The Staff Management | SMX Diversity Program Inclusion Council is proud to bring you this month's newsletter of awareness. In the month of August, we are addressing stereotypes, and how stereotypes affect us in the work place. Giving that Staff Management | SMX is privileged to encompass a great amount and variety of diverse backgrounds and cultures, at times we may find ourselves falling victim of making prejudgments based on the sheet minimum. To tackle and overcome these ideas, we felt it was only imperative to address these issues for not only the workplace, but also our daily lives as well.

1. An Open Letter from a Member of DPIC
As a proud and loyal member of DPIC, I take vested interest in this month’s theme. I, like
everyone else, have lived a life where being stereotyped is a common occurrence. So
common in fact, that in some ways, it’s been expected as an element in life. I have asked
myself on numerous occasions: Why do we (as humans) tend to pigeon hole other
people? Why do we draw conclusions on others without getting to know them? Why
do we allow these assumptions to overtake our better judgment in resulting us to
react to people in a certain way? The word “stereotype” may be on word with four
syllables; however that one word and those four syllables, hold a tremendous amount of
power over us. One word that impacts over 7.9 billion people around the world.
What does this say? Are we powerless to this way of opinion? Do we hold a grudge or envy
against our fellow man each day? Do we constantly live in fear because of when or where
we were born? I don’t choose to look at any of those conclusions. I look at it as a way of
saying that WE CAN BE BETTER. That we can simply rise against, above and beyond this
Creating Diversity Awareness in the Workplace
suspended way of thinking. To begin promote change, we all need to take baby steps in the August 2012 Newsletter
right direction to broaden your horizons and end stereotyping.
Back in February, I challenged the readers of the DPIC newsletter to feed their minds with
enriching information about African American history. There is a world of information, not
mainstream to the public, and very vital to the structure of this great nation. Whether people
took the challenge or not is one thing, but I happily extend that challenge once again to the
reading audience, but this time with a more diverse and more broad range of knowing and
understanding each other. Staff Management | SMX is the wonderful cornucopia of the
variety, rich with talented men and women who represent this company. From all areas of
backgrounds, cultures, religions, countries, neighborhoods, the variety and the
combinations are endless. There should be no reason why we cannot treat each other as
equal and with respect at all times. Breaking Stereotypes Each Day
After reading this month’s newsletter, “unlearn” what you have already conceived in your
mind. Unlearn the challenges you may have when seeing someone in the workplace.
Unlearn the thought process of judging someone, disregard their appearance, clothes and
Stereotyping goes way beyond race and gender. Consider conversations
dialect. Unlearn the trap that we fall into when working on a team or new site unfamiliar to you have had about people from the next town, another department
you. Disregard pre-conceived notions and unprofessional advice, formulate your own in your company, supporters of sports teams, politics and so on.
opinions…another person’s bad experience does not dictate your current experience.
The definition of a stereotype is any commonly known Why Is it bad to stereotype?
If we all take these small baby steps to “unlearn” these detrimental ways, think of public belief about a certain social group or a type of Stereotyping is not only hurtful, it is also wrong.
satisfaction in knowing that everyone surrounding you at home and in the workplace, is one individual. Stereotypes are often confused with Even if the stereotype is correct in some cases,
step closer to being a better and more beautiful human being…STEREOTYPE FREE!!! prejudices, because, like prejudices, a stereotype is constantly putting someone down based on your
based on a prior assumption. Stereotypes are often preconceived perceptions will not encourage them to
Embrace Acceptance Today For Eternal Enrichment Tomorrow. created about people of specific cultures or races. succeed. Stereotyping can lead to bullying form
Almost every culture or race has a stereotype, a young age. Jocks and Preps pick on the Nerds
- Maurice D. Proffit including Jewish people, African American people, and the Geeks; Skaters pick on the Goths, so on
Diversity Program Inclusion Council Member Irish people, and Polish people, among others. and so forth. Stereotyping is encouraging bullying
behavior that children carry into adulthood.
Stereotypes are not just centered on different races
and backgrounds, however. Gender stereotypes also Stereotyping can also lead people to live lives driven
exist. For example, if you say that men are better by hate, and can cause the victims of those
than women, or that all women like to cook, you’re stereotypes to be driven by fear. For example, many
stereotyping all men and all women. Sexual gays and lesbians are afraid to admit their sexuality
The Staff Management | SMX DPIC includes: Kenyatta Draper, orientation stereotypes are also common. These in fear of being judged. It is a lose-lose situation,
Lupe Gonzalez, Katie Smith, Roxanne Ramoutar, Dayna stereotypes occur when you have negative views both for those who are doing the stereotype and
Corona, Jessica Lewis, Justin Schwartz, Robert Cook, on gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals. those who are victims.
