After review of the course syllabus that outlined assignments that needed attention prior to their due date, I chose to go to Hearst Castle in San Simeon California to view its’ art and architectural style for a few different reasons. One of them being that I have never been there before and neither had anyone else in my family unit. I have a six year old daughter that thinks very highly of Disney princesses and castles, so I was able to get her buy-in to go to the castle since I knew the experience wouldn’t be as entirely exciting for her as it would be me.
Another reason was so that it would allow my family the opportunity to plan a day trip out of town somewhere which is something that I am not great at making a priority so it was a win-win situation either way. I had previously only seen pictures of Hearst Castle and knew very little about the William Hearst history behind the construction and artwork contained therein but after my visit it is easy to see why the castle has more than a million visitors annually.
We chose to take a tour of the main building recommended for first time guests which is known as “Casa Grande” that houses the assembly room, refectory, morning room, billiard room and theater of the Castle estate at 68,500 square feet of 115 rooms and 40 bathrooms. Hearst was highly fond of a church in Ronda, Spain named the Santa Maria la Mayor which served as an inspiration for the towers of Casa Grande.
Upon first glance of the entrance to Case Grande it is evident that it was designed in a Mediterranean Revival style that emulates a Spanish Cathedral with its bell towers, carved tile and intricate decorations. The door is guarded by two knight statues and a sculpture above the door of Mary holding the infant Jesus. We entered through a side door to the Assembly room or what would be better known as a lounge or living room area in order to preserve the iron gate in the front entrance.
The Mediterranean influence was more visible in the Assembly room than the outside appearance of Case Grande. It was obvious that Hearst spared no expense in the construction and interior design of the Assembly room and that he had a grand appreciation of artwork, masterpieces and neoclassical sculpture. This room was filled with Baroque and Renaissance tapestries magnificently from top to bottom with a sense of royalty.
Many of the pieces artwork that lined the room illustrated angelic figures, Jesus and Mary. I would have thought Hearst a highly spiritual man if his taste in décor reflected his beliefs. The ceiling was most impressive with the hand carved walnut paneling and I was astounded thinking of the time it took to carve each and every piece. It easily explains why the construction of the castle was carried out over a period of 27 years.
Next we came to the refectory room that served as the dining hall. The room itself had middle age cathedral like features to it including a 27 foot high gothic fireplace and “Daniel”, tapestries. There was an amazing display of antique Spanish and French silver that included gleaming silver candlesticks that ran along the long tables along with an intense feel of the medieval setting. The bright silk banners that were hanging all throughout the sides of the room gave it a pop of color amplified by the natural light that comes in through the widow the way that Hearst wanted it to. He was not a fan of the stained glass windows for his castle. He wanted for himself and his guests to be able to see the beauty of the view outdoors from the castle.
Next we were led through the sun room and then onto the billiard room which reached its completion in 1934. It housed two billiard tables, a gothic fireplace and a Spanish ceiling painted with scenes of courtly life. The room was filled with 16th century French tapestry and plenty room for Hearst and his guests to enjoy a nightcap or cigar after dinner. The exit from the billiard room lead us into the private theater that was ornately built with red velvet paneling and gold Roman God like structures with lighting all throughout. The theater was built with 50 seats for Hearst’s guests to watch full length movies and newsreel.
The last place that we visited was the Roman indoor pool that was modeled after the ancient Roman baths of Caracalla and was designed with tile from floor to ceiling. The tile patterns were inspired by mosaics found in the 5th century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy. The contrast of blue and shimmering gold colors had a breathtaking effect and this by far was my favorite room (part) of the castle. There were 8 white marble statues of ancient Greek and Roman goddesses and athletes sprinkled throughout the entire area.
Hearst was an eccentric art and antique buyer and he furnished the castle with a collection of items that he gathered on his many trips to Europe. He would purchase entire ceilings and facades of old European buildings and challenge his architect Julia Morgan to fit them into the design of the estate. For this reason, there are a variety of different architectural styles and several different time periods that are displayed throughout Casa Grande and its cottages.
The castle was built over a span of 28 years and Hearst spent $6.5 million dollars on the building and $3.5 million dollars on the art from all over the world to fill the rooms. His wide variety of taste in art and themes throughout his castle are what I liked the most about the castle. Walking into each room was like opening a gift on Christmas morning, you had no idea what was inside, but once you opened it the experience was magical!
