. “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” I’m a firm believer that we need to talk to one another so we can break down the barriers and replace the fear with faith in each other, one conversation at a time.
Cory J. Anderson writes about practical ways to think about and implement equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. He has always lived in a multicultural environment which he credits as his inspiration to bring diverse groups of people together. Cory is passionate about using facilitated conversations as a tool to increase understanding and personal development. He has held various leadership positions with several nonprofit organizations and universities facilitating multicultural education. He is the founder of Diverse Dialogues, an organization focused on breaking down barriers one conversation at a time. Follow him on Twitter @mrca12.
