Acculturation: The process of acquiring the culture of an organization; merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact.
Affirmative Action: Set of goals for the hiring and upward mobility of women, people with disabilities, African Americans, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, Hispanic/Latino Americans and/or Native Americans. Goals are based upon the difference between the availability of these groups in the population and their actual representation in the organization. Affirmation Action does not impose quotes, but instead uses goals and/or targets.
African American: Non-white person of African slave descent from the United States. The term is always capitalized; and hyphenated, only when used as an adjective.
Ageism: Prejudice or discrimination against a particular age group, usually the very young or the very elderly.
Asian: Person of Asian descent or from the continent of Asia, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Assimilation: Being absorbed into the culture of an existing group; confirming to one culture.
Black: Non-white person of African descent, regardless of national origin. Use Black only in this larger context. Though commonly used in Canada, use of the terms African American, Haitian, Caribbean American, and the like, are encouraged in the United States.
Culture: The total social behavior patterns, beliefs and traits passed within a specific group of people.
Discrimination: To treat differently; to differentiate or discern between two or more people or things.
Diversity: The fact or quality of being different, as defined by race, gender, age, physical challenges, work style, economics, sexual orientation, education, family status, religion, professional background and/or appearance.
Equality: Dealing fairly with all concerned without bias or favoritism; equal does not necessarily mean "the same."
Ethnicity: Classification of humans based on shared cultural heritage, such as place of birth, language, customs, etc.
Ethnocentrism: A belief in the superiority of one's own race, ethnicity or culture.
Hispanic: Person of descent from a Spanish-speaking country, regardless of ability to speak Spanish. The term is always capitalized.
Latino: Person of Latin-American descent, regardless of ability to speak Spanish or Portuguese. Use Latino(s) for women and men in a group and Latina(s) for women only. The U.S. Census Bureau limits the term to people of descent from Spanish-speaking countries only. The term is always capitalized.
Native American: Descendent of native inhabitants of the United States, regardless of tribal affiliation. American Indian is used by the U.S. Census Bureau, but Native American is preferred. The term Indian is not to be used in reference to Native Americans. The term is always capitalized; and hyphenated, only when used as an adjective.
Prejudice: To pre-judge, or form an opinion, without knowing the facts: a feeling, unfavorable or favorable, toward a person or thing prior to, or not based on, actual experience. A prejudice, unlike a simple misconception, is actively resistant to new evidence.
Racism: The subjugation or subordination of a person or group of persons based on their race; belief that one group of people is superior to another and, therefore, have the right to dominate and the power to institute and enforce their prejudices and discriminatory practices on those deemed inferior.
Social Similarity: The widespread tendency for people to hire and promote persons similar to themselves along gender, racial, ethnic or religious dimensions.
Stereotype: A relatively rigid and oversimplified conception of a group of people in which all individuals in the group are labeled and often treated based on perceived group characteristics.
Glossary of Terms
Diversity Resources
