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Learn about someone’s cultural background.

Interview a partner about one aspect of his or her cultural background. First, ask your partner which aspect of his or her cultural identity (e.g., race, ethnicity, sex, religion, socioeconomic background, age) he or she feels comfortable discussing. You might ask questions such as the following:

• In what ways do you identify with this characteristic?

• How, if at all, do you think this characteristic distinguishes you from other people?

• How do you feel similar to others who share this characteristic? Within your group, what differences do you observe?

• In what ways does your background infl uence how you communicate with others?

• In a work environment, in what ways have you seen this characteristic contribute to your performance and business relationships?

Next, switch roles, so you can share information about one aspect of your own background.