Maurice Proffit and Lloyd Weathers"
AUGUST 2012 NEWSLETTER DIVERSITY PROGRAM INCLUSION COUNCIL CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2012

2. How can we talk about cultural differences without putting people into boxes
and stereotyping them? Today, cultural awareness is becoming more and more Is Dad the New Mom?
important in our globalized world. The Rise of Stay-At-Home Fathers
According to the most recent Census, the number of stay-at-home fathers
Social Stereotypes in the United States has more than doubled in the past 10 years, up to
A different type of stereotype also involves grouping of individuals. Most of this 154,000. Yet, these at-home dads are still the exception to the traditional
stereotyping is taking place in schools and workplaces. For example: household and many treading in unchartered parenting waters.
• Goths wear black clothes, black makeup, are depressed and hate society. According to a recent Pew study, women now place a higher importance on
• Punks wear mohawks, spikes, chains and are always in trouble. having a successful, high-paying career than men do. While some men
• All politicians are philanders and think only of personal gain and benefit. might be emasculated by not making an income, others lack of employment
• Blonds are unintelligent and only concerned about physical appearances. is never an issue. But it's a choice that not many families choose to make
• All librarians are women who are old, wear glasses, tie a high bun. and the vast majority of at-home parents are still mothers. Most dads
• Fat people smell bad, are always hungry and eat all day. admitted they made less money than their wives when they were working
OUCH! Learning Objectives:
• Understand the impact of • All teenagers are rebels and disrespect their parents. before they made the decision to take care of the kids full time
stereotypes and biased • All children prefer eat McDonalds and don't enjoy healthy food.
statements, even when • Only anorexic women can become models. Stay-at-home dads face traditional stereotypes everyday, even from family
casually said. members, thinking they are a bum and weak. Many at-home dads across
• Identify the most common
reasons people sit silent in the Sexual Stereotypes the country have turned to the Internet for guidance and support from each
face of bias and stereotypes. other, and now there is a growing online community.
Sexual stereotypes, on the other hand, suggest that any feminine man is gay and any
• Enhance skills for speaking up
against stereotypes without masculine woman is a lesbian. Those who believe gay stereotypes may also believe
“Welcome to 2012.” Setting new boundaries and family structure.
blame or guilt. that homosexuality is immoral, wrong and an abomination.
Female Gender Stereotypes Male Gender Stereotypes
Gender stereotypes begin the second a baby’s gender is found out. As soon as we find out it’s a girl, we immediately Stereotyping is no different when it’s found out that a boy is on the way. The nursery is decked out in blue, his closet is
begin decorating a pink nursery filled with soft décor and butterflies and flowers. We assume that our daughter will be filled with tiny jeans, polo shirts, and boots, and the theme is usually something like jungle animals or dinosaurs;
very "girly" and fill her closet with frilly dresses and her toy box with tea sets and dolls. What this is essentially doing, something tough. Boys’ toys consist of trucks, dinosaurs, action figures, and video games. From the beginning boys
even though many parents don’t realize it, is setting our child up to be the "perfect lady," and teaching her how to be are taught to be tough, to be protective, and to defend themselves. Boys are taught that daddy’s go to work and
the stereotypical woman. We are teaching her that girls are supposed to wear dresses, serve food, and take care of mommy’s stay at home; from their point of view, boys have fun and girls do all the work.
babies; the biggest and most common stereotype put on women.
Are you surprised to hear that most parents admit that they do not teach their sons how to do chores such as
Have you ever watched a little girl playing house? Even as young as five or six, she is well aware that she is washing dishes or folding laundry? Instead, they teach them to take out the trash and mow the lawn; from the get-
supposed to stay home with the baby while the husband goes to work, and she has dinner ready when he gets home. go boys are made to think that certain household chores are "women’s work." This is a major stereotype, but the
Here is another stereotype; women stay at home while men go to work. While there are a million gender stereotypes majority of American households today would prove this to be true. Men are supposed to do the dirty jobs and
about females, these are definitely the biggest, and the most debated by feminists of today. anything that requires muscle, they are also supposed to go to work and provide for the family. Little boys see this and
the stereotype continues.
AUGUST 2012 NEWSLETTER DIVERSITY PROGRAM INCLUSION COUNCIL CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE
CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2012

3. Breaking Stereotypes. Diversity in children's books has long
Challenge Perceptions Every Day. been a thorny issue, says Book Doctor
and especially when it comes to tackling
inequality between girls and boys. Here
are a few suggestions that challenge
stereotypes:
Amazing Grace. By Mary Hoffman.
