Diversity in the SEC

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by carnation

Whites can't win. If we don't pledge black girls (they may or may not be rushing NPCs because they prefer NPHCs), we're racist. If we pledge the few who rush, we're practicing tokenism. If only a few rush, we didn't make them welcome, even though they might only want to be in Mom's NPHC. If we pledge some and don't think the right thing about them, whatever the heck that is, we get a crown for racial cliches.

We can't win.

White people aren't not winning with this.

The key is multitasking. Boasting "have all different types of minorities...from looking at pictures" and "my daughter and her sorority are concerned, they are just sisters" are cliche' statements whites tend to make when discussing race. This topic has to do with race and GLOs but the foundation is the same. It reeks of "I see 'those people'...they are here...and there's plenty of them" and "we are colorblind...I need to pretend I don't notice our differences in order for us to love each other".

Originally Posted by carnation

And five of my daughters aren't white and I don't think about it much at all and I'm off to have my racial cliches crown with 5 jewels made.

Why do many white people feel the need to proclaim this? It reinforces this notion of whiteness as a carefree, race neutral, and powerful identity. Just because you claim not to notice or think about something doesn't mean it is void or invisible. It doesn't mean that everyone else, including the racial and ethnic minorities themselves, do not notice or think about it. That is one of the foundations of tokenism. Race, gender, and other minority tokens are expected to smile and pretend as though their minority status is moot 24/7.

[carnation]

Few parents of adopted non-white children spend much time thinking about their children's races. Maybe before they arrive, yes, but afterwards you're spending so much time parenting them that there's little time to think, "Dang. My child is ______." But they are not tokenists.

My daughters don't think about being non-white 99% of the time. They just live their lives. Like us, they mix with the people they want and race isn't an issue. When we took them to "cultural" events when they were children, they thought we were weird; they really wanted to go home and play with their friends. But we weren't tokenists for trying.

My mother rarely thinks about not being all white. Life's too busy. I don't sit down every day and consider racial issues when I'm checking the roll in class. I have stuff to do.

Think I'll turn down that crown, I have too much to do to go have it made.

[DrPhil]

Carnation, are you claiming to know what people are thinking at all times? Is there something wrong with noticing race? Race is not synonymous with racism and unfair treatment by others. Race, ethnicity, and culture have to do with group identifiers. I notice race and ethnicity when I twist-style my beautiful hair up at night.

We only know what people claim. There are adopted parents and parents of biracial children who invest a great deal of thought and time researching and teaching their children about race. They do this to educate themselves as well as to establish or reinforce a racial, ethnic, and cultural identity in their children. They do not stop doing this just because children seem uninterested or unappreciative. It serves a larger and longstanding purpose just like the NAACP black tie banquets I attended since childhood despite my absolute child boredom. There is nothing wrong with having an identity. Pretending it is possible to only have a "human identity" is usually a way to reinforce "white identity" that is being disguised as race neutral.

And with all due respect you don't know what your children are thinking and feeling just as you don't know how they interact with people when they are not in your presence. It is good that you took your kids to cultural events. Kids are kids so they will not understand and appreciate everything. Of course now that they are older your children will pretend to not care about race if they think you want them to not care because you have a multicultural household. However, as my college classmates who are Chinese and adopted by whites discovered when they left the confines of their parent's home, they had to research Chinese culture and understand why the world did not see them as white. They knew they looked different than the other white kids but did not learn the full extent (not the introductory version) of why until they got to college. I think that is a shame.

I think this is a good discussion to have when discussing GLO diversity. Adding a few nonwhites doesn't make you diverse. Adding tons of nonwhites but pretending no one notices race doesn't make your GLO diverse.

[carnation]

I know what my kids are thinking because they told me time and again, "Y'all can stop it now. We don't want to go to the Filipino dinners, the Japanese parades, etc. We want to play with our friends/go out with our boyfriends/ eat hot dogs and hamburgers and we never ever want to see another noodle."

We were the poster parents for learning about diversity, our children's cultures, putting up art and collecting things from their countries. In educating pre-adoptive parents, we told them this was important.

We've hosted 10 exchange students, most from our children's countries. Our children privately told us that they were glad they hadn't grown up in our students' birth countries; they liked America just fine.

And what do we have? Adult children who love to listen to country music (we don't!), joined NPCs and had a great time, date guys of whatever culture they want, in short--they're like anyone else.

And the only time I ever think about them being non-white anymore is when I think, "It would be wonderful to have that heavy, shiny, raven hair."

[sigmadiva]

I think a point that is being implied, and not explicitly stated is there needs to be action and not words.

Great, you (NPC) pledged a Black girl. You feel a "warm fuzzy" because now people can not accuse you of being racist. And I can understand where you are coming from. You probably grew up in an environment where anyone other than white was considered beneath you. You probably grew up in an environment where there were subtle ways of excluding other people, with the most common way of just pricing other people out of certain markets. So I get it. In your minds you have made great strides to reach out and connect to those other people. Great!

But, what else are you going to do? Are those SEC NPC chapters going to literally spend time conducting community service activities in the AA community? Are you going to have programs where the central focus is on attacking some of the issues that are persistent in the AA communities. I mean really, are NPC chapters going to do anything to actively participate in Black History Month programs?

To me, sometimes this proclamation by White NPCers that they have pledged a Black girl comes off like that scene in Animal House where the all white male fraternity member points to the couch and says "See, we have a Black guy, and Indian guy, and a Muslim guy. We're not racist." It just comes off as being a bit insincere.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

But, what else are you going to do? Are those SEC NPC chapters going to literally spend time conducting community service activities in the AA community? Are you going to have programs where the central focus is on attacking some of the issues that are persistent in the AA communities. I mean really, are NPC chapters going to do anything to actively participate in Black History Month programs?