I could relate to Hearst in his appreciation of art and the styles of art that were appealing to him as I have a wide variety of tastes in art. I think his taste in art was also a reflection of his beliefs and personality. He had a sense of royalty, care and concern for others, transparency, regard for religion, love for animals and a love for beauty. It is documented that George Bernard Shaw is supposed to have told Hearst that his castle was “what heaven would be like if God had your money, “ and I agree with that 100%. Pictures of Hearst Castle simply do not measure up to the experience of seeing it up close and personal. I don’t think the photos evoke emotions like visiting the castle in person does. It does make you feel like royalty when you are there and has a special magic to it.
Art is relevant today to us in everything we do. It allows us to be who we are as human beings, it gives us freedom of expression and freedom of stresses. It is how we view the world and brings purpose to humanity. Art is the communication of each of our stories in a unique but understandable way. Coming into this course I would not have considered myself to be an artist capable of creating something that would be classified as art. After being stretched outside my comfort zone I realize that I am an artist capable of expressing my story in a unique and beautiful way, it just took some intentionality on my part. I am thankful for the opportunity that I have had in Art Appreciation 111 to better understand the basics of art and the ability to now call myself a capable artist.
Promoting The Diversity And Inclusion Within The Workplace
The effectiveness of a diverse workplace depends on the openness of the staff and leadership to accept change, as well as how they engage others from different backgrounds. Whilst today’s workforce is no longer made up of one single race or gender. It is made up of many different races with many different cultural beliefs. In an essay I read called “Diversity of Race and Ethnicity Sociology” it states that better decisions are made with ethnically diverse groups, then that of the homogeneous teams (Diversity of Race and Ethnicity Sociology, 2017). Diversity can be complex, and is not defined as one specific thing. It is loosely defined as the understanding and acceptance of others that are different than you.
Diversity is categorized into two separate categories. The first category covers the basics such as race, age, gender, and sexual orientation. The other category is a little more complex and it covers everything from cultural values, religious beliefs, income, location, and of course ethnicity (Min, 2017). The effects diversity can have on a company and the challenges they face can vary from place to place, and can be dramatically different in the United States compared to other countries?
Diversity, or the lack thereof can also affect a company’s revenue stream. By not having the best and the brightest talent, companies take the chance of losing out to competitors. Therefore, having a larger pool of candidates to choose from becomes critical if they want to retain the talent. This is also important to companies because they fill positions quicker. If a company is not structured to handle diversity, that pool becomes smaller and smaller. One component is to have diverse leadership that can recognize the importance of diversity, and hire candidates based on talent and experience, and not on race and gender.
Origin of Diversity
In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, which allowed blacks to be accepted into job-training programs in defense programs, which established Fair Employment Practices Commission. FEPC was subsequently abolished after the war. In 1943 Congress first introduced equal employment legislation, and it was not until 1948 that President Harry S. Truman signed in to law Executive Order 9981. Executive Order 9981 was to abolish segregation in the Armed Services. This order allowed minorities to be housed, as well as fight alongside their white counterparts (Feng, 2015). Because of this order, 95% of African American Army soldiers were serving in units integrated with whites by 1953.
In the 1960’s, when the civil rights legislation was passed, due primarily to social and political changes. This legislation prohibited discrimination based on color, religion, race, national origin, and sex. This legislation is known as Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964. Age would later be added to the list.
According to McCormick (2007), a study was conducted in 1987 by the Secretary of Labor, William Brock. The study highlighted five demographic factors that would have significant effect on the labor force in the US. This study later became the book, “Workforce 2000 -Work and Workers in the Twenty First Century.” The five factors include; the slow growing workforce and population, young workers coming into the workforce will shrink, while the average age of the population will rise, women will enter the workforce more rapidly, the labor force will see that minorities are the larger share of workers, and the largest increase of population in the workforce since WW1 will be by legal and illegal immigrants. With diversification becoming imminent, companies would have to diversify their workforce in order to stay competitive. Many companies started to focus on a diversity effort and they created a “business case” (McCormick, 2007, p. 5).
Current Trends in Diversity
Research has found that multicultural environments are linked to positive outcomes, whether it be intellectual, or social. Although major focal points in diversity are still based on gender and ethnicity, many organizations are starting to put greater enfaces on other areas of diversity. Based on a recent HR survey by Harney Nash, organizations are currently pursuing the following areas of diverse; 80% gender, 41% ethnicity/cultural, 38% age, and 14% LGBT. Another way companies can avoid bias, is by using artificial intelligence when sourcing its candidates. AI can be beneficial because it can be programmed to avoid and ignore information such as demographics on candidates resumes (Min, 2017).
