As a young Mexican immigrant working in an apple orchard to help his family get by, Celestino Fernández remembers other children laughed at him when he was learning to speak English. Years later, as a graduate student cleaning yards to make ends meet, he knew there were people who wanted him to fail.

Today, he is the provost of the UA's Arizona International Campus. But things haven't changed all that much. He's still fielding criticism, and he's still using education as his armor.

His day starts at 4 a.m., with the early hours spent reading and writing, along with either a run with his wife or a basketball game.

He then heads to Arizona International, where he is responsible for shaping the state's newest college-a school that has met with some harsh criticism. "You know, critics are a dime a dozen," he said. "There are some challenges out there, but it's also a tremendous opportunity to be able to develop something...about students. We want our students to be linked up to the world."

Fernández was born in a small town in southern Mexico in a house that had no phone and intermittent electricity. He rode a horse long before he ever took a ride in an automobile. "I knew the hills and mountains like the back of my hand," he said. "There's not a lot that frightens me."

Had he stayed in Mexico, he feels certain he never would have attended school past the sixth grade. But he ended up going to college, eventually earning his doctorate in sociology from Stanford University.

Getting to where he is hasn't been a cushy trip. He always worked after school-at a bakery, a golf course, Hickory Farms. It was then he developed the habit of getting up early to get his work done for school. He joined the UA faculty as an assistant professor of sociology in 1976. Since then, he has held three vice presidencies and was the UA's affirmative action officer.

Having an open mind, he says, is one of the most important things he brings to Arizona International. "I bring a willingness to innovate. I bring a deep and broad understanding of higher education...a vision for the future that comes from understanding a model of the past."

Excerpted from The Arizona Daily Star, August 18, 1996, as written by Pila Martinez.

Human Rights Standards Apply Everywhere

Some people argue that the human rights framework is Eurocentric and therefore, is not an appropriate standard against which to judge non-Western societies. Attacks on universality of rights come from governments claiming they're justified in excluding themselves from internationally recognized human rights standards.

The governments of some Islamic countries argue that the more restrictive tenets of traditional Islamic law supersede women's equality, religious freedom and judicial punishment. Leaders of the People's Republic of China claim their culture emphasized group rights over individual rights, and economic, social and cultural rights over civil and political rights.

Even in the United States, Congressional critics of the human rights convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women have argued that its principles conflict with American religious and cultural values.

In fact, the development of international human rights law since 1945 has been the work of many nations, including newly independent states in Africa, Asia and Latin America. At the same time several important Western governments, including the U.S., have often sought to delay or derail these treaties.

Another assumption is that the authorities who claim to represent the cultures of their countries, do in fact truly represent majority opinion.

Did the Chinese government take a poll of its people to see whether they agree that individual rights to liberty, security, and political participation are expendable in the name of providing adequate food and shelter? Did the Islamic clerics ask Muslim women whether they want a lower standard of rights in marriage than that accorded them by international law? In the multicultural United States can any one group truly claim to represent "American" culture? Even if the answers are "Yes," cultural majorities can be historically mistaken. Remember slavery?

Morton E. Winston, chairman of the Amnesty International U.S.A. Board of Directors

How the World Views Women

The United States isn't the only country where people can't quite sort out how they feel about the role of women at work, in government and in the family. The Gallup Organization report sheds light on beliefs in a broad cross section of the world, based on interviews with more than 22,000 people in 22 countries in Asia, Europe, North and South America.

It turns out that Americans are profoundly conservative. In the United States, 62% of women and of men voted for having just one parent working-what reporter Lisa Kalis calls the Ozzie-and-Harriet setup-rather than a scenario where both work and both share care for house and children.

In Thailand, 69% of Thai men and 70% of the women preferred the two-earner arrangement.

Even in supposedly tradition-bound Japan, 56% of the men and 49% of the women said the ideal family required one stay-at-home parent.

Only France, Hungary and Iceland came close to the U.S. preference.

Americans are conflicted about women in the workplace. Most (64%) believe women don't have equal job opportunities. Yet, American women prefer a male boss to a female at an even higher rate than men do. In just one country (India) did women favor a female boss.

