And just like for an instance, all his life is just folding in on itself and it’s obvious to him that time is a lie, that it’s all happening all the time and inside every moment is another moment, all . . . you know, happening simultaneously. Jesse, Before Sunset I earned my bachelors degree from Columbia College, Columbia University. Recently, we visited the campus … Continue reading Coming Together
Who am I? Always me. But how much me, depends on thee. Margarita Diaz I’m always me. Wherever I go, whoever I’m with, I am always the same Margarita. Authentically, me. We use the word authenticity a lot lately, referring to being one’s true self. To me, this is as much about consistency as it is about honesty. If I’m being honest about who I … Continue reading Authenticity and Inclusion
“I need a minute to sort out my brain.” My Second Grader When a second grader speaks the kind of truth we can all relate to, it’s cute, right? What if I had said it instead of my second grader? What about if your least favorite person said it? We receive and value a statement differently depending on who said it. Authority Bias; Halo & … Continue reading Second Grader Wisdom
We all might be a little too much for some and not enough for others, but most interesting to me is the “enough-ness” of our racial or cultural identities. I am Latina, half Puerto Rican and half Peruvian. Spanish is my first language and Latin music, particularly salsa music and dance, are my passions. I volunteer teaching salsa to elementary school kids to share this … Continue reading I Am Latina Enough
Imagine if we could talk about race the way we talk about cultures. 💭If we felt curiosity instead of indifference. 💭If we acknowledged more readily when something is foreign to us, rather than insist it’s the same. 💭If we got excited at finding out the similarities between us, rather than resentful that we even looked for them. 💭If we questioned why we use certain names … Continue reading Imagine
This post was originally one of my responses to an expat challenge on Instagram. When I first saw the prompt, COUNTRY LOVE, I thought: USA. I appreciate my time abroad tremendously, but I love my country and there is no other place I would rather live. The U.S. is also my homeland, which makes my choice a patriotic one. This got me thinking about our … Continue reading Country Love or Love of Country
“Too much sanity may be madness. And maddest of all, to see life as it is, and not as it should be.” Miguel de Cervantes This quote (my favorite) from Don Quixote has been cited, paraphrased and adapted countless times. Is it crazy to see the world as we would like to see it, or crazier to insist on seeing it “as it is”? Our … Continue reading To See Life As It Should Be
Implicit biases affect not just what we do and say, but also what we hear. Diverse in the City™️ Implicit or unconscious biases affect not just what we do, say and perceive about others, but also how we hear and perceive things about ourselves. We know that hidden biases can affect our perceptions of others and our actions towards others. But when we say we … Continue reading A Few Words on Biases
Fling, Romance, or Love-Everlasting Some sights in nature have brought tears to my eyes with their beauty, but I’m a city girl through and through. My type of city is one where I can walk around for pleasure or walk to get around, where places are touristy precisely because lots of people dream of visiting them, and where there is a closeness yet respect for … Continue reading A City Girl’s Love Letter to the Cities She’ll Never Forget
Rather than choosing between “culture fit” and “culture add,” let’s choose the fit, that adds. Diverse in the City™️ “Fitting in” and “adding to” the workplace culture are not mutually exclusive criteria for selecting who to hire, promote, or choose to work with on a project. They are often treated as opposites, though, when talking about affinity bias. “Call out” your bias and “make a … Continue reading “Culture Fit” or “Culture Add?”
