A Visitor's View of the Diversity Seminar

by Fanny Gomez

di verse (dĭ-vûrs', dî-, dî'vûrs')
adj.
1. Differing one from another; 2. variety; multiformity.

Bergen County might be small - only 247 square miles – but it’s extremely diverse and densely populated with a rich variety of people of all races, ethnicities, religions, ages and socio-economic levels. While this diversity makes Bergen County a tremendously interesting place in which to live, it also poses many challenges to leaders in the community.

Being able to maneuver successfully in a diverse environment is a critical skill for any community leader, so Bergen LEADS devotes an entire seminar day to the topic. As LEADers, Bergen LEADS participants must be sensitive to the different backgrounds, views and experiences of those in the community.

I started as an intern for Bergen LEADS in mid-January, and was very excited to be invited to participate in the Diversity Seminar on February 9. Not knowing what to expect, I walked into a room at Bergen Community College, eager to meet the different people that make up the Class of 2010.

The day started with some comments from the Seminar Director, Pat Schuber, who gave everyone a brief description of what to expect from the day’s seminar. Pat then introduced Lynne Algrant, the Bergen LEADS leadership consultant, who would be facilitating the seminar.

Lynne gave the class a lot to think about during the course of the day. Throughout the seminar, class members were fully engaged in what were, at times, potentially uncomfortable conversations. Lynne started off by explaining her windows and mirrors concept – that a person needs to look through a window to the outside world, and through a mirror at themselves.

In order to communicate to different groups of people, a LEADer needs language. “We don’t always have the words we want to explain what we want to say,” explained Lynne. “How something is said is key to how the listener receives the message.” She went on to tell everyone about her childhood and things that happened to her growing up that have molded her views on life (her windows). Those experiences have shaped the ways she handles situations and how she raises her young daughters.

“A Class Divided” was one of the videos shown at the seminar. In 1968, Jane Elliot, a third grade teacher in Iowa, wanted to teach her class about discrimination and racism after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. One day, immediately following his assassination, she told her class that the students with blue eyes were superior and smart, and that students with brown eyes were inferior and not as smart as the blue-eyed children. Each brown-eyed child was made to wear a collar, got less time on the playground, and couldn’t get second helpings at lunch. Ms. Elliott watched as the kids turned on each other that day - calling each other names and fighting. The next day, she announced that she’d been mistaken and reversed the roles. This time, the brown-eyed children were superior, and got extra playtime and food. The reaction to the switch was incredible to watch. Suddenly, the blue-eyed children scored horribly on the same project they had worked on the day before. The brown-eyed children were more active in class and scored better than on the day they were labeled as inferior. At the end of the second day, she confessed to the class that she had lied to them, and that no one was superior to anyone else. This teacher took a real life situation and tested it in her classroom. This video depicted the cruelty of discrimination and how it can shape and change a society.

At one point, Lynne had everyone pick a small folded paper out of a paper bag. Lynne instructed everyone to hum the song that was written on his or her piece of paper, and to find other people who were humming the same song. When everyone got up and started humming, it was very interesting to see how relieved and happy they were when they found the group to which they belonged. The exercise was a lot of fun, but it clearly illustrated how the same thing happens in diverse communities when people want to live close to what they know and stay in their comfort zone. So simple, yet so strong, because it gave everyone a taste of how if feels to finally be a part of something that is similar to you.

Leaders must always consider the effects of diversity. Because each member of the community comes from a different background, s/he has different views on what should be a priority; that individual also hears and processes things differently based on past experiences, so communication is key. As Lynne said, language is critically important and sometimes people may not have the words to express how they feel.

For me, the Diversity Seminar was a day of eye-opening experiences along with rich conversations on diversity. As I move forward in my career, I’ll certainly put what I learned into use.

For more information on Bergen LEADS, visit our website or contact Amanda Missey, Bergen LEADS Director, at amissey@bergenvolunteers.org.


