AGPA Commits To Embracing Diversity

We live and work in a multicultural, multiethnic, multidimensional world. To better reflect the changing demographics of our environment, fostering diversity has become a major goal for AGPA. 

Diversity is a much bandied-about term that to many people smacks of trendiness,” wrote Santiago Rodriguez (Diversity and Volunteerism: Deriving Advantage from Differences, Journal of Volunteer Administration, Spring 1997). “Diversity arises from a multiplicity of cultures. Cultures are not only national in nature. They may be regional, urban, rural, suburban, based on age, religion, class, professional affiliation, and much more,” said Rodriguez, a consultant in the area of diversity management and marketing.

AGPA has long acknowledged differences. Its Special Interests Groups allow like-minded group psychotherapists to share ideas and strengthen their knowledge through interaction with their colleagues. But embracing diversity means more than having SIGs that focus on Women, Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues, or even Diversity, and in recent years, AGPA’s Board of Directors became concerned about the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the leadership and membership. 

The Board decided that diversity would become a core value of the organization, and incorporated this call for the organization to actively increase the cultural and ethnic diversity of the membership and leadership into its Strategic Plan. The next step toward achieving this strategic goal was the Board of Directors’ participation at last year’s Annual Meeting in Los Angeles in a Board Development Program on “Diversity: Advantages and Disadvantages” (see Board Perspectives, The Group Circle June/July 2000).

Another step in the process is AGPA’s 2001 Annual Meeting in Boston, whose theme is “Diversity Matters: Exploring Our Differences.” In addition to many diversity programs (see sidebar, “Other Conference Diversity Events), the Conference will feature a conference-wide event—“Diversity in AGPA.” Using the large group format, this is an opportunity for all Annual Meeting attendees to engage in a dialogue on the theme of diversity. It is hoped that this dialogue will generate a base of support so that AGPA can move forward in increasing diversity. The large group format was chosen because it has the potential for participants to experience in a powerful way the different perspectives of diverse groups on the issue of diversity itself. Themes on diversity that have emerged throughout the Meeting will be discussed, ways in which AGPA can take on a diversity agenda identified, and interest in forming action groups assessed.

Evangelina Holvino, EdD, and James Cumming, EdD, an intercultural couple who are the Directors of CHAOS Management, Ltd., will be conducting the group event. Dr. Cumming, a native of England, and Dr. Holvino, a native of Puerto Rico, are internationally known group consultants in international management, cross-cultural issues, and the dynamics of the large group around multiculturalism. Here they talk with Maria Ross, MSW, ABD, Co-Chair of AGPA’s Diversity SIG, about the upcoming program.

Q: What kind of event is planned?

A: This will be an interactive afternoon. There will be a large group event, and we will also divide into smaller interest groups. For example, the small groups will explore indicators of what makes a multicultural organization. One indicator is representation of diverse groups at the different levels of the organization such as membership, chairs of committees, and board members. Another indicator is informal practice that supports inclusion of different kinds of people in the organization. 

Q: How do you define diversity?

A: Diversity can be defined as differences that shape the membership. Diversity includes all the different dimensions of our society, including race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationalities, cultures, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, and socioeconomic levels.

It is our sense that AGPA as an organization has been very inclusive of differences in gender and sexual orientation, but it has had more difficulties with racial and ethnic diversity. An aspect of the program will be to help the organization transfer the skills that they have used to be a more inclusive organization.

Q: What do you hope participants will learn from attending this event?

A. We will be talking about the steps necessary to becoming a multicultural organization, one where there is inclusion and diversity. Our premise is that inclusion is a major part of being a productive and effective organization, particularly in today’s multicultural global world.

The small groups will develop an action plan with suggestions for AGPA. AGPA’s leadership will also be asked to identify key members in the organization who could work on these ideas in the future. For this event to have a transformative outcome, diversity and multiculturalism must be kept at the forefront of AGPA’s thinking.

People will have a chance to think about the benefits of becoming a more multicultural organization and what it means to be inclusive, diverse, and multicultural.

This article was published in the December 2000/January 2001 issue of The Group Circle.