Probably not directly. They'll keep doing their national philanthropy activities like literacy and breast cancer and arthritis, which will help people of all races. But they're probably not going to do anything directly with the black community because some people would tell them that they're only trying to make themselves feel good and that they didn't even add a drop to the bucket. Why stick your neck out if you're only going to be attacked?

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

I think a point that is being implied, and not explicitly stated is there needs to be action and not words.

[. . .]

But, what else are you going to do? Are those SEC NPC chapters going to literally spend time conducting community service activities in the AA community?

Yes, I know of some that literally do, though I think these volunteer opportunities are undertaken on the basis of need (requests from local agencies/programs for volunteers), not race.

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

Are you going to have programs where the central focus is on attacking some of the issues that are persistent in the AA communities.

A predominately white college sorority would be an appropriate and/or effective group to "attack" issues in the AA communities?

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

I mean really, are NPC chapters going to do anything to actively participate in Black History Month programs?

IMO, this seems cliche'. I think it is misguided to assume that all girls of non-white ethnicities constantly want this to be pointed out by their GLO --actually, in fact, it seems a little "counter-color blindness."

Perhaps they just want to live their lives without their race being pointed out as their basis of identity -- like Carnation's children.

I would be interested in a list of things to do and say about diversity in SEC GLOs that are not considered "cliché."

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

I would be interested in a list of things to do and say about diversity in SEC GLOs that are not considered "cliché."

There is great irony and cliche in your wanting a quick GC Diversity Training.

Your post reminds me of my "sandbox" post in another thread. White organizations tend not to play in the sandbox owned by nonwhites or tend not to be willing to create a new sandbox with nonwhites. Nonwhites, on the other hand, tend to be accustomed to having to smile and show an appreciation for even being invited to the white sandbox.

I'm all for separate sandboxes that can work together if so desired. But since some organizations seek diversity, they need to know that such diversity is not contingent upon how the majority feels. Don't invite minorities and then expect them to not acknowledge the minority identity. That serves no purpose than to make the majority feel warm and fuzzy. I have no interest in riding the rainbow pissing pony created by the majority. The majority who wishes to pretend no one cares or thinks about this stuff can form their Kumbaya circle elsewhere.

Originally Posted by amIblue?

NPC groups didn't have to worry about keeping Black members out at their founding because their schools already did that for them. How many schools were racially integrated in the late 19th century and early 20th century?

Yep and white students knew this. Many celebrated this.

I just want people to stop living in lala land. For instance, GLOs were founded at HBCUs in the early 1900s, and some of them mention being a brotherhood or sisterhood for Blacks. Race and ethnicity are intentional and detailed in some of our purposes despite being surrounded by 99% Black student population at HBCUs. Race was still not invisible and neutral to us. Our founders were thinking beyond the HBCU campus and for years to come.

The only difference is the founders of the predominantly white GLOs made no explicit mention of race. Race stood for itself despite attempts at false race neutrality.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

There is great irony and cliche in your wanting a quick GC Diversity Training.

Your post reminds me of my "sandbox" post in another thread. White organizations tend not to play in the sandbox owned by nonwhites or tend not to be willing to create a new sandbox with nonwhites. Nonwhites, on the other hand, tend to be accustomed to having to smile and show an appreciation for even being invited to the white sandbox.

Could you give me the Cliffs Notes for your "sandbox" post too?

I guess there is also great irony and cliché in your dodge.

It's a serious question -- what should NPC chapters be striving to say or do that wouldn't be considered "cliché?"

[PKTKKG]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

White people aren't not winning with this.

The key is multitasking. Boasting "have all different types of minorities...from looking at pictures" and "my daughter and her sorority are concerned, they are just sisters" are cliche' statements whites tend to make when discussing race. This topic has to do with race and GLOs but the foundation is the same. It reeks of "I see 'those people'...they are here...and there's plenty of them" and "we are colorblind...I need to pretend I don't notice our differences in order for us to love each other".



Why do many white people feel the need to proclaim this? It reinforces this notion of whiteness as a carefree, race neutral, and powerful identity. Just because you claim not to notice or think about something doesn't mean it is void or invisible. It doesn't mean that everyone else, including the racial and ethnic minorities themselves, do not notice or think about it. That is one of the foundations of tokenism. Race, gender, and other minority tokens are expected to smile and pretend as though their minority status is moot 24/7.

Just a general observation - I don't think anyone has a carefree life. Everyone has challenges in life to overcome, everyone deals with problems that come their way, and yes some people have more difficulties in their lives for different reasons. It is good to have open and honest conversations with people who have different opinions knowing that there are times people may just have to agree to disagree.

I have known minority sisters of my sorority and I have known minority sisters of divine nine sororities. One divine nine member girl I knew was shocked that my sorority had an African American local alum and to her it was unacceptable the lady was not a part of the divine nine. Truthfully I was surprised this was her take on the situation but whatever. To each his own. Go where your heart leads you, be who you are and who you want to be. No one owes anyone else an explanation about who they are to others.

Observing diversity in any organization is not a value judgement except that it seems to indicate that more people are relating to others according to the content of their character rather than by the color of their skin/religious beliefs/sexual orientation. Considering that all of our respective orgs began in another time when there was significant segregation (and when it was rare for women to even go to college at all), it is natural that orgs would continue as they have traditionally. It is nice to see that recently all groups have been more open outside of that tradition so that each individual is free to pursue membership in their own way and with a group by mutual selection and choice.