Another contradiction: Although most people say they'd rather not work for a woman, they seem eager to be governed by them. A large margin of Americans (57%) said the country would be better off if more women held political office. Only 17% believed The United States would be worse off.

By comparison, 62% of Columbians, 50% of people from India, 59% of the French and 39% of Mexicans said more women officeholders would make for better government.

Lisa Kalis in "Working Woman" Magazine, 9/96

Nontraditional Women at Work

What's your mental picture of a typical construction worker-beefy, grizzled, tool-belted, Fred Flintstone type, a man who tends to publicly express graphic opinions? You're out-of-date, says Sandra Werthman, marketing director for Kitchell Contractors. She should know; she's been in and around construction for 20 years. She represents the ever-growing presence of women in the industry.

All in all, women in the construction industry say they have found a home outside the bounds of traditional career paths. Bigger paychecks, a marketable trade and the satisfaction of seeing the end product of their labors rank the highest on their job satisfaction list. On the negative side, the women complain about the still prevailing opinion among some of their co-workers that women don't belong on the job site.

Although nontraditional jobs do pay more, women in the industry warn that income shouldn't be the sole determinant in choosing construction as a new career. It's a very individual thing, says Christy Corbin, who is an electric service estimator. "There are people who don't like to get dirty, who wouldn't want to be on a dusty job site in the middle of August."

Work atmosphere has improved, but chauvinism and misconceptions still exist. Women say negative attitudes range from the cold shoulder to open hostility. Being able to do a "man's job" and do it well really intimidates some men, women say.

They have to deal with these attitudes, yet women in the construction industry are the last to bemoan their situation. Harassment, they say, does not keep them from succeeding. In fact, if anything, discriminatory attitudes pus them to become better. The number of men making construction their career has steadily declined, while the number of women making a commitment to it have increased. However, the ratio of men to women in construction in Arizona is still far from 50/50.

Michael McLeod, in "Arizona Business" 1996

Does Affirmative Action Harm Minorities?

Opponents of affirmative action often state that it produces a feeling of inferiority in minority men and women of all races and creates a negative stereotype in the minds of white males. However, no national survey of affirmative action recipients has ever been done. Anecdotal "evidence" exists on both sides of the question.

The contention that affirmative action creates a negative stereotype implies naively that whites had no such attitudes previously. This goes counter to the nation's history. Moreover, no stigma seems to be felt by the sons and daughters of alumni or of athletes who are admitted to college with less than competitive qualifications.

Justice Harry Blackman's opinion in the Bakke case is the most eloquent response to the need for attention to discrimination based on color.

"I suspect that it would be impossible to arrange an affirmative action program in a racially neutral way and have it successful. To ask that this be so is to demand the impossible. In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently."

The American Council on Education, "Making the Case for Affirmative Action in Higher Education" 1995

Going Beyond Words

Understanding cultural differences is fascinating and challenging. One sometimes hard-to-understand difference is between low-context and high-context cultures, a concept introduced by American anthropologist Edward Hall.

In a low-context culture, people primarily rely on spoken words and written communication for gathering information and clues to behavior. Mainstream U.S. culture is an example of low-context.

In a high-context culture, nonverbal signals, family status, age differences, social setting and other such factors carry a lot more meaning than mere words. In general, Asian are high-context cultures.

In America as in several other European low-context cultures, we stress clarity and favor a straight and to-the-point communication. The strong tendency is to avoid any ambiguity and uncertainty. Emotions and feelings are down-played, and objectivity is extremely important.

An American traveling in Japan tells this story. He and a Japanese friend were lost; the friend went to ask for directions, spending nearly 15 minutes talking to a man at the side of the street. When he came back, he said that the person did not know how to get to their destination. Why spend 15 minutes to find that out? The Japanese said, "First I asked him how he was doing. Then I ask about his family and he inquired about mine. We chatted for a while, and then he asked me if we were lost, and if we needed directions. Then he told me that one time his uncle went that way, but he personally has not made the journey and wasn't sure how to get there."

