Zak Parker
The phrase “diversity is our strength” has been thrown around by the media for what appears to be forever now. It couldn’t have been more than 9 years since they’ve dogmatically adopted it but still.
Repeated till it makes one nauseate at hearing it, they’ve made of diversity a simple corporate slogan that has lost all of its meaning precisely because they almost never explain in depth the reasons why “diversity is our strength”. It is about time someone (or rather, something) does.
To truly learn about the concept of diversity you need to forego superficial explanations and dive deep in what a set of diverse people around the world have provided for humanity and how much we’ve benefited for it as a species. There’s a lot of information to process that, luckily, have been beautifully synthesized in these books about diversity, take a look at them.
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#1 Valentine, Shell-B and Friends by Obi Jr. and Angel Ogbodo
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Get this book or read more reviews of it by using the links below |
Though these are children’s books, sometimes, we adults need to look at diversity through the eyes of the little ones. – Being friends with people of all colors, backgrounds, body shapes and such.
These books were 100% written by a ten year old and nine year old (As of book 1).
These books shows a diversity of characters not just in race, but in various ‘disabilities’, such as speech, weight, and even expectations of what a girl should look like.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#2 Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court
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Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court is the new memoir by Simon Tam. Slanted is the story of an indomitable spirit who so believes in the idea of justice that he’s willing to risk everything along the way for the dignity of self-identity. Simon reveals a deeply personal account that will take you from anime conventions to the Supreme Court, all in the name of justice. The story provides a raw look at our legal system with unflinching honesty and offers timely insights on freedom of speech, how to connect with others we disagree with, and the power of music, all while exploring Asian American identity.
Gripping, funny, enlightening, and ultimately uplifting, Slanted proves that no obstacle is too difficult to conquer –as long as you have a little heart and a lot of rock n’ roll. It’s an irrepressible story that is fresh, alive, and defines what it means to be American.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#3 The Classroom as Privileged Space by Tapo Chimbganda Chimbganda
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The book focuses on diversity in education based not only on race and gender but also experience. Warning against problematizing diversity, Chimbganda highlights that for diversity to truly be an asset in any setting where people (in this case students) come form various backgrounds, we have to acknowledge difference and give it space by privileging everyday because of their unique characteristics.
One reviewer of the book states: All I can say is that she offers a radical, challenging, and deeply loving way forward for teachers, one that will allow us to understand our own hearts more clearly and see our students, perhaps for the first time, for who they truly are, what has already happened to them, and all that the beauty and wisdom they bring to our classroom and world. This needs much celebration and honoring!
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#4 Fluffy the Vulture by William Zicker
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Fluffy the Vulture is a series of the childrens’ books I wrote to instill an awareness and appreciation for the diverse yet similar languages and number systems in use around the world.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#5 A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
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A lot of the history that we learned in classrooms is focused primarily on white American lives while a more different and diverse demographic is ignored. This book helps create an expansive view of American history as a whole, and how women, immigrants, and other minority groups fared during pivotal historical events.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#6 Beyond Culture by Edward T. Hall
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I believe that self-awareness is vital in order to appreciate and understand individual differences and the book serves as a guide to navigate concepts such as the understanding of space, time, verbal and non-verbal communication in relation to diverse cultural backgrounds.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
#7 What Works: Gender Equality by Design by Iris Bohnet
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Gender equality is a moral and a business imperative. But unconscious bias holds us back, and de-biasing people’s minds has proven to be difficult and expensive. What Works is built on new insights into the human mind. It draws on data collected by companies, universities, and governments in Australia, India, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia, and other countries, often in randomised controlled trials.
It points out dozens of evidence-based interventions that could be adopted right now and demonstrates how research is addressing gender bias, improving lives and performance. What Works shows what more can be done often at shockingly low cost and surprisingly high speed.
Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:
Simon Tam from The Slants LLC
Tapo Chimbganda from Future Black Female
William Zicker from Oobleq Ltd
Shiwon Oh from Fueled
Maria A.Marino from Mudita Consultancy
Alex Roberts from Yellowball
Thank you Zak for such an insightful article. The topic of diversity continues to be important in our society. We simply cannot and should not minimize it’s importance. Two thumbs up! 🙂