In my current higher education organization, there is a clear divide between administration and employees who are not in administrative roles. Those who serve in the administration often come from Caucasian descent. Meanwhile, employees who are not in administrative roles are more likely to be of African American or Hispanic origin. This gap is something the organization is working on to combat this stereotype and has begun making hiring decisions that reflect their efforts. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay I recently changed careers from the corporate office of a popular fast food restaurant. This fast food organization is called Waffle House. At the company level, there is a huge mix of diversity. All ethnicities, age groups and educational backgrounds and a workforce are featured in most decisions made. This may be due to the origin of the company. The company was founded by two middle-class veterans who wanted to have a family-focused business where all customers were valued equally. This ideal and belief has been reiterated throughout my time here and much progress has been made by HR and personnel departments to enable all employees to provide feedback on the workplace environment. Waffle House's corporate headquarters is located in Norfolk, Georgia, however they have staff like me who have traveled far and wide to all the stores. I primarily resided in Florence, South Carolina for my working years. The Waffle House organization moved me to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where I have resided for a year. After leaving Waffle House I moved to Conway, South Carolina, just outside of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where I currently reside. I was fortunate to grow up in Columbia, South Carolina and Queens Jamaica, New York. I traveled back and forth throughout my youth, but chose South Carolina as my home state because most of my education was completed in Myrtle Beach. Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, which has over one hundred organized neighborhoods, the group of people who reside there is very diverse. However, I will note that the number of people of Asian descent was small, however all other ethnicities and cultures were present. Growing up, the only great sense of inclusiveness that was out of the ordinary was my experience in high school. Since I attended college at a predominantly Caucasian university, I have been able to appreciate the diversity that was offered to me in high school. My high school experience was nothing short of fantastic. We were able to effortlessly participate with a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultural practices. I feel like the result of being in a diverse environment has allowed me to get used to interacting with people from different cultures and has really pushed me to make sure all backgrounds and ethnicities are taken into consideration when planning events or tasks in my current position (Columbiasc.net, 2018). I make an effort to learn more about other cultures and practices outside of my own. I am grateful that in my role as coordinator I can implement cultural experiences for students to engage in. At my university, I also help organize an event called "Art's International", which aims to allow students to come and experience different types of art, food and culture from different backgrounds. This event grows every year and has been a great success in the Pee Dee region of CarolinaSouthern. We look at various types of groups to feature, and often groups come to showcase their culture's clothing and dances during the all-day event. When I meet a person or group of people whose culture I am not familiar with, I am sure to make them aware that I have no knowledge of their culture to ensure there is no disrespect. This way you allow them to be aware that I need guidance and that I want to be respectful in honoring their traditions and culture. Once they are aware of this, I tend to ask questions about what they expect from external parties and how their culture differs or is similar to my culture's practices. I would not tolerate bias or prejudice in the workplace if I could influence a change in the situation. If anyone shows bias or prejudice in choosing opportunities for our students, I will make sure to correct the injustice once recognized. However, being in South Carolina, I encounter people who believe their bias is simply a preference. It is these people who I tend to distance myself from and be careful of. As time has taught me, those who don't want to be open-minded and respectful of other people's cultures simply won't be. Time after time I have attempted to change the mind of someone who chooses to wear blinders when it comes to culture and ethnicity and the result has always been an intensification of the conversation and a defensive response from those who defend their views. This doesn't stop me from allowing other cultures to be displayed or celebrated in the workplace, it simply lets me know who needs more cultural appreciation. If the head of my organization came to me and told me that the next open position would be for someone who falls into a minority group, I would be receptive to that information. Seeing that my organization has made great strides in hiring a more diverse group of qualified candidates, I think it would be good for my current organization to seek out a more diverse group of candidates. I believe this would improve the cultural environment of the workplace and enhance the skills and background we offer to our students through our staff. My personal action plan would include continually introducing our staff to the backgrounds and practices of different cultures, ensuring that no culture is verbally criticized among employees, and encouraging diversity through the celebration of diverse backgrounds. It is crucial that employees view the workplace as a neutral ground in which to celebrate different cultures and practices, not just those most popular among employees. According to Bureau of Labor statistics there are approximately 155,163,000 people active in the workforce. Non-Hispanic Whites represent the largest share of the active workforce at 64%, while African Americans are 12%, Asians are 5%, and Hispanics are 16% of the workforce (Bls.gov, 2018). As you can see, there is no comparison between the representation of non-Hispanic whites and any other ethnic group. This results in the need for cultural representation for those who do not fall into the category of non-Hispanic white, as well as those who are not represented in any of the ethnic groups listed above. Offering a Culture of the Month that employees can become familiar with would be beneficial to both the employees and those who honor that culture. In my current organization, we will provide a lunch for employees who will cook dishes from different cultures every month. This may lead employees to try dishes from alternative cultures at home with their families (Bls.gov, 2018). Keep in mind:, 2018).