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Signature Assignment

Courtnee Jones

Fresno Pacific University

CD 80

Spring 2016
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Signature Assignment

Diversity means It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing

our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual

orientation and religious beliefs just to name a few. It is about understanding each other and

moving beyond the not so ordinary to embrace and love one another as God created us. I

interviewed my best friends mom, Claudia and I also interviewed my mother in law Teresa

Steward. Claudia is a Hispanic female, she is from the hispanic culture, she has no disability and

she is a heterosexual female. Claudia has two children one boy, Salvador and one girl, Yamilex

being married to her husband, Salvador she loves dearly. Claudia is a stay at home mother and

wife for her family while her husband is a truck driver with his own business. Claudia and her

family are from the Hispanic culture and although they do not do many traditions from their

culture they still have a select few that they do. For example, the Garcia family has this game

called Loteria. Lotera is a game of chance, similar to bingo, but using images on a deck of cards

instead of plain numbers on ping pong balls. Every picture has a name and an assigned number.

Each player has at least one tabla, a board with randomly created 4 x 4 grid of pictures with their

corresponding name and number. Players choose what board they want to play with. Each one

presents a different selection of images. I played this game with the Garcia family before and I

actually won! This game refreshes your ability of Spanish words and names of pictures. The

Garcia family also has a family tradition that they do on Christmas Eve, this involves being

inside and outside a home at the door. This tradition is titled The Mexican Posada Song. It is

one of the main symbols of Christmas in Mexico, and they do this every year. As the candlelit

procession with Joseph leading Mary on her donkey winds through the streets, the Pilgrims

knock on the doors of various houses. They sing the first stanza of the song, and the people
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behind the closed door reply with the second and so on, back and forth. The pilgrims are turned

away several times before they reach the night's chosen house. Here, the householders realize

who is really knocking. The final choruses are sung, the door swings wide, and the pilgrims are

allowed inside.

My second interview with my mother in law Teresa was plain, short and sweet. Her

family is all over the states and country as well. Teresa has her main family that is close to where

we live and that is in Modesto, CA. Teresa and her family do not have many traditions now

because both her parents are gone home with the Lord. Teresa is now trying to make more

memories and traditions with all of her cousins because she understands life is to short and also

they need to be connected again as a family. The Noriega family has recently had a family

reunion which everyone who could come down to participate did and showed their love for one

another. Teresa explains to me that her family brought Mexican food to share with one another

that day which consisted of enchiladas, rice, beans and tortas as well. Teresa also explains to me

that her family has not always been the best family members because they tend to fight and

ignore one another, just like any other family, but tend to reconnect when something major has

happened to a member in their family. I explained to teresa that it is not only a Mexican family

that does this but also my African American family does this as well. My family tends to not be

in contact with you until they need something from you that will benefit them. No family should

be this way and treat one other this way as well.

This Hispanic culture and my African American culture are different because the things

they do as traditions, games, fashion/clothing and traditional foods are not alike. African

American culture love to cook fried chicken, mac and cheese, corn on the cob, collard greens,

corn bread and black eyed peas. Soul food is our number one entree that we love to make and
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share with everyone. Soul food is the style of cooking originated during American slavery.

African slaves were given only the "leftover" and "undesirable" cuts of meat from their masters

(while the white slave owners got the meatiest cuts of ham, roasts, etc.). Hispanic foods have

many different characteristics, but one of the main things that make it distinctive is that it tends

to be spicy! Moles pronounced as Mo-lay, the name of this dish comes from the Aztec word for

"mixture." Mole is a mixture of dried chiles, nuts, seeds, vegetables, spices and chocolate.

Tortillas: This flat bread is made of wheat flour or masa and forms the base of tons of tasty

Mexican dishes like enchiladas, burritos and fajitas. Ceviche is a Mexican dish of raw fish

marinated in lime juice, often shown in a chopped salad. Hispanic food is my favorite food

because I love all the spices and the carne asada tacos are my favorite! I am blessed to have an

amazing mother in law who is hispanic and loves to cook Mexican food for me.

African American culture also has a few traditions like the Hispanic culture does as well.

African American culture has Kwanzaa which comes directly from the tradition of the

agricultural people of Africa, who gave thanks for a bountiful harvest at designated times during

the year. For African Americans, the entire month of February is set aside not as a holiday, but as

a time of enlightenment for people of all races. Black History Month, first introduced in 1926 by

historian Carter G. Woodson as Negro History Week, is observed each February as a celebration

of black heritage. A key tool in the American educational system's growing multicultural

movement, Black History Month was designed to foster a better understanding of the role black

Americans have played in U.S. history. African Americans also march down Martin Luther King

Jr. street here in Tulare on his birthday to show respect for black history month and for Martin

Luther King Jr. I have not been able to participate in this tradition because it happens only in the

mornings at the time I need to attend work. Another tradition for African Americans are the
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family reunions that happen either every year or every other year. African Americans believe

that family reunions are very important and everyone should attend because life is short and also

since all of our lives are so hectic and literally take over, we need a weekend that just involves

family, fun and laughter. My family and I attend a family reunion in Los Angeles because that is

where our main reunion tradition takes place.

Hispanic culture has some traditional clothing that they wear on special occasions which

I think is really beautiful. I love all the colors and the variety that they have to express their

individuality. The sombreros which is a hat with a wide brim to cover their body from the sun

rays, Tribal boots known as they pointy boots are popular in the Mexican tradition which is

known to be worn at parties or even with a everyday outfit for the guys, and last but not least the

China Poblana which is a combination of a skirt, shawl and blouse meant to beautify a woman's

feminine features. These dresses are beautiful with the amazing colors that are incorporated and

even the hair dos that they wear to compliment their dresses nicely. African Americans have

African traditional clothing women Bazin clothing with embroidered scarf recreational dress.

These dresses come in many different colors and designs that show their originality. There are

many to choose from with also the head scarf to wrap around and match perfectly. African

Americans have also the turban, fez, loincloth, caftan and the boubou. These are individual

pieces that represent the African American attire that they wore. The hispanic culture and the

African American culture has this in common because both clothing are beautiful, colorful and

only worn for a specific occasion.

The hispanic culture has an effect on todays society because they are also one of the

many cultures we have here in our world. Hispanic culture will always be around and always be

taught to our youth. As instructors it is our best to teach and understand these cultures because if
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taught or spoken wrong then I am sure society will think we are disrespecting them and it will

escalade into something more serious. As society we are to understand and respect other cultures

and their traditions as well as our own. God placed us here together for a purpose, which is to

enlighten us and make each other known. God did not place us here to make fun of one another

or kill each other as well.

References

Carteret, M. (n.d.). Cultural Values of Latino Patients and Families. Retrieved May 15, 2016,
from http://www.dimensionsofculture.com/2011/03/cultural-values-of-latino-patients-and-
families/

Carteret, M. (n.d.). Health Care for African American Patients/Families. Retrieved May 15,
2016, from http://www.dimensionsofculture.com/2011/05/health-care-for-african-american-
patientsfamilies/

Zinn, M. B., Eitzen, D. S., & Wells, B. (2002). Diversity in families. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.