Running head: PERSPECITVES OF DIVERSITY
Perspectives of Diversity
Julie Clark
Candace Falkner
Samantha Perkins
Jennifer Schulz
University of Phoenix
Psychology 535: Multicultural Psychology
Dr. Andre Rawls
December 8, 2008
Perspectives of Diversity
According to the US Census Bureau in the year 2000 ethnic minorities made up around 30% of the American population and this number is on the rise. It is estimated that by the year 2050 ethnic minorities will make up about half of the American population. With the increasing number of people from ethnic minorities in America's population come an increased number of ethnic minority people in America's workforce. This has caused diversity in the workplace to gain a lot of attention over the last several years. Diversity is defined by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (2008) as "differences among people or peoples reflected in a variety of forms, including but not limited to race, culture, perspective, talent, interest, ability, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, language and socio-economic status". With the changes that are occurring in America's workforce companies are hiring more culturally diverse employees and it is becoming necessary for companies to learn to value the diversity of their employees as well as the benefits that this diversity brings to their company.
What Diversity Means to Team B
Diversity is the differences that each individual person possesses whether it is obvious characteristics such as their skin color or something not as obvious such as belief systems, cultural values and religious preferences. Diversity simply is non-similar characteristics that allow us each to be our own individual rather than many of the same people walking around in today's society. Diversity allows us to be ourselves and require respect for who we are as well as give respect for the characteristics in others that are not similar to our own. Diversity is recognizing and seeing the...