Salad days of diversity supplant the melting pot
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Photo by Jacqueline McBride/NEWSLINE J.D. Hokayama
The American people are like a salad. It is a whole meal but it has a whole lot of different ingredients.
That was the message from J.D. Hokayama, CEO of Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics Inc. (LEAP), Tuesday during his presentation "One Nation In-di-vis-able – Can Hyphenated Americans Honor Their Heritage and Embrace a New National Unity?"
Hokayama said the days of America as the "melting pot" are gone. In this model, immigrants attempted to assimilate into American society, leaving behind their heritage. "The melting pot was in vogue until about 35 years ago," he said.
But the corporate world in the 1970s changed that model by recognizing that as demographics quickly changed, so did its customer-base, product lines, workforce and leadership. "Diversity was helping them understand their workforce, customers and products and how the company is going to look," Hokayama said. This also led to globalization because "diversity would improve the bottom line."
Hokayama said a new leadership paradigm in which heritage is embraced is replacing the "melting pot" model.
"It's OK to keep your heritage. It's OK to be who you are. It's OK to be comfortable with yourself as long as you understand your core values," he said.
He said it's possible for people from diverse backgrounds to be effective leaders. "Everyone has leadership skills. You can develop the ones you don't have. You need to use the right tool or the right skill…If you have confidence, you'll be willing to take chances."
With President Barrack Obama in office, Hokayama said the United States has taken on a new national identity.
"I don't want to be color blind. I want to be a color seen society. One in which each of us accepts each other for who we are."
Hokayama's talk marked the second session of the Lab's "Science and Society" colloquium series, which was launched earlier this year and also centered around Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
LEAP is the nation's premier organization for leadership and management training designed to address issues unique to the Asian American community. Hokoyama has led the organization since 1988. For more information about LEAP, go to the LEAP Website.
