Forum and Swapcard profiles including languages seem like a good idea!
I think it’s an important conversation to have as community builders, as you said in places with many immigrants, especially in places where the community is driven by native English speakers. I’d be keen to discuss what it means for e.g. NYC vs Switzerland: 2 places with high levels of immigrants but different first languages. In Switzerland, we would all speak English at events, but it’s not the first language for the vast majority of people, and I’ve experienced much less frustration in those contexts than at events where English is a mother tongue for most—and then maybe I’m blind to some other dynamics that impairs how welcoming we appear to certain people. What should each of us be more aware of so that we make it as welcoming as possible?
If you find relevant trainings, please share!
I like this “everyone present has a different starting point and we all have something to learn and something to teach”, I’m gonna steal it :p
Side note regarding hiring, I feel there’s also the tricky problem of behavior expectations and cultural bias e.g. during interviews, where your culture can be an obstacle (e.g. from my experience, US and UK people tend to be very friendly and cheerful even to strangers, which could be unconsciously expected of you during interviews, while in your own country it would not be expected of you) - a dynamic that I believe also plays an important role in gender diversity.
Thanks Rocky!
Forum and Swapcard profiles including languages seem like a good idea!
I think it’s an important conversation to have as community builders, as you said in places with many immigrants, especially in places where the community is driven by native English speakers. I’d be keen to discuss what it means for e.g. NYC vs Switzerland: 2 places with high levels of immigrants but different first languages. In Switzerland, we would all speak English at events, but it’s not the first language for the vast majority of people, and I’ve experienced much less frustration in those contexts than at events where English is a mother tongue for most—and then maybe I’m blind to some other dynamics that impairs how welcoming we appear to certain people. What should each of us be more aware of so that we make it as welcoming as possible?
If you find relevant trainings, please share!
I like this “everyone present has a different starting point and we all have something to learn and something to teach”, I’m gonna steal it :p
Side note regarding hiring, I feel there’s also the tricky problem of behavior expectations and cultural bias e.g. during interviews, where your culture can be an obstacle (e.g. from my experience, US and UK people tend to be very friendly and cheerful even to strangers, which could be unconsciously expected of you during interviews, while in your own country it would not be expected of you) - a dynamic that I believe also plays an important role in gender diversity.