This weekend I had the privilege of teaching Social Media for Job Hunters in New York City. As always, my students inspired me. I have made this presentation to nearly 1,500 people so far, mostly here in Upstate New York and this group was different from a typical session here because:
- It was multicultural – the group included many 1st generation Americans (Russia, Italy, England, Ireland and China).
- It was multi-generational – the group spanned 4 generations from people in their 20’s to those in the 60’s.
- They were really hungry for information. People in the group were eager to be exposed to new ideas. They had left their homelands to come to America for a new opportunity. Knowledge, to them, is empowering.
- They were humble. Confident in their abilities but grateful for a chance to learn. Despite a language obstacle, they worked hard to communicate.
The people in this group were similar to any here because they had a:
- Desire to build skills and share information
- Pride in their family and community
It reminded me to be grateful to be living in this wonderful country. That despite our political problems and partisanships; it is our freedom to criticize, discuss and debate issues openly that is one of our greatest gifts. It also reminded me that a curious and open mind can accomplish great things when accompanied by hard work. Please share with me your multicultural and multigenerational experiences.
What do you think?