UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- By the year 2056, people of color -- including African Americans, Hispanics, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts -- are expected to be the majority population in the United States, says an expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
"As our society becomes more diverse, it's important that we learn to appreciate and understand our differences and to work effectively with people who are unlike ourselves," says Patreese Ingram, assistant professor of agricultural and extension education. "We may not see diversity in our particular community, but our children will experience it.
"Because today's world is changing so fast, kids are challenged to figure out where they fit in and how they can feel good about their contribution," she says. "After the Columbine High School situation, for instance, people focused on where the kids got the guns and what the parents were doing. But why were these kids so distraught that they built up enough resentment to want revenge?
"It seems to me it was because they were different, and being different automatically means undesirable. If we could get people to accept and appreciate difference, our communities -- and our world -- would be a lot more peaceful. But that's a huge challenge."
To help address this issue, Ingram developed a publication, "Diversity Activities for Youth and Adults." The publication can be used by teachers, youth leaders, child care professionals and human service professionals. While most of the activities are geared towards middle school students, high school students and adults, Ingram explains, some may be adapted for younger children.
"Although people often think diversity refers only to race, it includes gender, ethnicity, age, income, family structure, the part of the country we're from, physical and mental abilities, religious beliefs, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, veteran status, education, occupation and language," she says. "Diversity is all of us, in our rich and infinite variety."
Currently:
-- 1 in 7 Americans speaks a language other than English in the home
-- physically challenged individuals are the largest minority group
-- an estimated 10 percent of the population is gay or lesbian
-- people 75 years and older constitute the fastest growing age group
"Often, we don't interact daily with others who are different," Ingram says. "So we have stereotypes and beliefs about people we don't even know. We see things about them that aren't there. They see things about us that aren't there. Stereotypes exist for every group of people imaginable. Even though we may not like to admit it, we all do it. Stereotyping makes it easier to deal with a world filled with massive amounts of information and uncertainty."
Traditionally, America has taken a melting pot approach to diversity, she explains, where immigrants were expected to adapt their "old world" values for those of the 'new world.' "But this approach equates difference with deficiency. Today, the melting pot concept is being replaced by such terms as 'mosaic society.'
"In a mosaic society, people maintain their own cultures, such as language, lifestyle and religious practices," she says. "Differences are valued and appreciated. As a result, individuals can be proud of their cultural heritage and uniqueness, instead of being ashamed.
"Already, it's hard to identify a single distinctive culture in this country," she adds. "It may be more appropriate to think of the United States as having a giant multiculture."
Since the 1980s, Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations all have been doing 'diversity work,' Ingram explains. Diversity units are being added to school curricula, from elementary school to college, and some college campuses require diversity-related courses for graduation.
"Diversity has become an issue because of the new, competitive global market and the dramatic change in the United States population," she says. "Individuals also have begun to celebrate their differences instead of compromising their uniqueness to 'fit in.'
"My goal is to help people appreciate differences, as well as recognize the similarities we all share, such as a desire for safety, good health, education and well-being of our children, love and a sense of belonging, self-esteem and the ability to pursue and achieve our potential."
Such extension programs as "Character Counts!" and "Talking with TJ" help prepare kids to be successful for life in the 21st century. "The kids learn important life and employment skills, because the workplace is going to be different," Ingram says. "They also have fun learning about themselves and other people.
"We all tend to gravitate to people who are most like us," she says. "Likewise, we tend to feel less comfortable with people with whom we have less in common. But as our communities and workplaces change, understanding diversity -- particularly for our children -- will be crucial."
Single copies of "Diversity Activities for Youth and Adults" are available free of charge by calling the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Distribution Center at 814-865-6713. The publication also is available as a pdf file at http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/ui335.html. For more information on related publications or diversity programs in your area, call your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office.
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EDITORS: Patreese Ingram can be reached at 814-863-7439.
Contacts: Kim Dionis KDionis@psu.edu 814-863-2703 814-865-1068 fax