Watch “A Class Divided”

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Applying for Bergen LEADS

We’re looking for 30 talented leaders for the Bergen LEADS Class of 2011, and invite all interested candidates to submit an application, which can be downloaded from our website at http://bergenleads.org/index.html. Here’s more information you need to know:

Application Deadline

All applications must be completed, signed and submitted, via US mail only, by April 2, 2010. Please do not e-mail your application. The Selection Committee will read and score the applications, then choose 45 finalists based on the strength and elements of their written application. Finalists will be notified by May 3.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition for the entire Bergen LEADS seminar year is $2000 per participant. Each individual is expected to personally contribute $300; the balance of $1700 is then payable by employer, sponsoring organization, or the participant themselves. The first and second payments of $600 are due on June 15^th and July 15^th. The final payment of $500 is due by August 15^th.

Scholarships are available based on financial need. Bergen LEADS wants to ensure that we have a diverse class, and that no one is prevented from participating because they are unable to pay tuition. Each Finalist will be asked to complete a financial aid application form indicating if they are requesting assistance; these forms will be opened only after the final class of 30 is chosen to assure a needs-blind selection process.

Final Selection

Finalists will participate in mandatory interviews on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at Gilda’s Club in Hackensack. Applicants should be available for approximately 90 minutes on the day of the interview. Each applicant will participate in two 15-minute interviews – one on leadership, and the other on issues.

After the interviews are completed, the Selection Committee will choose 30 individuals for the Class of 2011. Those selected will be notified of their admittance into the program on Friday, May 28, 2010, and will be introduced as the new Class of 2011 in June.

We encourage everyone who is interested in applying for the new class to attend one of our Open Houses in February or March. The dates have been posted on our website at http://bergenleads.org/comingevents.html and as an entry on our blog below. For any questions please contact Amanda Missey at amissey@bergenvolunteers.org.

Bergen LEADS is Hosting Open Houses for Interested Candidates

Do you want to do more to make your community – and Bergen County – a better place in which to live and work? Bergen LEADS, the County’s premier civic leadership program, is a great way to start. Now in its third year, we are recruiting candidates for the Class of 2011.

Bergen LEADS alumni and class members are hosting several free, informational Open Houses for prospective applicants. Each session will give applicants the opportunity to speak with current students, alumni and program staff about the seminar year, curriculum, application process, tuition and financial assistance, and benefits to the participants. The events provide interested applicants the opportunity to find out about the program first-hand from the people that are directly involved with Bergen LEADS.

To date, ten Open Houses have been scheduled, including:

• Tues., Feb. 16, Cole Schotz Meisel Forman & Leonard in Hackensack, 9:00 – 10:30 am
• Thurs., Feb. 18, Meadowlands Regional Chamber in Rutherford, 8:15 - 10:00 am
  
• Thurs., Feb. 18, TD Bank in Ramsey, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
• Tues., Feb. 23, Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus, 8:30 to 10:00 am
• Thurs., Feb. 25, Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, 8:30 to 10:00 am
• Wed., March 3, Matisse Chocolatier in Englewood, 6:30 to 8:00 pm
• Tues., March 9, Bergen Community College in Paramus, 6:30 to 8:00 pm
• Thurs., March 11, Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey in Paramus, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
• Tues., March 16, Just D’sserts in Elmwood Park, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
• Fri., March 19, Wells Fargo Private Bank in Paramus, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, Co-sponsored by the Hispanic Business Council Scholarship Foundation.

Bergen LEADS representatives will also be on hand at the Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce Monthly Membership Networking Meetings on Thursday, February 18 and Thursday, March 18 from 8:15 – 10:00 am in Rutherford. The Meadowlands Regional Chamber has generously made four $500 scholarships available to Chamber members.

Those interested in attending an Open House must pre-register. To register, contact Fanny Gomez at (201) 489-9454, x112 or e-mail fgomez@bergenvolunteers.org