According to Forbes, “Five Trends Driving Workplace Diversity in 2015” one-fifth of participants indicated that their companies dedicate a very small percentage to diversity efforts. Their reasoning is because they are just “too busy”. Some of the trends according to Forbes are: the involvement of more CEOs. Some of the top Fortune 500 companies are being ran by females. Companies such as GMC, IBM and Lockheed Martin. Many companies are making diversity even simpler by looking for talent that have a strong problem-solving background, as well as have different ways of thinking (Rezvani, 2015).
Maintaining the competitive advantage is of high importance to companies. To stay one step ahead of the competition, companies are hiring the best talent possible. But this goes much further than just recruiting candidates with a diverse background, it is having a diverse leadership that understands the importance of inclusion within an organization. While a great deal of large corporations has adopted diversity programs and implemented changes in the way we view differences, the training and development of diverse groups does not always lead to retention of such employees. Often there are organizational barriers that affect implementing successful diversity programs.
Many things change in companies when you introduce diversity. Such as cultural difference, which if not managed appropriately, can and will cause discomfort to any that are perceived as different. That in which we are not familiar with, can cause unwanted discrimination and prejudice. Some organizations are taking it a step further and creating atmospheres that cultivate innovation and productiveness through communication and collaboration (Williams, n.d). This type of environment leads to abundance of tolerance for those that are perceived as different.
Cultural issues can also become somewhat of an issue for some companies. Therefore, proper training of employees on the differences in backgrounds is beneficial to avoid cultural issues. For example, in places like Argentina it is customary to hug people when you meet them. While places like Italy, Spain, and Portugal kissing on the cheek is customary. However, in other places like Japan and China no contact is made at all. They simply bow as a show of respect. When a new employee is hired and people are unaware of their culture, you may find that what is normal in one culture may make people very uncomfortable for other cultures. That could pose a serious issue for HR to deal with. The challenge is to implement the proper training to avoid any misunderstanding.
Policies should be put in place that protect employees’ rights, as well as follows guidelines and is compliant with regulations. Companies would also benefit from having sensitivity training. Which will help employees become more aware, as well as help them to understand any cultural biases they may possess and how to best handle these biases. Some benefits to this training include: appreciating the views of others, what actions can be perceived as offensive, and conflict resolution (Dyson, 2017). Some companies are assembling focus groups made up of staff and leadership of all different backgrounds, to research and address the major issues. To develop strategies and provide resources to those who may have a difficult time adjusting to the differences.
Around the world, countries are embracing diversity. Although, it may not necessarily mean exactly what it means in the United States, and the laws may differ some. Place like Norway require their companies to meet a 40% quota for women to serve on the boards of public limited companies. According to an article in the Diversity Journal, most countries have some sort of law that helps disadvantaged groups in their regions (Heffertvet-Aoudia, 2011).
Importance of Diversity in my Career
The company I currently work for has over 80,000 employees and is in over 100 different countries. Which means diversity and inclusion is an integral part of the success of our company. One of the ways our company fosters diversity and inclusion is by having very large network groups. Groups such as African-American Network Group, Hispanic Latin Business Resource Group, LGBTQ & Allies, and Women’s Network just to name a few. We have yearly diversity training that lasts anywhere from an hour to two hours, and is mandatory. This training is also important because the clients we meet with are from all around the globe. Therefore, we are held to the highest standards and we take our RISE values very seriously (People and Culture, n.d).
For instance, we have a young lady that works in the accounting department in D.C. She is from Africa and has a very strong accent. She speaks four different languages and English is one she is still learning. Because of the slight language barrier, her communication to some may come off as rude. She speaks very quickly and sometimes has to be asked to slow down just a tad. She does not get offended, she apologizes and continues the conversation at a slower pace. I also work very closely with a lady from Greece who also has a very strong accent and is extremely feisty. But this is her culture and the way she communicates in her country. It is not a case of being rude and/or obnoxious, it is strictly cultural. Every day I am in contact with someone who is different than I am, and for me this is what makes my job pleasant. Of course, the language barrier can be extremely challenging, but I have to think that it is just as challenging to them as it is to me. Therefore, we learn together how to navigate projects.
The branch of the company I work for deals with public entities such as, state and local agencies all around the United States. Therefore, we are also required to deal with a whole other set of diversity laws that are put into place by each state. I respond to Request for Proposals (RFPs) that almost always require us to have some sort of diversity group within our company. Another requirement is, if we use subcontractors, they too must have a certain percentage of minorities and women. Companies that do not show diversity are automatically disqualified from submitting a bid response. Diversity is entrenched in every part of my company, and as of now I do not plan on pursuing another career. In the future if I do leave this company, I will choose a company that has the same values as my current company.
