Event Type(s): Other,Diversity

When we interact with people who are different from us, it helps to pay attention to our feelings. For example, have you ever felt awkward when meeting someone from a different background? Ever felt guilty about your own advantages relative to others? Do you sometimes pity others? When you encounter negative stereotypes, do you get angry? What do you do with these feelings? Do they confuse you? Leave you not knowing what to do? Or do they help you learn more about yourself and engage more effectively with others? Instead of stuffing our feelings, it's good to express them to a trusted friend or record them in a journal. Acknowledging and sorting through our emotional reactions can pave the way for learning and growth.

--Contributed by Kumea Shorter-Gooden, Ph.D.

For more information, contact:
Jenny Denton
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
+1 301 405 6810
denton@umd.edu
www.provost.umd.edu/diversity