Diversity

Are we really a diverse society?

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom hosted the Med Fest, a special event designed to allow young people to express and identify themselves, address their challenges, and share experiences for an optimal future. Diversity was one of the main themes of the event, which began with the question that forms the title of the new, free downloadable publication: Are We Really a Diverse Society?

"We need to quit with labels," was one of the main statements. So far, diversity has been presented as an instrument that groups collectives together and restricts our freedom and that of others. And "to create a free society, we must create our own conditions." This panel included activist and writer Adriana Boho, PhD in Social Anthropology and professor at UCM, Jose Ignacio Pichardo, and managing partner of Promising Women, Sylvia Jarabo, and was moderated by the CEO of Shaping The New and ambassador of #FemaleForward, Eva Díaz.

Where do we stand on diversity issues was the key question. Pichardo opened the debate by asserting that people are diverse, the only question is where do we put that diversity, because there is a kind of hierarchization. "It is important to recognize the changes we have made and move forward". He defended the idea that labels, identities, are necessary for us to choose and challenge boundaries. He also reported that "identity politics has collectivized our understanding and exercise of our freedoms and that this has been a necessary and positive step. In the field of work, we still have a great challenge. What is clear is that you do not have to be a woman, gay, short, black or from a particular country to defend the values of all."

Díaz stressed that "until now we have worked for the acceptance of diversity and equality. The new challenge must be to integrate diversity into our society and our value systems." Finally, "diversity has not been a problem for one part of society and has become an opportunity for all in a pluralistic and global world." Furthermore, Díaz said that empathy is key because "diversity is the essence of democracy."  In short, "we must continue to change preconceived notions. After all, we are privileged." It is also highly important to give voice to people who are not diverse and who live with diverse people. Because "when I am with a person who is different from me, we both grow". It has also been emphasized that "the company is as diverse as society itself."

This empathy is precisely Adriana Boho's motto in life. In her opinion, we still fail to embrace diversity "because it is not reflected in the daily life, we need to be realistic. The system should enforce diversity so that it is reflected in some way in the hiring of top talent, and it is not always the same profiles. After all, it is important to feel like you belong to a group so you are not alone. But the problem lies with those who do not accept certain values there is a lack of tools so that people know what to do in such cases.” Finally, Boho said amusedly that “labels must be removed, these are for clothes.”

For her part, Jarabo argued that "a lot of scientific literature and countless studies tell us that prejudice based on stereotypes of people is a huge barrier to the advancement of women and minority groups in the business world. We must keep in mind that anthropologically, we are not inherently inclusive, so it is important to educate ourselves."

A meeting to continue to grow and give expression to what needs to become the social and business norm.