Grace loves to act out stories. She
eventually overcomes restrictions of
gender and race to play the part of her
dreams, Peter Pan, in the school play.
Anna Banana and Me. By Lenore
Blegvad. Anna Banana is a fearless
young girl. When she plays with a timid
boy, he eventually becomes as brave as
his friend.
The Great Big Book of Families.
By Mary Hoffman. This fun and
fascinating treasury features all kinds of
families and their lives together. Each WORD SEARCH
spread showcases one aspect of home
life - from houses and holidays, to ACCEPTANCE CULTURES PREJUDICES
schools and pets, to feelings and family
AGE FEMALE RACIAL
trees.
CHALLENGE GENDER SHARING
Ira Sleeps Over. By Bernard Waber.
CHANGING LOVING STEREOTYPE
Combating Stereotypes When Ira is invited to sleep over at
Reggie’s house, he must decide whether CHILDHOOD MALE WOMEN
to take his beloved teddy bear. In the
1. Respect each person as a unique individual. end, he learns that it is acceptable for
boys to have teddy bears.
2. Be willing to accept and respect cultural differences.
White Dynamite and Curly Kidd.
3. Remember that even within a group, By Bill Martin Jr. and John Archam-Bault.
A child excitedly watches Dad ride the
there are individual differences rodeo bull and wants to grow up to be
a bull rider like him. The twist is that
4. Learn more about other groups through interaction, she’s a girl.
attending cultural events, reading, Pinky and Rex and the Bully. By James
Howe. A boy who loves the color pink
attending workshops, taking classes, etc. defends himself and his choice for a best
friend, a girl who loves dinosaurs.
5. Take time to get to know someone
from a culture different from yours. The Paper Bag Princess. By Robert
Munsch. Princess Elizabeth rescues
her prince from a fire-breathing dragon.
6. Ask yourself, “How would I feel if When he doesn’t appreciate her efforts,
someone were stereotyping me?” she decides not to marry him after all.
7. Suspend judgment and remember, especially when What I Like About Me! By Allia Zobel
Nolan. The kids in What I Like About Me!
getting to know someone from a different cultural are as different as night and day. And,
guess what? They love it. Some adore
group, our first impressions are usually incorrect. the fact that their braces dazzle and
gleam, others feel distinguished when
8. Try to understand the other person’s they wear their glasses. Still others
wouldn't trade their big feet for a lifetime
or group’s perspective. of free video games. A mylar mirror
embedded in the last page let kids
9. Ask yourself, “What did I grow up hearing take a look at themselves and decide
about ...?” (here put the name of the group what they like best about themselves.
such as Native Americans, older people, It's Okay to Be Different. By Todd Parr.
Along with the four other bestselling Todd
African Americans, etc.) Parr picture books debuting in paperback
this season, It's Okay to be Different is
designed to encourage early literacy,
enhance emotional development,
celebrate multiculturalism, and
promote character growth.
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CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2012

4. Little Miss Mechanic: The 14-year-old girl Great Movies to Watch
Black Pilot to Create Classroom in the Sky
Barrington Antonio Irving, Jr., C.D. (born November 11, 1983) is the youngest who has re-built a Fiero sports car from In challenging stereotypes during the month,
check out some movies that change viewpoints.
person to pilot a plane around the world solo. At the age of 23, he was the first scrap for her Sweet Sixteen birthday
black person and first Jamaican to accomplish this feat.
In high school, Barrington Irving was a football star who never dared to imagine a
career in aviation until he met a United Airlines pilot who asked him if he'd ever Philadelphia (1993)
considered flying. A few years later he was in college on a full scholarship, Stars: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington
Plot: When a man with AIDS is fired by
studying aeronautical engineering.
a conservative law firm because of his
condition, he hires a homophobic small time
At 28, his goals have less to do with breaking records and more to do with giving While most girls her age obsess over Justin Bieber, teenager lawyer as the only willing advocate for a
students interested in aeronautics careers the same opportunities that propelled wrongful dismissal suit. Won 2 Oscars.
Kathryn Dimara is more riveted with cars. The 14-year-old from
his achievements. At Experience Aviation Learning Center, which Irving founded Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, has spent the last two years rebuilding a
while he was still in college, middle and high school students learn about aviation Pontiac Fiero from scrap. Kathryn used her her pocket money Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
and aerospace through simulators, participation in hands-on NASA activities and from babysitting to buy the vehicle, which she hopes to complete Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep
chartering personal flight plans that call on their math, science, reading and in time for her 16th birthday.
