FAS Explores Gender and Ethnicity in Diversity Dialogues

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences continued its efforts to promote diversity on Wednesday morning at the latest installment of Diversity Dialogues, a popular lecture series designed to foster discussion of diversity among Harvard’s faculty and staff.

For Puerto Rican-born author and former actress Esmeralda Santiago ’76, who spoke at the event, issues of gender and ethnicity have presented numerous barriers throughout her life.

“I had to work harder than people who come from a different situation,” Santiago said in a lecture given Wednesday morning at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. “I had to be better.”

Senior Vice Provost Judith D. Singer, who gave the opening remarks, directly addressed the issue of diversity in FAS. According to Singer, the Diversity Dialogues are one piece of a larger plan to “make Harvard an excellent institution by making Harvard a diverse institution.”

Though the Diversity Dialogues Series is aimed at Harvard faculty and staff, University affiliates and members of the public are welcome to participate.

Singer discussed Harvard’s recent efforts to diversify, citing the impetus of former University President Lawrence H. Summer’s establishment of two task forces in 2005 to address issues of diversity among faculty and staff at Harvard.

Santiago’s lecture, entitled “Almost a Woman” after her award-winning memoir, dealt with her personal experiences as a female minority in the United States rather than the issue of diversity at Harvard. Santiago spoke candidly about the experiences that led her to becoming a writer, saying that she had difficulty talking about her youth.

“Not only am I here, I’m Puerto Rican and loud,” said Santiago of these struggles. “Why am I invisible?”

For Santiago, issues with her own gender and ethnicity became fodder for personal essays, which evolved into memoirs and novels.

“I didn’t go to psychotherapy, I didn’t do any of the things I probably should have done,” Santiago said. “I did it on the page.”

Carol Leavitt, a Harvard Center for Workplace Development internal consultant who attended the lecture, said that although Harvard has made progress in regards to issues of diversity, there is still work to be done.

“It’s not about the numbers,” Leavitt said. “It’s about the people, the representations of the collection of students, faculty, and staff that reflect the world around us.”

—Staff writer Brianna D. MacGregor can be reached at bmacgregor@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @bdmacgregor.