Allen Harrison
June 8, 2025
SOS 1500
TESU
Thinking about the future I want, I know I’ll be working with people from all types of
backgrounds, different ages, cultures, and walks of life. That’s why I’ve started asking myself
am I prepared for that? I feel like I’m on the right track, but I also see a few areas where I need to
grow to make sure my plan works in a diverse environment. Right now, I’d say I’m pretty selfaware when it comes to being respectful and open-minded. I don’t treat people differently based
on where they’re from or how old they are, and I try to make space for others to speak. But
there’s a difference between being respectful and being culturally competent. Reading
Kennedy’s work helped me understand that culture isn’t just about race or ethnicity it’s also
about age, beliefs, and everyday ways of thinking and doing things. I’ve mostly thought about
culture in terms of race, so it was helpful to realize that being able to work across generations
and perspectives is just as important. One thing I’ve realized is that I sometimes hold back
around older coworkers. I don’t always feel comfortable speaking up, especially if their way of
communicating feels more formal or old-school. But as I read through the chapter on “Respect
for Diversity,” I started to see how that gap is something I can work on. Building cultural
competence means being able to recognize and adapt not changing who I am, but finding ways to
connect and work better with others. Cultural humility goes even deeper it’s about knowing that I
don’t know everything, and being open to learning without getting defensive.
Two areas I want to get better at are: being more confident when working with people
older than me, and not assuming I know where someone’s coming from just because we share
the same race or background. Everyone’s experience is different, and part of being culturally
humble is staying curious and asking questions, not jumping to conclusions.
I know that developing these skills will help me be a better team member, and eventually, a
better leader. When people feel seen and respected, they show up differently and that’s the kind
of environment I want to help build. So yeah, I do believe my life and career plan will hold up in
diverse spaces but only if I keep doing the work to grow and stay open.
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