How is it different from other diversity awareness programs?
Many programs focus largely on the ugly side of human behavior, our propensity to hold biases, to prejudge, to stereotype. They attempt to reduce negative behavior, which is a valid goal as the result of such behavior is discrimination and exclusion. Still, these programs almost exclusively emphasize the victim and can produce unintended alienation. While not a replacement for programs that raise awareness for our ‘faults’ and institutionally-rooted injustice and discrimination, this program focuses on the positive potential of our diversity. It answers the question, “What’s in it for me to understand and actively respond to our diversity?” It also creates the links between trust, diversity, and team performance, which provide the student a very pragmatic reason for embracing the program’s content.
