Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with multicultural

Terms for mixed race couples?

roaring beast — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:34:30 -0800

What are the most appropriate terms for referring to couples of mixed race/ethnicity? Multicultural? Mixed Race? Bicultural? Multiethnic? Just to clarify, I mean couples where the partners are different ethnicities, not that each one individually is mixed race. Please excuse me if I have used any of these terms in an offensive manner.

How to become an Expert at Not Being an Expert?

canijusa — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:10:13 -0800

How to self-market with Diversity (not necessarily ethnocentric) as my key point-of-difference, twisting a liability into an asset, within an industry that almost exclusively values Specialization? I love my freelance work in the Beauty/Fashion/Entertainment industry, which similar to many fields, is very compartmentalized; it's rare to find examples of frequent successful mobility (think Theatre vs. Film vs. Fashion vs. Music). Even though we commonly have experience in most aspects, when it comes down to what pays the bills, jobs and referrals follow a family-tree system and we end up semi-pigeon-holed, making it hard to move between specialties (due to trends, innovations and networking).

I tend to be bored with routines and never aggressively pursued a path, simply because I wasn't sure which one I liked more. Luckily, because of this, I have current and ongoing experience in multiple facets of my field, work regularly, teach advanced classes to peers and am fairly respected in my industry because of my range. Unluckily, I face periodic criticism that my body of work is segmented.

In addition to my skill diversity, and my upbringing (mixed-culture hippie home), I have a social-service background (anti-discrimination and civil rights), in which my heart is deeply rooted. Speak to me for more than 5 minutes and you'll see I'm incredibly passionate about the topic beyond the politically-correct rhetoric. As my two passions are seemingly in direct opposition though, it's honestly never occurred to me that the two aspects could even co-exist, let alone flirt and get married. I generally prepared myself for the day I'd have to secede from my current field to rejoin the other.

Some possible challenges:
-Most people value Expert over Generalized skills for obvious and practical reasons, and because my industry is incredibly trend and image-conscious with a short attention span (and I'll say it...snobby and superficial), my concept will not be accepted easily without a very "slick" hook and package. Unfortunately my field is rampant with novices who obtain jobs simply because they are eye-candy and have a pretty website.
-I'd really like to have a thoughtful, holistic marketing plan, and my inner snob also wants it to be fun, approachable and stylish with the seductive whiff of elitism that my crowd tends to be aroused by.
-Due to the potential sensitivity and yawn-factor of "Diversity Issues," how do I incorporate the idea in a fresh, modern, positive, relatable way that avoids any smug moralistic pitfalls or triteness?
-In light of current changes in government and the resurgence of the topic, how can I ensure credibility, relevance and longevity beyond what will likely lead to "buzzword buzzkill," like happened to Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action? Or is it even possible? I don't want to be swallowed up when the topic gets beaten to death or trivialized as just another marketing fad (a la "green").

Additional Info:
-I've written a book on the near horizon that combines my loves; it will likely be in the Health/Beauty/ChicLit categories, tongue-in-cheek, bawdy, peppered with anecdotes and (not so) hidden political messages.
-In researching and writing the book, I've been following trends and forecasting, all of which lead me to hope that clever marketing is possible...that people are open to the idea more than in the past.
-So far, I have found nothing in existence with the same hybrid, there's only one other book even slightly close to my perspective and everything else is very segregated and/or too political to appeal to a larger audience. Time is of the essence for me to be a leader in this niche.

Essentially, I need to become an Expert in Not Being an Expert. I think. That's what you are for.....thank you in advance for your thoughts.

It's harder than it seems.

oceanmorning — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:39:08 -0800

The baby is coming! We haven't chosen a name yet! It's possible I'm in labor right now, so we've got our bags packed and by the door, ready to go to the hospital. We've thought of everything, except we don't have a name picked out for our baby! We've tried really hard, dogearing every baby-name book out there and exhausting Google, but we just can't seem to agree on anything. Seriously, we have nearly had to mudwrestle over this. Please help us by suggesting great names for our little boy who will (hopefully) join us very soon!

The limitations:
--Must be a male name
--Must begin with the letter A
--Must have origin in the the following, or similar, cultures: Maori, Polynesian, Fijian, Arabic/Middle Eastern, Czech, Ojibwa/Chippewa.

We need both first and middle names, so bonus points for two names that sound good together.

Resources wanted - cultural diversity, youth, arts

divabat — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:20:02 -0800

Cultural diversity, youth, and the arts/creative industries - where do I start looking for resources? I'm doing a work placement with an Australian youth arts organization (non-profit) that provides advice and services to young emerging artists. I've been tasked with preparing a cultural diversity strategy, both to get more young people from culturally diverse backgrounds using their services, and also to make their current programs more respectful of cultural needs.

I've never actually written a strategy paper before, but I personally find the topic interesting so I'd like to do as much work as possible. I'd like to know where I can get more information.

