Culture convergence at MHCC

By JILL AHO

Diversity. What is it? Does it mean cultural clashes, a gender fight or ostracizing those who are different? Not at MHCC. Here it means the efforts of many people coming together to spread acceptance.

Merced Flores, dean of adult and high school community learning programs, also coaches the Access and Diversity Committee at MHCC. “Every time I think of diversity, it brings to mind a whole different definition. I like to look at it as our appreciation of people,” Flores said. The many issues involved in diversity include gender, culture, ethnicity, age, disability and sexual orientation.

Flores said the committee was formed after the MHCCD board decided the school needed to look at different communities and the changing demographics of those communities. As part of their priorities and goals, the board has attempted to make the campus more welcoming to the region, which Flores said has more than 100 language groups.The committee is made up of administrators, faculty and staff who examine the elements of diversity at the college and design workshops, tackle issues, help students and provide training about diversity.

One of the main focuses of the committee has been how to embed diversity in the curriculum at MHCC. The committee works with faculty to help develop classroom content that embraces diversity in people and to allow them avenues to think about how they do their jobs.

Committee member and Medical Office Program Director Carole Wickham feels the committee is getting the message across. “Every member seems dedicated to this, not just doing it because it’s the buzz word of the day, but because they want to do it right. They want to teach in a respectful way,” she said.

Flores said, “We’re making some changes at this college, and it’s not easy. People think we’re focusing on certain kinds of people, but we’re trying to be inclusive.”

Flores and Wickham agree that the issues facing diversity are not just about acceptance, but also respect.

“The campus is working very hard to welcome everyone. We are working to make each individual feel comfortable. It takes everyone participating, it can’t just be one committee,” Wickham said.