To conclude, a diverse workforce is not just something that is tolerated, or dealt with. It is a reflection of the world we now live in. Teams that are diverse, offer an elevated advantage to organizations, both collaboratively and competitively. Individual differences should be respected, as they will likely benefit and elevate a company. If a company looks to having a competitive advantage, one way to do this is to change the makeup of their employees to include others with a more robust view on the world.
My Favorite Memorable Experiences In Life
For my immersion events, I visited the Leonardo Drew’s artwork at the Snite Museum, listen to Dr. Richard Rolle’s speech about his personal experiences at Notre Dame, and heard Field Jackson speak about the top diversity initiatives in business. Whereas I visited the Snite Museum during a break in my schedule on November 28th, Rolle and Jackson’s speeches were part of a lecture series in Jordan HAll that occurred on November 3rd. I quickly became fascinated with all the events because because they directly related to my Introduction to Africana Studies course. Due to Leonardo Drew’s personal background, I recognized that his sculpture Number 29S 2013 was symbolic of the African-American struggles that we have discussed in class. Additionally, Dr. Rolle’s speech related to class because he emphasized certain difficulties about being an African-American student-athlete some of my classmates have also expressed. Finally, Fields Jackson’s speech concerning the importance of diversity in business relates to class because he emphasized the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
Leonardo Drew’s personal background is significant for the context of his artwork because it signifies that he is trying to describe political struggles in his artwork. As an African-American born in 1961, Drew’s perspective on racial injustices in America is much different than someone of a different race. As a result, Drew is able to convey his personal racial perspectives through his artwork. Although Drew had been an artist his entire life, he became particularly racially conscious when he visited the slave trading post Gorreé Island in Senegal.
At this site, millions of Africans are sold into slavery living in horrific and catastrophic conditions. Drew’s experience completely reshaped his viewpoints on African lives, particularly those who were forced to travel to America. He understood that at one point in time, enslaved African-Americans were forced to suffer in slavery, with the only escape being death. Drew’s experiences influenced him to create artwork describing these racial injustices to his viewers. The Texas-based Patron Magazine described Drew’s sculptures as, “artwork that draws from the African-American experience and cynical nature of existence.” The artwork pieces displayed in the Snite Museum evidently reflect the racial injustice messages that Drew attempts to convey.
The sculpture Number 29S 2013 signals racial injustice due to the shape and color of the masterpiece. When first viewing the sculpture, one of the immediate recognizable features is that is is the shape of a flag. The wavy features makes the sculpture appear as flag rippling in the wind. Moreover, the vertical and flat wood on the left side of the artwork resembles a flag pole. Although the shape of the sculpture closely resembles a flag, Drew does not use color besides the natural brown color of the wood. The lack of color was particularly shocking because most flags are typically vibrant with color, particular the American flag. However, I interpreted the the lack of color to represent the lack of color or racial awareness throughout American history.
Since Drew has committed himself to display the American racial struggles through his artwork, it would make sense that Number 29S 2013 is attempting to convey race has been overlooked. The shadows between the curves of the sculpture further represent the idea that race is often ignored in American culture. There are certain groups of people in the shadows where the light and attention has not reached them at all, especially those of Africana descent. Drew constructs this piece to allows viewers to reflect about their own position in American society. Whether a person considers themselves in the shadows or upfront in American culture, Drew’s audience understand that significant progress is still needed for equality after centuries of discrimination and oppression against minorities.
Leonardo Drew’s artwork is related to class because it is similar to our discussion about Kendrick Lamar’s album Damn. In Damn, Kendrick uses his personal background to bring Africana issues to the forefront including police brutality and injustices in his music video Humble. Additionally, in the song Fear, Kendrick Lamar speaks about the fear he had in his mother as a child about certain rules of the household. In the same song, Lamar raps about his fear of death due to violence from the police and from people in his neighborhood. Similar to Drew, Lamar uses his personal background through his critically acclaimed album Damn to bring attention to Africana issues.
In addition to the visiting Leonardo Drew’s exhibition at the Snite Museum, I also understood a new of Africana life through Dr. Richard Rolle’s speech. Dr. Rolle was a student-athlete at Notre Dame, playing football under Lou Holtz. Although he didn’t see the field much during the first few years of school, he had hopes playing more his senior year of school. However, his football career was cut short after he was diagnosed with cancer during the spring game of his senior year. Shortly after, Dr. Rolle underwent a 12 hour surgery because his left lung has collapsed. Dr. Rolle’s story was heartbreaking because he emphasized how much he worked as an athlete to hopefully see the field more often.
