Florida and It's Issues with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The movie "Easy Rider" was released in 1969.  I graduated from high school in 1969.  The musical "Hair" hit Broadway in 1967 and "Woodstock" happened in 1969.  The "counter culture" was hooked on sex, drugs, and rock and roll according to a LIFE Magazine article in 1969 as well. It's been over 50 years ago and life changed for a lot of us.  

The 1950's really didn't dwell on diversity, equity, or inclusion very much in the suburban Chicago Area. The opposite concern about "block busting" in the closer in neighborhoods was a bigger issue.  Neighborhoods and most residents worried about them changing.

Times have changed.  A person might have been excused back then for behavior that certainly wasn't "woke" and more likely open bigotry in the 1950's.

Stodgy, backwards, and being afraid of change isn't a formula for what is needed in this world.  Some cultural wars and the way they are being fought are the direct result of earlier cultural shifts. "Separate But Equal" was declared anything but equal.  

Whether you like it or not diversity has happened.  Equity in opportunity is given lip service, but only goes so far.  Not everyone starts from the same place.  Too often wealth and other circumstances fly in the face of equity and inclusion which chips away at the real value of "DEI"

I have lived in Miami and worked in various communities that were Hispanic,  African American, Haitian, or a combination of immigrant communities.  Miami-Dade County is already a diverse community.  Hard work is rewarded, opportunity needs to be promoted, and we all need to pull in the same direction.   

In the largest of senses diversity has already happened.  Nobody is as isolated as we once were, be it by the internet, or planes, trains or automobiles you can go on worldwide adventures. 


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