Plot: A just-divorced man must learn
geography skills. In 2008 he piloted a plane built entirely by those students. to care for his son on his own, and then
Written by Jenée Desmond-Harris must fight in court to keep custody
Her father Jerry revealed how a 12-year-old Kathryn pleaded with of him. Won 5 Oscars.
her parents, "Dad, Mom, can we talk for a minute?" he told. Jerry
Palestinian Her Participation Will Stun & added: "She presented us with something she had been thinking
Guess Who's Coming
about. She said that she would like to buy a car with her
Policewomen Inspire at the Olympics babysitting money. We were like, you are only 12.”
to Dinner (1967)
Stars: Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier
Break and Katharine Hepburn
Plot: Matt and Christina Drayton are
Traditional a couple whose attitudes are challenged
when their daughter brings home
Stereotypes a fiancé who is black. Won 2 Oscars.
It is rare to see women police officers on the streets in any part Crash (2004)
of the Arab world. But in the Palestinian territories where civil A 17-year-old girl named Khadija Mohammed will Stars: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock,
police are themselves, a relatively new concept, concerted Thandie Newton
make history this summer when she becomes not
Plot: Los Angeles citizens with vastly
efforts are under way to bring more women into the force. only the first female weightlifter from the Persian separate lives collide in interweaving
Gulf to attend the Olympics, but also the first stories of race, loss and redemption.
In Hebron, the West Bank's biggest city, there are now about woman from the United Arab Emirates to qualify Won 3 Oscars
50 women among the 900 police officers deployed locally. outright for Olympics. She'll be lifting in the 75-
Their presence challenges stereotypes but it is traditional kilogram (about 165 pounds) category. Though Million Dollar Baby (2004)
values that make it necessary. expectations are low for Mohammed's first go- Stars: Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood,
round (she's awfully young, even for an insanely Morgan Freeman
"The idea came about because Hebron is a conservative city strong prodigy), her trip to London will hopefully go Plot: A hardened trainer/manager
and people didn't accept policemen entering and searching a works with a determined woman in
a long way to legitimizing a sport that, for women in her attempt to establish herself as
house where women were present," says Hebron police chief, the U.A.E., is still stigmatized as "unnatural" and a boxer. Won 4 Oscars.
After agreeing to oversee her venture, Kathryn has embarked on
Brig Ramdan Awwad. He says some Palestinian criminals sorely underfunded. the long and arduous process with the aid of her dad and uncle.
have been taking advantage of strict religious and social codes
That has seen her strip the entire interior of the car, except for the Elizabeth (1998)
to literally hide behind their wives' skirts. The UAE sent its first two women the Olympics in dashboard, the steering wheel and the carpet floor. She has also Stars: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush,
2008, among them Sheikha Maitha bint Mohamed sanded, spray painted and welded many components and even Christopher Eccleston
Drug-dealers have used women as couriers, hiding contraband bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the daughter of the Dubai Plot: A film of the early years of the
carried out the necessary upholstery work on her car.
beneath their clothes in the certain knowledge that no ruler. Mohammed also will be the first woman reign of Elizabeth I of England and
Palestinian policeman would dare to search them. Raids on her difficult task of learning what is
weightlifter to wear a hijab or Muslim head scarf, at Kathryn's foray has even attracted the attention of many Fiero necessary to be a monarch. Won Oscar.
suspects' homes have been fruitless because drugs and other the Olympics as well as a newly approved unitard admirers, who have been asking her questions online. The
illegal items were secreted with the women of the house. that covers most of her body. youngster who has purchased and fitted many parts herself has
Trading Places (1983)
been responding to several queries. She said: "Okay this is new,
The new women's police unit has ended this. "The plan is not "We are proud to belong to this historic moment Stars: Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd
people coming to me for car stuff. Interesting, but I'll give it my and Ralph Bellamy
to go inside any house without having a police woman with the when we see one of our women athletes qualify to best shot. Thank you everyone for being so patient with me so just Plot: A snobbish investor and a wily street
team," says Brigadier Awwad. "The male officers and all the an Olympic Games," Mohammad Al Kamali, con artist find their positions reversed as
spread the word that I am back! But literally I'm glad to be working
neighbors couldn't believe what they were seeing. They stood General Secretary of the UAE National Olympic part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
on my car again, I've missed my baby (when I refer to my baby it's
there watching in awe," says Insherah. "We do not see women Committee. Associated Press. msn.foxsports.com my Fiero! Just to let you know).” Written by David Gerges
in these types of roles in the West Bank.” www.dailymail.co.uk
AUGUST 2012 NEWSLETTER DIVERSITY PROGRAM INCLUSION COUNCIL CREATING DIVERSITY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2012