Color Brave

This week for our Youth Development class, we were asked to watch a TED talk by Mellody Hobson about being "color blind or color brave". Mellody talks about her life experiences as an African American woman and the importance of promoting diversity and sharing ideas and experiences. What really impacted me was the story she told about being seven years old and being the only African American at a birthday party. When her mom picked her up, she asked, "How did they treat you?" This made me think about my own privileges that come along with being a white female. Talking about race and culture rather than ignoring it is important to see things from a different perspective. I believe that everyone has something to learn from everyone, so I agree with Mellody that getting to know a variety of people can make a huge, positive impact in our communities.

This TED talk also tied into a topic that we discussed in another course I am taking this semester. Our topic this week was about cultural sensitivity and diversity in the work place. I found an article about Marilyn Tam, a former CEO of Aveda, president of Reebok and vice president of Nike, who discussed talking with the importance of diversity in the workplace at a seminar in Vermont. Tam discusses the challenges of being raised in a traditional Chinese family in Hong Kong, and the challenges she faced to overcome cultural expectations and run a company. The article discusses the growing diversity in the world, and the importance of accepting and reflecting that change in companies and businesses. Tam focuses on the importance of women and people of various cultural backgrounds in leadership positions in companies, which tied in nicely to the points that Mellody made about a lack of diversity in the top positions at companies.

In my personal experience, I felt invisible seeing CEOs, leaders, scientists, and other people in prominent, powerful positions. I hardly ever saw women in these positions, and often heard that women weren't as logical, or as good at math and science as men. These statements can get internalized, and prevent women from pursuing "non-traditional" careers. There are some excellent programs here in RI for young women, including GRRL Tech RI and Girl's Rock! RI. Both give youth an opportunity to see women in areas that are predominately held by males.I believe that youth spaces like these and the many others in which the youth get involved in their community and address current issues are essential to combating invisibility to minority populations. These spaces give youth a voice and empower them to identify issues that are important to them in their lives.