Self-Reflection

This entire week, I have been attending a seminar at work on cultural diversity. I have been bitching the entire time frankly because of having to get up so early and having my schedule upset. (To be honest and fair, I am still grumbling about that part. Mornings have become so hard for me to face!) The impression I was taking from the class was that it was all a bit contrived. Having a cultural diversity class in the Bay Area seems like kind of a silly idea. As we are wrapping up though, I have to say that it has proven to be a very worthwhile and eye opening experience. The most interesting part of the class has been having two different panels of speakers from within our organization each day. Thus far, we have had a female panel, an Asian American panel, an African American panel, an Older White Male panel (affectionately called "the angry white male group"), a Hispanic panel, and a GLBT panel. It is very interesting to hear the personal stories of people that one works with on a daily basis.

Today two powerful stories came forth that profoundly moved me. One was of a woman who was in an abusive arranged marriage for over a decade and felt fortunate to escape with her children and her life. The other came from a normally quiet lesbian officer who spoke movingly about her strained family ties five years after coming out to her parents. These ladies are both people that I work with, but I was unaware of the experiences that they have had and struggled with. As humans, we all carry around these emotional burdens and do not often share them with others or let them be seen. Especially as a man, one is expected to "suck it up and move on" as the expression goes. Being given the opportunity and the safe environment to share some of these things as well as the opportunity to take stock in one's own thinking in regards to race, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, and age issues is invaluable. We are wrapping up our training today with a panel of people from the Middle East and a panel of hearing impaired subjects.

Just wanted to share a bit about my week. I hope everyone has a terrific weekend.

Cuidate.