In addition to the struggle to recover physically, Dr. Rolle made it clear that it was difficult at times to fit into Notre Dame culture during the recovery process because he was forced to miss so much time recovering from cancer. However, he also stated that the discipline of football helped motivate him through the chemotherapy and the entire recovery process. Once Dr. Rolle made a full recovery from cancer and his lung collapse, he attended dental school and eventually opened his own dentistry in Charlotte. His own practice has been very successful, including the official sponsor of professional Charlotte sports teams including the Charlotte Hornets.
Throughout Dr. Rolle’s remarkable life story, he had some negative and positive comments about being an African-American throughout his experiences. Dr. Rolle said that while he attending Notre Dame, he has some slight difficulties fitting into socially. Since Notre Dame consisted of mostly white students, Dr. Rolle considered himself somewhat of an outsider because the atmosphere was different from what he was used to growing up. A primary way Dr. Rolle felt included in the Notre Dame was through the football team. The team helped him blend into Notre Dame culture because there were other people of Africana descent that he could relate to.
However, after Dr. Rolle’s was diagnosed with cancer and was forced to quit the team, he had trouble feeling included on the Notre Dame campus. Dr. Rolle did not lose his friends on the football team, but because he couldn’t be at practice and travel with the team he felt more like an outsider. As an African-American who was no longer a student-athlete at Notre Dame, Dr. Rolle acknowledged that it was more difficult to fit in. However, despite Dr. Rolle’s struggles through his senior year at ND, he still speaks very highly of the school. He used his diverse background and previous struggles to propel himself throughout dental school and in the business world.
Dr. Rolle’s conversation was closely related to the situation that African-American students have expressed in our classroom. It was alarming to hear some of my classmates convey that they do not feel that they fully integrated with the Notre Dame community because of their color. Understandably, my classmates emphasized that it is more difficult to fit into a culture that is different from what one is accustomed to. The fact that Dr. Rolle and some of my classmates today do not feel comfortable at Notre Dame means that the school has room for improvement. Whether it is diversifying faculty or dorm life, Notre Dame needs to find new methods to allow students to feel included at their own school.
Whereas Dr. Rolle emphasized his struggles as a student due to his diverse background, Fields Jackson spoke about how diversity can economically propel American businesses. Jackson, the founder of Racing Towards Diversity magazine, showcases how diverse businesses can financially thrive. Jackson stated that businesses need more diversity in the workplace because they bring new perspectives that may have never been previously considered. He gave the example of a clothing company attempting to sell merchandise to teenage woman. If the company solely consisted of older white men, they would miss ideas on how to appeal to that audience. This is because the older white men would be unfamiliar with an aspect of life different from their their own.
However, if that company had hired people from diverse backgrounds including age, gender, and race, the company would have different perspectives on how to best appeal to those people. Additionally, Fields Jackson spoke about the importance of social media for businesses. Outlets including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are significant for companies because it allows them to promote brand awareness and connect with consumers. Therefore, diversity in the workplace and social media are essential aspects for the success of a company. Rather than having diversity in a business for political correctness, it was fascinating to hear how diversity can be so beneficial for businesses.
Although Jackson’s emphasis on the importance of diversity and social media is relevant to Introduction to Africana Studies, Jackson’s speech more directly relates to class because he spoke about the opportunities and challenges of HBCU. Jackson is the executive director of the HBCU Business Roundtable that allows HBCU Business Deans to address opportunities and difficulties in enhancing business programs and initiatives. The Roundtable also has a primary role in developing relationships with corporations, government agencies, and non-profits among others. These relationships are important because it enables HBCU students and faculty to have more opportunities for success in the business world.
The discussion on HBCU relates to class because HBCU have recently suffered financially from due to low endowments and attendance in recent years. Much of the recent struggles have been because students of Africana descent are attending other colleges and universities more frequently. However, both Fields Jackson and the Introduction to Africana Studies course understand the importance of keeping HBCU’s alive because they are critical to the identity and foundation of African-American life. For nearly 100 years, HBCU’s gave Africana Students an opportunity for higher education. HBCU remain important because they remain an outlet for people to discuss Africana struggles which unfortunately continue to exist today.
The immersion experiences I attended throughout the semester were particularly fascinating because they directly related to the Introduction to Africana Studies course. My observation of Leonardo Drew’s artwork in the Snite Museum relates to class because we have discussed other figures have used their personal background to express racial injustices in their artwork, including Kendrick Lamar. Additionally, Dr. Rolle’s speech connects to class because he demonstrates the positives and negatives of fitting into Notre Dame as an African-American. Finally, Fields Jackson’s talk related to class because he stressed the importance of keeping HBCU successful today. These events were critical in helping me understand our discussions of Africana Studies outside the classroom.