But Hey, Find Something That Works For You

I've been thinking a lot about workplace diversity lately. This is, in part, due to an email that went around my company suggesting that managers look around at their group and see how many of them share ethnicity, background, etc. with them. I reassured my manager that despite my appearance, I was actually a great employee to have around for diversity's sake as not only am I part Mexican, but I also grew up as a poor, black woman. (I saw The Color Purple at a very young age. It's...complicated). This did get me thinking about the companies I've worked at.

When you get right down to it, most of the places I've worked in the past have been populated with a lot of white people. I personally don't think of this as an issue of discrimination, as it pretty well reflected the population of the area where the business was located. Still, my teams have traditionally had all the diversity of, say, the Kidd Video crew.

Still, part of me wonders if by continuing to draw attention to our differences, we're just prolonging the awkwardness. I find that given a little consideration, you will find that you have more in common with the people around you then you think. Even furries. We're all just trying to get along, and focusing on what makes us different seems to be a backward approach to addressing the real issue, which is equality.

For example, I personally take great comfort in the fact that no matter who I meet, regardless of race, background, or religious convictions, is probably at least a little overwhelmed by my charm and good looks.