Celebrating Diversity through RECREATION PROGRAMMING

BY TERRY WHITT BAILEY,
LISA PESAVENTO RAYMOND
AND BARBARA ELWOOD SCHLATTER

meeting the leisure and recreation programming needs of an increasingly diverse population will continue to challenge providers, educators, and policy makers as we approach the 21st century. More serious attention must also be given to knowing and understanding how access to quality programming can improve the lives of those who have been traditionally underserved.

Excluding groups on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, employment status, medical history or other arbitrary characteristics is never acceptable. However, encouraging diversity and inclusion as coping mechanisms are extremely important and all that will contribute to this process is worth doing.

All people—not just the majority culture, the athletically elite, the so-called intellectually gifted or the economically privileged —must know the self- empowerment that is possible through lifetime activities such as moving ones body confidently, striking a ball well, appreciating nature and playing cooperatively with others. We must stretch introspectively to question our own apathy and the apathy of those for whom we serve as models. Activities examining biases, prejudices, and phobias are necessary if we are to advocate for all people.

Ignorance and the lack of administrative or financial support should no longer serve as excuses for not incorporating inclusion and diversity activities into our programs.

Although recreation may never be regarded as a "magic elixir" to alleviate all of the costs of living in a highly technological and alienating society, its positive contribution to the quality of life for every individual should not be ignored.

In this article, we hope to stimulate thinking and dialogue about the role of recreation and leisure in fostering and valuing diversity. It is only when the benefits of our field are accessible to all that the potential for satisfaction, enrichment and hope is possible.

A Theoretical Model

The organized recreation setting offers a superb medium for increasing cultural awareness and sensitivity. A model by Washington (1996) provides recreation professionals with the necessary building blocks for celebrating diversity among program participants, and is centered around three dimensions: diversity knowledge, social justice awareness, and cross-cultural training.

The question is. How can professionals incorporate this approach into their own programs?

Following are three steps towards embracing diversity through recreation programming. They offer specific ways for program planners to use the recreational setting to celebrate diversity.

Diversity Knowledge

The first step is gaining a greater understanding of diverse cultural groups. Most commonly, this includes the three F's: eating ethnic/cultural foods.

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observing cultural fashions, and attending ethnic/cultural festivals.

These are not enough, however. Also, visit the public library and check out books that detail both fictional and nonfictional accounts of persons whose cultural backgrounds differ from your own. Listen to popular radio stations for a flavorful sample of rhythms, lyrics and views on current events from other cultural perspectives.

Build more friendships with members of diverse groups. For example, an African-American professor at Chicago State University challenges administrators to invite a person whose cultural background differs from our own home for dinner at least once. During such intimate moments is where an understanding and celebration of diversity begins.

Social Justice Awareness

Remember the adage, "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me." The truth is that names do hurt, especially those attached to demeaning jokes.

Recreation professionals must respond to such jokes with zero tolerance. Rather than waiting until the end of the joke to express displeasure, interrupt the joke teller and say, "That joke is hurtful to others, stop telling it right now." A reaction like this lets kids know people are to be treated fairly and with respect.

Sometimes children say inaccurate things about others without ill intent. These comments may wrongly serve to reinforce negative stereotypes. Look to such instances as opportunities to explore with children why they hold the inaccurate beliefs. By encouraging open communication about sensitive issues between staff and participants, we can affect positive social change.

Cross-Cultural Skills

Although many recreation programs have moved beyond the heavy emphasis of competitive sports programming, others seem to be hopelessly entrenched by this type of program format. The competitive program format is often an ineffective approach to bringing groups together. Instead, groups are divided and subdivided as winners and losers.

Practitioners are challenged to use program formats that encourage the development of cross-cultural skills and communication, such as classes, workshops, special events, open facility, and resource centers. Why not use formats like these, which naturally lend themselves towards promoting positive interactions among diverse groups, rather than the divide-and-conquer approach offered by competitive sports?

Finally, if games and competition are what people want, why not provide them on a different level? Bookstores offer great innovative resources for team-building activities and initiative games. Better yet, attend the LAPD/IPRA Annual Conference and the National Recreation and Park Association Congress

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CELEBRATING DIVERSITY THROUGH RECREATION PROGRAMMING

and check out the resources and book displays in the exhibition halls.

Team-building activities and initiative games are especially valuable to those wishing to celebrate diversity because these games not only are intellectually and physically challenging, but they require participants to take emotional risks as well. What better way to enjoy the benefits of our multicultural society?

We are all products of our own cultures. We see people and things in the ways that we have been conditioned to see them. All too often, innocently and inadvenently, we tend to draw conclusions about others based on our own limited, yet biased, cultural perspectives.

The biggest challenge for recreation and leisure professionals is the challenge of stepping outside of our own cultural orientation (our "comfort zone") so that we can develop a greater appreciation for and understanding of those individuals who are different from us. We must learn to motivate ourselves to study other cultures, enhance relationships, and develop cross-cultural skills that will help us to develop a greater appreciation of cultural diversity and other differences as we plan programs for recreation and leisure.

This acknowledgment of and respect for differences can only strengthen the social, emotional, and physical self-images of the traditionally underserved or excluded groups. It is through this acknowledgment and respect for differences that we begin to interact with others in ways that allow everyone to grow. It is then that we begin to notice that it is okay to be different, and it is even better to be respected and accepted for those differences.

Addressing and celebrating diversity through knowledge, social-justice awareness, and cross-cultural training is a positive step toward increasing cultural awareness and sensitivity, first for recreation program planners, but ultimately for those whom we serve. 

TERRY WHITT BAILEY AND BARBARA ELWOOD SCHLATTER
are assistant professors in the Deportment of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation at Chicago State University.

LISA PESAVENTO RAYMOND
is choir of the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation of Chicago Stole University.

REFERENCES

Pesavento Raymond, L, Ego, M., & Woodword, M. (April, 1992). leisure and diverse populations: Satisfaction, enrichment and hope. IOPERD. 63(4), p. 30. Washington, S. (February, 1996). Diversity education for professional practice. IOPERD. 67(2), p. 42-44.

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