I didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas. It was “their” holiday. It wasn’t until I met my late husband that I experienced the “magic” of Christmas; the amazing smell of a living tree, the fun of decorating, the comfort of lights on dark winter evenings, the eggnog, the gingerbread and of course, the chocolate. I was hooked!

On December 6, 2001 my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He had his first chemotherapy treatment a few days later and spent his last Christmas in a hospital bed. He made me promise to have Christmas as usual for our five year old daughter. I will never forget being in our basement on Christmas Eve, after having put out the milk and cookies for Santa, crying and wrapping, lamenting, “I can’t do this! What do I know about this? I’m Jewish”.

Although my husband has been dead for seven years, we still celebrate Christmas, along with all of the Jewish holidays. As the Jewish holiday of Hanukah is also celebrated in December, on Christmas Eve I have a Chrismukah dinner. Instead of mashed potatoes, I serve latkes, potato pancakes, aka round hash browns. For dessert, along with the Christmas goodies, there is suganyot – an Israeli jelly doughnut, another Hanukah treat. The kids play dreidel, a traditional Hanukah game which involves a spinning top and a pile of gold chocolate coins (or money). My friend’s daughter had so much fun playing dreidel at our house, the following year she asked Santa to bring her a dreidel for Christmas.

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At a diversity conference a few weeks ago, Paul met Todd Dewett. During their conversation, Todd told a story about the time he was mistaken for a minority group member and what it felt like. Below, he shares the story with us.

Everyone Can Understand What It Means To Be A Minority

Many times diversity trainers find it difficult to connect with an audience comprised mostly of white males. Not surprising since white males who are in the majority are not used to being stereotyped like a minority – right? Kinda. While it is true that white males do not understand what it is like to be anything other than what they are – white males, they can understand what it means to be stereotyped. You – the trainer or executive – can help them remember, and in doing so increase their comfort level with and curiosity about diversity-related issues at work.

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Recently someone forwarded to me an online article, featuring Adam Bender, an exceptional 8 year-old athlete, who happens to have only one leg.

According to Michelle Bender, Adam’s mother:

“Adam has helped other kids see that a person with a disability can be fun to hang out with, and play with, and they can still be a part of a community or part of a team. It’s developed the kids’ compassion, and if he can inspire even one family to allow their kid to try something they normally might not try, that’s great.”

Watch Adam playing baseball.

Organizational Development and Learning Consultant, Chetan Borkhetaria is our newest and latest guest blogger to focus on diversity and the value that it brings to an organization.

What’s the Value of Diversity?       

Of course, we can all agree that having people from different races and genders is supposed to be a good thing. Isn’t that what companies on the diversity bandwagon are after?  But why is there such a focus on only race and gender?

Is it the easiest, or just the most salient? And if difference is a good thing, then how do you (or rather we) explain why these diversity initiatives often fizzle out, defy a positive ROI, or even worse – are the cause of interpersonal conflict and tension at work?

I believe it’s because we don’t understand the true value of diversity. Think for a moment about how we define diversity – it’s about all the ways we’re different. So is difference good or bad? Well, difference must be good because diversity is good. But wait! Do you really like difference? If you’re a meat and potatoes person, do you really want to eat sushi? If you’re a PC person, do you even want to think about using a Mac? No!! Generally, human beings don’t like difference. It’s work to deal with difference. So then why is it valuable?

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We’ve heard from team member Ruth Ramos in the past through posts like The Beginning of Healing and R-E-S-P-E-C-T. But now,  I’d like to introduce you to her and her work to kick off our new interview series.

RW: Tell us more about what you do.

RR: Compass Consulting Services is an organizational development firm which specializes in customized training in the areas of diversity and inclusion management, conflict management, communication, leadership and team building. I am also trained to facilitate groups and coach managers. Finally, I have several years of experience in diversity sourcing for corporations.

RW: How did you get involved in respect issues/diversity initiatives?

RR: I wish that this were a short answer but it’s really not. Growing up, I was in a neighborhood that was predominantly white and being Latina, I never fit in. After I graduated, I went to Cleveland State University where there is no lack in diversity. But because it was so different than how I grew up, I still didn’t quite fit in. It was after an experience that I had with the National Hispanic Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. that I realized that there were other Latinas just like me all over the nation. It was the first time that I ever felt included and visible. It was so impactful in my life that I thought to myself, “if I could do this for someone else, I think that I’d really enjoy that and find it rewarding.” I then learned of the Diversity Management Program at Cleveland State University. While getting my graduate degree, I learned about so many injustices in the country and my ears and eyes (and heart) became sensitive to respect and equality for all and unconditional acceptance of all. My desire changed from helping one person to changing the world by bringing healing to families, organizations, communities and nations that are so divided by our differences.

RW: What types of clients/groups have you worked with?

RR: I have had the amazing opportunity to work with organizations of all sizes and in all sectors. I’ve worked with organizations as small as 3 individuals to national and international organizations. I’ve enjoyed working with non-profit organizations of all sizes, as well as have worked in K-12 schools. I have a strong passion around this work so I am open to any opportunity that I have to teach and bring awareness around respect issues and diversity initiatives.

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