Sooky Goes to Kathryn's Work

Kathryn volunteers at a local food pantry. As you can imagine, there is need for more food and for more volunteers at food pantries these days. As part of the training for food pantry volunteers, the local shelter runs a diversity training program.

Sooky is getting her diversity training at the food pantry in the shelter. Kathryn has already been for diversity training, so she working at home and is not with Sooky.

Diversity Trainer:

Group, my name is Trish. I am the group leader in diversity and sensitivity training. I go around to various volunteer groups for training. That is why we are here today - to understand each other better.

First, I want everybody to stand in a circle and hold hands. There are fifteen of you.   This exercise is a training in diversity, to help us understand and be more sensitive to others in our society. Make sure you hold hands with someone on your left and with someone on your right for the duration of this exercise.

Okay, group - now the exercise begins. The first instruction.

If you are a man, take one step forward. Good. Okay. Next instruction. If your parents were born here, take one step forward.

If you were born here, take one step forward. If your native language is English, take one step forward.

Okay, we are beginning to see a problem with this exercise.

Some of you have fallen from the group - the line has begun to break because those holding hands with people on their left and right have had to let go of some other group members, as some members have stepped forward.

Last instruction. If you went to college (either in the US or outside the US) take one step forward. You do not need to have graduated from the college, and it could be either a 2 year or a 4 year college.

Ah Sooky. Your name is Sooky. I can see your name on your name tag. Your lip is quivering. Step forward, Sooky. You graduated college in Korea. Kathryn told me. It's okay, Sooky. Don't cry.

Now group, I want everyone who has made at least one step forward to turn around and look behind you, at those you have left behind.

Shocking, isn't it? Shocking to see that the people whose hands you were holding just moments ago are now behind you. This is how society often works. Some people move forward, while others are left behind.

It is a cruel fact of life that immigrants have to work harder. Women have to work harder. Minorities have to work harder. People whose parents were immigrants but who are born here do not have to work as hard as their parents.

Sooky, you moved up. Only one step, but look behind you at those who did not move at all. Eight of you did not move at all.

Of the 15 in the group, only Bill, a former assistant vice president at a bank, moved 5 steps. Bill works in the food pantry and he also receives food at the food pantry. Everybody who receives food here must be on a state assistance program. Bill's division closed and his unemployment ran out. His boss received a fat bonus, but Bill did not.

Mary moved up 4 steps. She was born here, graduated college, her native language is English and her parents were born here.  Her newspaper went bankrupt. If Mary were a man like Bill, she would have moved up 5 steps. Mary is a divorced single mother of 3, living off of unemployment and child support.  In addition to working here as a volunteer, Mary also supplements her groceries with food from the food pantry.

Sooky, I see you are smiling, but you look sad.

Yes, Trish, I am smiling because I moved up, but sad because there should be better life for people here in America. Nobody is better than anybody else.

(The group agrees. Bill and Mary nod their heads vigorously.)

Trish, I am happy because I am not at home.  I am sad because I am sad for America. I hope it can be better.

Thank you, Sooky. I think we can all agree on that. So when the morning crowd lines up at the door outside to receive food from this pantry, just remember our little group diversity and sensitivity training this morning.

***

This exercise is based on a diveristy training exercise held at my daughter's senior high class recently during diversity week. Other than that, the story is fictional. Very plausible, but fictional.