The History of Diversity Beans

Diversity Beans is the only product of its kind designed to promote diversity. The concepts behind our product are simple yet effective. Most people have a difficult time defining and explaining diversity. Our product helps to define and explain diversity AND can serve as a constant reminder of the issues. Diversity Beans also provide a visual, subliminal link to groups concerned with diversity issues.

Diversity Beans is a wonderful candy product designed to help organizations such as yours. Our jelly beans come in 6 different colors and 6 different flavors for a total of 36 combinations. You can bite into a red Diversity Bean and it might be cherry, lemon, lime, grape, orange, or licorice.

During development of our product, we realized that there was no product of this kind on the market intended to address diversity issues. We had been through company training on diversity and the most frequently asked questions were:

What is diversity?

· How can I promote diversity in the workplace?

· How can I provide a daily reminder of my support for diversity?

· How does stereotyping pertain to diversity?

· How can I make diversity fun?

· How can I promote discussions on diversity?

We had also spoken with educators who were having trouble explaining diversity issues in the classroom. We listened to their concerns and ideas on how they were attempting to address the needs of their students. We determined that there was no tangible product available to help educators address this important social issue.

Furthermore, we observed our children and their friends and were discouraged by the attitudes already present in infants and toddlers. At a very early age, we, as a society, inadvertently promote and accept stereotyping and labeling. Personally, I was very discouraged to find that my 4 year old already labeled food as good or bad just by the color and appearance. As a society, we are setting ourselves up for diversity issues almost from the day our children are born.

Thus, we developed Diversity Beans. They are intended to make people, including children of all ages, stop stereotyping based on appearance. They provide a constant reminder that diversity means we don’t judge people based on appearance or background, but rather on attitudes and behaviors. They were developed so that people would experience expectations based on appearance that are not met. This will make people stop and analyze their expectations and will promote discussions of diversity. Diversity means that we are all different, and we should’t judge whether we like someone or share the same values based on appearance. Differences are good; they promote a healthy and varied society. However, we do not have to like everyone and the differences they bring. We need to respect differences and judge people based on their whole being, and not make quick stereotypical judgments. We all remember people in our past, whom we judged based on appearance, that turned out to be totally different than expected. We need to remember these instances and Diversity Beans are the tool.

So, how do Diversity Beans work for you to help solve the issues defined above?
Parents
	How many of our children base their liking of food on color and appearance without even tasting it. Wouldn’t it be nice if they learned that they can’t choose some foods this way, and couldn’t we relate that to food in general and then to people? Give a child Diversity Beans and have them pick their favorite beans. They will choose based on color and their expectation of the flavor (they have stereotyped jelly beans). Once they begin to eat the beans, they will find that color and flavor no longer match, breaking the stereotype. Most stereotypes are learned early, Diversity Beans will help break the cycle. It will then be easy to discuss stereotypes and diversity. Even kids who are too young to really understand the verbal explanation will remember that they can’t judge our beans by their color.
Educators
	We have developed lesson plans to use with the Diversity Beans to help explain diversity and stereotyping. Imagine the effect on kids in school when appearances no longer meet expectations. Instead of an intellectual discussion, kids will be able to see and taste diversity and stereotyping. Teachers will have the tool they need to introduce and explain these difficult and uncomfortable yet important issues. We’re sure that they will quickly develop many other presentation ideas to stimulate the learning process and promote ongoing discussions. Additionally, the learning leaves the classroom with the kids. Kids can take the extra beans from class to class, and home, to expand the discussion groups. Afterwards, whenever the kids see or get jelly beans (such as at Easter), they will wonder if they are Diversity Beans, or just regular jelly beans. By occasionally supplying Diversity Beans to the student population, schools can cost effectively reinforce the concepts of diversity, create discussions on diversity, and promote diversity.
Businesses
	Diversity training no longer needs to consist of just a few hours of training and discussion. Diversity Beans can constantly remind workers that diversity means acknowledging that we are all different and shouldn’t be judged on appearance or background. Again, diversity is easier to define and explain when you can see and taste the concepts. Companies can promote diversity throughout the year by occasionally supplying Diversity Beans and promoting discussions. Managers can have a daily reminder of diversity, and promote diversity on a daily basis, by keeping a jar of Diversity Beans on their desk. The issues of stereotyping are readily addressed through discussions about the Diversity Beans and what they represent. At first, Diversity Beans will be an oddity and promote numerous discussions. Over time, people will accept that they can’t judge our beans by their color, it will become less of an oddity and more accepted. This will carry over into their daily relationships with coworkers and other businesses.

The concepts promoted by our Diversity Beans are easy to understand and implement. We do not define diversity in terms of our beans, rather our beans are a tool to help define and explain diversity. Different groups can use the beans to help define and explain diversity in different ways.

Diversity Beans are very cost effective and easy to use. For instance, to train a business of 2000 employees, providing 1/10 pound of beans per person would cost less than $0.40 per person. For a class of 25, this additional cost is less than $10 day. Amazingly, for less than $0.40/person, the people can see and taste diversity and will have a stronger memory of the training. They will also relate back to the training whenever they see or taste our beans in the future. Employees will probably remember the training, if they just have regular jelly beans. Handing out Diversity Beans at training sessions will provide an easy, inexpensive, fun, and lasting means of communicating the issue of diversity.

Our product will cost effectively and easily explain and promote diversity. Our Diversity Beans is the only product of its kind on the market that addresses diversity issues in a visual and flavorful manner.

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Call Toll Free: 1-866-75-JELLY or E-mail: info@diversitybeans.com

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