Scaling the summit: valuing ethnicity

Pike's Peak in Colorado is a huge mountain--once a challenge to test skill and courage, now a summit to obtain a wonderful vista. It is a metaphor for the theme of this column.

Those who have conquered the climb may have forgotten the initial longing, the need to arrive at this height, and the fact that the climb is available to all who aspire.

Similarly, many ethnic minorities aspire to the level of being viewed as capable despite their accent, being welcomed as a valued neighbor despite their skin color, being seen as a contributing colleague despite their name, and being accepted for their aspirations. The dream is to have an equal space and be welcomed at the summit. In other words, no more or less than what others have been afforded. But the climb has become difficult.

A landmark study by K. Klein and J. Dovidio highlighted the obstacle of subtle negative attitudes. They presented photos of black and white "candidates" for admission who had exactly the same credentials--some low-qualified, some moderately qualified and some highly qualified. Both sets of low-qualified candidates were equally rejected, while the moderately qualified white candidate was slightly preferred over the African-American.

Alarmingly, the highly qualified white was evaluated as significantly better than the highly qualified African-American, even with identical qualifications. The minority was judged as less competent despite objective data. The climb is difficult.

We can learn strengths from minorities

Minority status tends to trigger negative associations, precipitating avoidance, distance and fearfulness among the majority. This must be transformed into a positive outlook through recognizing the contributions minorities offer. Minorities bring a model that values the family, emphasizes interpersonal supportiveness and focuses on common rather than individualistic goals.

Mental and physical health research has identified unique strengths deriving from minority cultural heritages from which majority members can benefit.

Asian youths who retain an Asian identity show a stronger resistance to use of alcohol, inhalants or marijuana use than acculturated Asians. More African-American women obtain a Pap smear than white women; Japanese Americans with cancer have higher survival rates than whites. Beyond biological factors, there are protective factors deriving from cultural values and behaviors. African-Americans, Asians and Latinos emphasize kinship networks that buffer them from physical and emotional stressors. Pickett, Vraniak, Cook and Cohler observed higher coping and self-esteem of African-American parents of seriously mentally ill children, while white parents experienced twice the level of depression.

Social support has been linked to better prognosis, strengthening of the immune system, and possibly longer survival for cancer patients. Yet white cancer patients appear to have less adequate social support networks than Latinos. Further, African-Americans are more willing to offer personal time to be with ill kin.

A recent Texas analysis reported Hispanic baby girls born in 1995 will have the highest life expectancy of any racial or gender group because of the cultural value of prioritization of family, extended families providing emotional support, and better nutritional habits and lower negative health habits. In sum, the presence of minorities is a blessing from which there is much to learn.

Transforming affirmative action by valuing diversity

This perspective also transforms the negative reactions about affirmative-action goals. The rationale becomes increasing minority presence because this is a benefit for all. Actually, diversity that benefits the entire group in synergistic or complementary ways has been an accepted principle in recruitment, e.g., when unique job skills or specialized education is sought in new hires. Scholarships have been earmarked for applicants from specific hometowns, and apprentices solicited from parents employed within the factory. "New blood" is valued especially if the firm or institution seeks to avoid stagnation.

Within this orientation, diversity is truly valued rather than despised, actively sought rather than intensely fought, all because diversity is seen as benefiting everyone rather than as taking away from someone.

As a step toward reaching out to minorities, I ask your input on two topics.

First, identify psychologists able to serve as community mentors for minority students in programs with low access to minority faculty. Such a network can prove valuable. Second, two donors have authorized the creation of a departmental award for university programs that have successfully enrolled and graduated ethnic minorities. What name might we call this award?

The summit is awaiting. I appeal to you to reach out to and welcome those who would scale the summit.

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