Cultural and Diversity Characteristics



Cultural and Diversity CharacteristicsApril R. JohnsonCUR 518August 10, 2015Melanie LatinCultural and Diversity CharacteristicsDuring the course of this self-examination proceeding; I will be presenting an analysis which was conducted on me. I will be proving to the reader(s) of this documentation that there are five main categories of diversity found on the subject matter. The categories include cultural, biological, social, educational, and personal sources of diversity. A visual Cultural and Diversity Characteristics Map accompanies this documentation per request from the professor. Cultural SourcesI was dedicated to the Lord when I was an infant at the Lineville, Iowa Assembly of God church. God has always been present in my life. As a young child, it was taught through lessons and a Christian upbringing to have a connection with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Reading the Bible was an important part of everyday life. Attending church services three times per week was mandated as well as Vacation Bible School and the occasional Revival. Needless to say, my cultural background was 100% Christianity. Having faith at all times, seeking comfort through the storms of life, and trusting in God is and always will be my True North. Biological SourcesAt the age of four, I was diagnosed with a bilateral hearing loss. This was the beginning of a diverse world in which I had to overcome my own sense of insecurities and differences while embracing a new challenge in life. Imagining a four year old in a sound proof booth with gear strapped to the ears listening for “the beeps” is not a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. I was raised by my grandparents and my father as my parents divorced when I was two years old. My parents were young when they married, but my mother chose to stay an adolescent a bit longer than anticipated. Some people feared the hearing loss was due to pneumonia at the age of eight months, but in reality the cochlea (a portion of the inner ear) was not operating properly. I did not have any issues in school, nor were there any speech impediments present. I was actually in a gifted program and a straight A student for the majority of my academic career. It was my own self-image of placing my hair behind my ears or in a pony tail that I did not commit. According to "Hear-It" (2015), “Common psychological consequences of hearing loss are shame, guilt, anger, and embarrassment. I grew my hair longer and most of my friends did not know they existed until I told them of their presence. Social SourcesWhen we are young money is not a center of focus. There are no bills to be paid, and we are usually focused on our toys or friends. My family has always worked hard for their fortune. They have made a name for themselves and also deserved their profits. It was a month before I turned 21 when I married Jeremy. We were young and just starting out and of course, my expensive hearing aids were inoperable. I called my father to ask of his assistance in replacing my hearing aids. He told me I was married now and I should have my husband take care of them. I went on “strike” and did not wear them until I started working for American Family three years ago. This company had a plan in our benefit package of which they would pay 90% of our durable medical equipment. This included my hearing aids. After not wearing hearing aids for over thirteen years; it was as if I were breathing for the first time. Needless to say, my husband was more than pleased I had finally caved and I could hear him.Educational SourcesAlong with a cultural source of Christianity; I received my undergraduate degree from a private Christian university. MidAmerica Nazarene University was the choice as I finally decided to embark upon completing the first step of my educational pursuit. I gained a full vote of confidence during this program. Our daughter was two years old, I was working full time, and my husband also owned a gym. This was more than a full plate, but we made it work. I am proud of the efforts adult education has made for this diverse family.Personal SourcesI feel I have always been able to converse with anyone, anywhere, and any time. I have many different friends, family members, colleagues, associates and people in my life. My interpersonal skill set seems to be at an all-time high. I have never felt like I was held back from anything due to being a girl. Perhaps I did not have to help as much when I was young on the farm due to my gender. I have never feared being a woman. I feel I can be just as good if not better than the opposite sex at many things. I also believe it takes all of us to make the world spin. I feel I have a plentiful amount of social intelligence. Socially intelligent individuals learn how to play various social roles. They are also well versed in the informal rules, or “norms,” that govern social interaction (Riggio,?2014). Along with social intelligence I feel I am equally emotionally intelligent throughout my communication skills. Throughout continuous learning in life; I will always yearn to become more inspired by others. I will proceed to achieve new levels of emotional and social literacy as I love communication and education. I believe it is the secret to staying young. I will not stop learning as long as I live.ConclusionThroughout this self-examination, I presented an analysis which was conducted on me. I have proved to the reader(s) of this documentation five main categories of diversity found on the subject matter. The categories included cultural, biological, social, educational, and personal sources of diversity. A visual Cultural and Diversity Characteristics Map accompanied this documentation per request from the professor. ReferencesHear-It.?(2015).?Retrieved from , Dr. R.?(2014).?Psychology Today.?Retrieved from ................
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