Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

• This week I was challenged with asking three people with various backgrounds to define what the words "culture" and "diversity" mean to them. Here are those responses:
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• A.W.
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  Culture is the beliefs, ways of life, and thinking of a group of people. I believe ones culture can evolve through life experiences, however there will always be traces of their original culture. As a child, culture is presented to you through your parents beliefs and actions. Culture also depends on the area in which people live and can be influenced/challenged by outside sources.
  
  Diversity is the combination of many different races and cultures in a group. Some people are open to diverse situations and others steer clear of them. Having grown up in Northern Virginia, I have been exposed to diversity from a young age. To me, diversity is natural and I don't look at people based on their race or beliefs. On the other hand, I have family members from small towns in the Mid-West who being in diversity situations make them uncomfortable so they try to steer clear of them.
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• B.A.
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• My definition of culture is all of the influences in one's life that shape who the are, whether they be family, education, lived experiences, etc.
  
  
   My definition of diversity goes beyond race/ethnicity and gender to include people of different abilities, ways of thinking, and personalities coming together.
   
• A. J.
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• To me, culture is the collection of factors that distinguish a person or community. Culture consists of a variety of factors but also is fluid and evolves and can be influenced by entities and concepts from outside of the culture.
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• Diversity is the presence of differing perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, groups, and approaches.

 I am impressed with the depth and breadth of understanding of culture and diversity that was shared with me.  I am mostly impressed because I believe all the areas of culture and diversity that have been discussed in this course were mentioned such as "culture is the beliefs, ways of life, and thinking of a group of people", "culture can evolve", "diversity goes beyond race/ethnicity and gender to include people of different abilities..." and "culture is the collection of factors that distinguish a person or community."

I can not think of any factors of culture or diversity that were omitted. Other's definitions of these two words has influenced my own thinking because it makes me hopeful that more people have a true understandings of the depth of the meaning of the two words.