I'm guessing this is largely a question of terminology, as searching for resources in my local libraries haven't given me much - what should I be looking for? So far I can think of:

* Brisbane/Australia's policies re: cultural diversity and the arts sector
* How other countries and cultures regard the arts and creative industries (no idea how to search for this)
* Examples of strategy papers
* Efforts in integrating different cultures, not just with young people and/or the arts world

What else should I be looking at? What resources fit the above list and what else should go on that list? Are there any universities/organizations that would be helpful?

How does a strategy paper look like anyway? It seems like right now I'm writing a plan for a strategy paper. (This project is only a week old so far so there are opportunities for adjustment.)

The org is Queensland-based and has offices in Caboolture and Brisbane, but resources from anywhere in the world are fine. My supervisor's worked in Eastern Europe and USA, and I'm from Malaysia, so we're all pretty good at taking our multicultural backgrounds and incorporating it into our work. I don't want to rely on stereotypes though, so I'd like to look at as much info from everywhere.

Suggestions for Regional/Cultural Snack Foods?

The Confessor — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:46:58 -0800

I'd like to sample some distinctly regional or cultural snack foods without leaving the comfort of my own home using the magic of the Internet. Suggestions may include candies, chocolates, chips, cookies, crackers, cheeses, or any item which fills a similar role in a specific culture or region... so long as the ordering process is online and the product can be shipped to the United States. Ideally, suggestions should require little or no additional preparation upon arrival. Simple cooking instructions are fine, but hopefully nothing very much more involved... unless the end result is worth it in your opinion.

One example of approximately what I'm looking for from my own Vermont heritage is Maple Sugar Candy (from here and elsewhere), but don't assume that I'm already familiar with any other VT snack foods just because I grew up there, or Massachusetts snack foods just because I live there now.

Barring masochistic extremes (say, a single item costing more than $1000) cost is not an object, and MA does allow importation of items which contain substantial quantities of liquor.

Other Multicultural Youth Experiences

divabat — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 10:07:30 -0800

In about a month I will return from one of the greatest experiences of my life - a multicultural travelling creative extravaganza. Then what? Right now I am on the tail end of my travels with Up With People's WorldSmart Leadership Program - I started in July/August and will return home in mid December. It has been a fantastic experience so far - meeting all sorts of nez people from all over the world, performing in different styles, working with communities, visiting different regions of the world...so much more than I can accurately describe.

However, I don't have anything to do when I return home. I don't plan to return to college (due to personal issues with said college) and I'm not sure I want to return to conventional college life. I was hoping to be a road staff person for Up With People but their next semester only travels next July and there's no guarantee I'll have a job with them. Basically, I'm lost.

1. Any ideas on other such acitivities or programs that I could participate in in the meantime? Something global/multicultural, involves travel, is creative and out-of-the-box, involves youth and young adults, and helps the community. Camps, youth conferences, events, so on and so forth; most preferably as a staff member (though being a participant is OK also). I am aware of Peace Boat and Raleigh International (am too old for AFS) but wanted to know more options.

2. How do I cope with the inevitable emptiness of leaving the best thing in my life and returning to regular boring mundanity? (I'm not homesick at all).

For reference: I'm 20, female, Malaysian with Bangladeshi passport. I have a year and a half of college experience and auite a number of volunteer experience (this trip is giving me loads!). I'd prefer an opportunity that is either paying me (salary or allowance) or has a scholarship.

Thank you!

Attraction across races

Big Fat Tycoon — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 08:13:35 -0800

Are you attracted to people of races different from your own? I pose this question not to be inflammatory, but because it's one of those semi-taboo questions that I think might not always be answered honestly or seriously, and I think AskMeFi is one of the better places to pose it.

I'm ethnically Asian, and I'm attracted to white women, for the most part. Now, there could be endless debates as to why that is, but suffice to say I grew up in North America in a mostly white enclave. The problem for me is that I find it very difficult, compared to my white friends, to attract women that I'm actually attracted to -- this issue was brought home when I lived in Asia for a while and discovered that local women found me quite attractive but I didn't usually feel likewise. The same goes for my most recent foray into online personals, where my white friends have garnered a great deal more interest than me. Now, perhaps it's some aspect of my attitude that is causing this, but it seems like it is a factor. An average-looking white man I feel will garner more interest than an equivalently average-looking Asian male in this society. My cousin, also raised in North America, has bumped into similar problems, where women have actually said, "I don't Asians" to his face.

So, in this seemingly increasingly multi-cultural world, is this a natural "prejudice" that still remains in you? If you have particular tastes in this area, are they related to physical factors (look of eyes, skin color) or is it a cultural issue? Do you feel you have a fetishistic interest in other races, if you do find other races attractive? If you aren't attracted to other races, why not? Is this something I just have to accept, since attraction is tied to so many subconscious and irrational factors?

Multiracial Places to Live

jare2003 — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 18:09:11 -0800

AskMefi, what would you say are the best places to live, for those of multiracial descent? NYC, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area are all good, but where else have people found acceptance and feel comfortable?