Diversity Is A Broad Topic And Its Definition And Meaning ✓ Solved

Diversity is a broad topic and its definition and meaning ca

Diversity is a broad topic and its definition and meaning can vary among individuals based on their personal and professional experiences. Based on your experience as an adult, describe an environment (community organization, educational institution, church, etc.) where you felt either embraced or excluded. Why did you feel this way? How does it connect to your personal definition and experience with diversity? Reference Adams, M., Bell, L.A., & Griffin, P. (2016) Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (3rd Edition). New York, NY: Routledge.

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Introduction

Diversity, in my view, encompasses visible identities (race, gender, age) and less visible dimensions (socioeconomic background, disability, religion, language, and life experience). It also involves power dynamics and organizational responses to difference (Adams, Bell, & Griffin, 2016). Drawing on my experience as an adult volunteer in a neighborhood community organization, I describe a setting where I felt excluded, analyze why that exclusion occurred, and relate the experience to concepts from diversity scholarship. I conclude with practical strategies to foster inclusion grounded in research on inclusive leadership, organizational climate, and microaggressions.

Description of the Environment

The environment was a local community nonprofit focused on neighborhood improvement and youth mentoring. The board and senior volunteers were largely long-term residents in their 50s–70s with shared cultural norms and social networks. Newer volunteers, including me (a younger professional and recent transplant to the neighborhood), were invited to participate in events and committees but were seldom given substantive decision-making roles. My responsibilities were often logistical or symbolic—setting up tables, managing sign-ups—rather than shaping program direction.

Why I Felt Excluded

My sense of exclusion stemmed from multiple, reinforcing dynamics. First, decision-making channels were informal and grounded in long-standing social ties, which marginalized newcomers (Ely & Thomas, 2001). Second, conversational norms and references (local history, longtime acquaintances) implicitly signaled who “belonged,” so my ideas—especially those informed by different professional approaches—received limited attention (Shore et al., 2011). Third, subtle communicative behaviors—interrupted comments, lack of follow-up on suggestions, and being assigned peripheral tasks—resembled everyday microaggressions that communicate devaluation (Sue et al., 2007). Together, these dynamics created a climate where I was physically present but psychologically peripheral, reducing my engagement and sense of belonging (Tinto, 1993).

Connection to Personal Definition and Experience with Diversity

This experience sharpened my understanding of diversity as not only demographic difference but also the inclusion or exclusion of alternative perspectives and power-sharing practices (Adams et al., 2016). I began to see diversity through two interrelated lenses: representation (who is present) and belonging (who is heard and empowered). Presence without influence felt tokenizing; it confirmed research showing that numerical diversity alone does not yield benefits unless coupled with inclusive climates and inclusive leadership (Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Mor Barak, 2015).

Analysis in Light of Theory

Adams, Bell, and Griffin (2016) emphasize the structural and pedagogical elements of diversity and social justice — recognizing systemic patterns and fostering equity in practice. In the nonprofit context I describe, structural patterns (informal networks, legacy norms) reproduced exclusion. Ely and Thomas (2001) argue that organizations adopt different diversity perspectives (assimilation, integration-and-learning, or access-and-legitimacy) which shape outcomes. The organization I joined operated on an assimilation/access model that prioritized continuity over learning from newcomers, which limited innovation and alienated diverse contributors.

Research on inclusion further explains the mechanisms at work: inclusive climates allow individuals to bring their full identities to work and contribute meaningfully; inclusive leadership behaviors (soliciting input, crediting ideas, and distributing authority) foster belonging (Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Shore et al., 2011). Where these are absent, microinvalidations and microaggressions undermine psychological safety and participation (Sue et al., 2007; DiAngelo, 2018). My experience reflected these dynamics: I was present but not given opportunities to influence, and my contributions were sometimes dismissed or reframed without acknowledgment.

Practical Recommendations

To move from exclusion to inclusion, organizations should attend to both structure and culture. First, formalize decision-making processes so that roles, selection criteria, and term limits reduce reliance on informal networks (Ely & Thomas, 2001). Second, adopt inclusive leadership training that emphasizes listening, equitable credit, and deliberate delegation of authority to newcomers (Nishii & Mayer, 2009). Third, implement feedback mechanisms and safe channels for reporting exclusionary behavior, paired with concrete responses to microaggressions and bias (Sue et al., 2007).

Fourth, shift the framing from assimilation to integration-and-learning: treat diversity as a resource for problem solving rather than a compliance checkbox (Shore et al., 2011; Mor Barak, 2015). Practically, this could mean rotating meeting facilitators, creating cross-generational task forces, and instituting onboarding that clarifies paths to meaningful participation. Fifth, public reflection sessions about neighborhood history and demographic change can surface power dynamics and invite mutual learning, aligning with Adams et al.’s focus on pedagogy for social justice (Adams et al., 2016).

Personal Learning and Actions

After reflecting and discussing with a small group of newer volunteers, we proposed a charter for volunteer roles and a one-year mentorship pairing between long-term and new members. Framing proposals around shared goals (youth outcomes, park maintenance) rather than critiques reduced defensiveness and created openings for incremental change. This aligns with evidence that structured interventions and supportive leadership increase inclusion and retention (Shore et al., 2011; Nishii & Mayer, 2009).

Conclusion

Feeling excluded in an otherwise well-intentioned community organization illuminated how diversity requires active cultivation of inclusion, not just representation. My experience reinforces scholarship emphasizing systemic causes of exclusion and the need for inclusive structures and behaviors (Adams et al., 2016; Ely & Thomas, 2001; Shore et al., 2011). For organizations to realize the benefits of diverse membership, they must intentionally redistribute power, address microaggressions, and create climates where different voices can influence outcomes.

References

• Adams, M., Bell, L. A., & Griffin, P. (2016). Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (3rd ed.). Routledge.
• Cox, T. (1993). Cultural Diversity in Organizations: Theory, Research & Practice. Berrett-Koehler.
• Ely, R. J., & Thomas, D. A. (2001). Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 46(2), 229–273.
• Mor Barak, M. E. (2015). Managing Diversity: Toward a Globally Inclusive Workplace (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
• Nishii, L. H., & Mayer, D. M. (2009). Do inclusive leaders help to reduce turnover? Academy of Management Journal, 52(1), 1–32.
• Plaut, V. C., Thomas, K. M., & Goren, M. J. (2009). Is multiculturalism or colorblindness better? Psychological Science, 20(4), 444–446.
• Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Ehrhart, K. H., & Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A review and model. Journal of Management, 37(4), 1262–1289.
• Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C. M., Torino, G. C., Bucceri, J. M., Holder, A. M. B., Nadal, K. L., & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice. American Psychologist, 62(4), 271–286.
• Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
• DiAngelo, R. (2018). White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. Beacon Press.