After considering the conditions of the interviewee, I decided on a middle-class, Muslim, European-American girl who was also straight. Salma Abdul was the interviewee's name. Our faith was the most obvious cultural divide between us since I am a Christian and she is an Islamist. Salma was very proud of two aspects of her life as a European-American Muslim in America: her engagement with Allah and her connection with her fellow Muslims. This was due to her faith, which allowed her to understand her culture. Two things she felt was a challenge associating with Christians as well as being viewed as a threat. Salma was aware of the persecution that Muslims faced in the U.S, and as such, she felt her religion barred her from holistic mingling with others. She first realized that she was different when she moved to the U.S as a child. She described it as both exciting and scary. Salma explained that she felt different when she joined high school after being alienated from being Islamic. Furthermore, she felt particularly poorly after she attempted to get a part time job after high school but was a victim of institutional discrimination from various employers. Her family greatly encouraged each other to continue being stand-up citizens who cooperated with everyone. Salma pointed out Eid al-Fitr as one of the most important traditions which she participated in annually. Finally, she wished everyone to know that not all people who practice Islam are threats and people ought to be more considerate toward them.
Part 3: Reflections on the Interview
I consider diversity to be the natural, cultural differences that have developed due to millennia of geographic separation between the populations of the world. To me, diversity means the existence of people with a variety of different experiences who can learn from each other as a result. It was eye-opening engaging with my interviewee, as I got an up close and personal look into their world, through their own eyes. Aspects of the interview that made me uncomfortable were when Salma explicated her struggles as a Muslim in America. However, I was very comfortable with her general attitude, as she was a warm and welcoming person. As a Christian, I have to say that I have not clashed with many persons in America as a result of my religious affiliation. As such, when Salma describes some of the ordeals she has experienced as a result of her religion, it opened my eyes to the fact that ethnicity or race was not the only cultural difference existent in the U.S. In this regard, I was able to appreciate the true meaning of diversity better, and in particular, obtain first-hand information about how religious diversity can adversely affect those from minority groups.
I learned that with the extremist activity going on in the Middle East, many American citizens were quick to persecute any Muslim or person practicing Islam as being guilty of the heinous crime that is terrorism, or a potential threat to others. Salma made this exceedingly clear as she was faced with prejudice and discrimination throughout her life, even though she had moved to the states early on in her life. I felt like this fact should be shared with the class. Following the interview, I was able to discern several similarities between Salma and myself. This includes our shared conviction and love for our religion. We are both avid followers of Christ and Allah respectively, and though there are definite differences between Christianity and Islam, many of their ethical teachings are similar. Both advocate for kindness and consideration for others, with particular emphasis on loving others. I also discovered that we were different on different accounts. For instance, the dress code was strict for Muslims as well as the celebration of Ramadhan, for Islam, and Christmas for Christians. I also discovered that the prayers were different for both religions, as well as the expectations of men and women. These differences, however, did little to assuage me from the lovely demeanor of Salma. Since our interview was short, I was able to obtain only basic information about Salma’s culture, and in particular, her religion.
However, I still had some questions left unasked, such as the particulars of the ceremonies and events in Islam, what the day to day entails, and why they are obligated to follow the strict dress code that is characteristic of the religion. As I consider answering the questions in the interview, I consider telling the truth and being forthright. I also consider the interviewer might want me to point out the similarities and differences between my culture and theirs. Strategies that I could employ to handle diversity at the workplace would include the allowance for dress codes that are culturally defined, the institutionalization of inclusivity, participating team building exercises, as well as encouraging a work environment in which diversity is celebrated instead of being persecuted. Diversity would personally benefit me in an organization as I would get to learn about new cultures, and gain a broader perspective on the nature of human beings, and how best to interact with them.
