Running head: INCLUSION & DIVERSITY

Crystal McField
International College of the Cayman Islands
Seminar on Business and Society

Reflection Paper Dr. Vernese Edghill-Walden

BE 425
LECTURER: Dr. David Marshall
Date: May 19, 2016

INCLUSION & DIVERSITY

On Wednesday, May 18, 2016, the seminar class of ICCI had a visiting lecturer for our
evening session. Dr. Vernese Edghil-Walden, vice president for academic diversity and chief
diversity officer for Northern Illinois University. Mrs. Edghil-Walden a native or Barbados
immigrated to the United States with her family and was raised in Brooklyn, New York. New
York as we know is a melting pot when you think of diversity.
Mrs. Edghil-Walden began her presentation with a question, what is inclusive and what is
diversity and how are they linked together? This question puzzled me as I was not sure I
understood how inclusive and diversity coincided with each other. After her reasoning, I had a
new perspective on the subject.
In the Cayman Islands diversity is met with a resistance and stance of feeling like one's
culture is dying and others are intrusive. Many times I hear and read in the local news of job
shortages and the local community blaming and badgering expatriate workers; while the
government tries to find new ways to regulate work permits and regulations to remedy the
situation.
I was raised by a Caymanian father and an American aunt who taught me that we are all
the same human beings with different upbringings. I always criticize other nationalities and their
cultures with respect to foods and social norms. Even in Cayman, I will turn my nose to certain
foods which are cultural to natives and foreigners once I do not approve of eating it. I must be
honest and say I never thought my actions could offend anyone and if they did I would turn a
shoulder to it. Last night lecture made me realize and understand what diversity entails and how
behavior can make others uncomfortable.

INCLUSION & DIVERSITY

After understanding inclusive and diversity along with Mrs. Edghill-Waldens
perspective on the topic, I have restructured the way I view others and how I think personally. I
was very intrigued, motivated and enlightened by the video shown in the session by Melody
Hudson Color blind or Color brave. This video inspired me not only on a professional note but
much deeper on a personal level. I have always tried to stick to what I considered the black side
of the fence. I usually do not mingle where it is socially considered white people domains and
I realized that awareness is a great divide in the human mind. To conceptualize what Melody was
speaking about I looked at my own life and as a mother, the way I portray and subject myself and
my children to culture and outside forces beyond what I consider okay. I realized that I needed to
allow my children to become diverse in all aspects of life which will help develop and condition
their minds for the world as it changes. Many are not aware of what we are doing and after
watching the video I took away three points
The first step in facing a problem is never hidden from it

30% of the US population are white but 70% of CEO seats are held by white America

The black race is a minority in the quantifiable voice of corporate America with only

two seats being held by blacks and they are both held by black women.
These three points have opened my eyes to classism which breeds racism through
diversity and always divides unity. Highlighted in the discussion was a case 1954 Brown vs
Board of education often referred to as one of the greatest supreme court rulings of the 20th
century, defined that racial segregation of children in public schools violated the equal protection
clause of the 14th amendment.

INCLUSION & DIVERSITY

According to text, all business are required to obey laws and have policies in place to
address equal employment opportunities prohibiting sexual and racial harassment; companies
that manage diversity articulate clear goals, set quantitative objectives and hold managers
accountable. Having a diverse workforce boosts innovation and a large percent of global
enterprises agree with the proposition that a diverse and inclusive workforce is crucial to
encouraging different perspectives and ideas. (Lawrence, A. pg. 394)

INCLUSION & DIVERSITY

References
Lawrence, A. & Weber, J., (2014). Business and society: Stakeholders, ethics, public
policy (14th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill