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Dimensions of Difference
There is a paradox, particularly in Western cultures, when it comes to understanding the dynamics of diversity. It is captured in the following unattributed quote, made during a time when racial awareness was changing: “How dare you think of me as black and don’t you ever forget that I am.”
The power in this statement is the recognition that one of the biggest challenges in treating each person as a unique individual is the fact that our culture is rife with stereotypes. When this person says to not think of her as black she likely means you should not associate her with the numerous largely negative stereotypes of black people and African Americans. When she says not to forget she is black, she likely means she is ...
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