Japanese and Chinese are not the only ones who have difficulty saying "No." Asian Indians often say "Maybe" instead of no. Low context-culture rules can't be applied successfully to a high-context society. We must go beyond words to achieve understanding.

Syed Zafar, in "Managing Diversity," 8/96

Ageism: An Insidious Disease

Ageism is an insidious disease faced by a majority of older Americans. It is implicit when newspaper columnists ask whether a candidate is too old to serve effectively. It is explicit when a young doctor says aches and pains are to be expected "at your age." It is devastating when an employer badgers you into accepting early retirement and hires a younger person to take your place-at a far lower salary. And, ageism is life-threatening when politicians suggest rationing health care for the elderly.

Almost everyone over 60 has been bruised by ageism in some way, including the day-to-day mindset of our culture. They're fighting back by forming pressure groups and by asserting themselves in their choice of doctors, stores, products, political leaders and social activities. The demographics of the future are inexorable.

In 2030, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five Americans will be over 65; and by the middle of the 21st Century, 18 million Americans will be over 85. A young country that has always made of joke of old age must come to terms with it. Part of that means changing the terms with which the American language characterizes the old: frail, feeble, wrinkled, gaga, doddering, senile, crone-like, out of date, withered, fuddy-duddy, old biddy, old lecher, old fool.

People who are too polite to mock the elderly often patronize them instead. "Young lady" is no compliment to a woman over 65. Older people are also subtly infantilized by being referred to sweet, little, cute and dear.

Up to now, ageism has not been a hot topic, except to people affected by it. The very fact of society's indifference diminishes the older citizen. The psychological mindset that infantilizes, patronizes or ignores everyone who has lost the first flush of youth leaves millions of older Americans feeling denigrated and useless.

When young workers are promoted and older workers are discarded, the impact is immeasurable. Significantly, the stereotypes of slow-thinking older adults upon which these hiring decisions are based have often been proved wrong. The hope that ageism may be at least lessened, if not stamped out, lies in the sheer numbers of the huge baby boom generation whose advance guard has just turned 50. Alert, active, vigorous maturity may yet be given its due...by necessity.

Aljean Harmetz, in "New Choices," 9/96

Resources: Upcoming Meetings & Workshops

In-Reaching to Diverse Audiences and Communities December 12-13, 1996, Cooperative Extension Facility, Kentucky State University, 400 E. Main St., Frankfurt, sponsored by the National Center for Diversity. Registration: $150; contact Center at (502) 227-5904.

Cultural Conflict: How to Reduce It! January 17-18, 1997; at Hotel Park, Tucson, AZ, sponsored by University of Arizona National Center for Neurogenic Communication Disorders. Registration: $150 for professionals; $75 for students. Contact: Jody Wood, (520) 621-1821.

Understanding Learning Styles to Enhance Teaching and Program Development January 23-24, 1997, Cooperative Extension Facility, Kentucky State University, 400 E. Main St., Frankfurt, sponsored by the National Center for Diversity. Registration: $150; contact Center at (502) 227-5904.

Five-State Multicultural Conference March 20-21, 1997, Garden City, KS, sponsored by Kansas State University Extension Service and other local government and college units. Contact Carol Young, (316) 275-9164 or cyoung@oznet.ksu.edu.

Quote of the Month

"While it's worrisome that Americans still seem resistant to the idea of women in the workplace, this attitude may be the product of hard-won experience. Romanticism about being an executive has been tempered by 20 years of experience with the glass ceiling. In a working world that features cut-throat competition, downsizing and sexual harassment, to many women, the notion of life at home with the kids may sound attractive." Lisa Kalis

"Doing diversity work is like hypertext: there are lots of levels. It's like playing certain games-what level do you want to play at? You can always move on to another level. You need to remind people of that so they don't settle for the lowest level. Too many programs define diversity so narrowly that they don't give people the opportunity to go higher, deeper, further. They think they're finished when they've only finished one round of play." Harris Sussman

Vision: To affect positive change in the CALS community by valuing differences and building respect.

The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

Content Questions/Comments: Billye Foster (billye@cals.arizona.edu) or Steven Crofts (scrofts@cals.arizona.edu)
Last Updated: 05/16/2005