Two new Podcast members...still no diversity?

[CanadaDisney05]

What's striking to me is that people implied that diversity and quality can not be synonymous, as though having a poc would take away from the show. Why do people think that? Where is that coming from?

In all honesty, reading through this entire thread, I don't think anyone implied that diversity and quality cannot go together. However, diversity is not synonymous with quality. A synonym for "Synonym" is "Equivalent". Just because something is diverse doesn't make it quality. Just because something is quality doesn't mean it has to be diverse. These are two different attributes that can and in many, many cases, co-exist, and even feed off each other.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

What's striking to me is that people implied that diversity and quality can not be synonymous, as though having a poc would take away from the show. Why do people think that? Where is that coming from?

I must admit I have not gotten that sense - but perhaps have missed a post where that was implied. I have seen it mentioned where they shouldn't hire someone only because they are a POC - that is, if there are two candidates and one is clearly superior but the other is a POC they shouldn't hire the 2nd just because they are a POC - in that scenario it could reduce the overall quality because they chose the less skilled candidate not because the person is POC

Theoretically adding diversity should add to the quality of the show all else being equal

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I think some of the pushback is that a highly qualified candidate, the most qualified would be overlooked in some misguided effort to be PC. Or some see it as that a tiny niche of qualified people.

But let’s be realistic, many of the young crowd came to the Dis will limited Disney/travel experiences. Many had never been on a Disney cruise, to Aulani, Disneyland, on an ABD, a foreign park, etc. Katrina had never been to MK. Fiasco has never taken a cruise. There are millions of people with equal Disney experience.
Most podcast employees have been friends of Pete or heard about it through word of mouth.

Now Dreams does draw TAs from the fan base in general and is a publicly posted opening. So it definitely is an opportunity and I hope everyone qualified and interested throws their hat in.

 

[WebmasterJohn]

I wasn't going to get involved in this thread since I feel it's about allowing folks to express their concerns and opinions rather than a response from anyone associated with the show but there a few things I would like to interject. Please understand that I am not trying to negate or bolster anything that has been said so far about the topic the OP brought up or show any preference towards this conversation in any way, but only add some context.

1. I wonder if some of you posting here think those of us on the podcast aren't real. I wonder if some think we are robots or holograms or something. The reason why I speculate this is because if you knew we were real people with real feelings you might not be so quick to be rude and hurtful. Posting that there are no standouts because Charles is gone or that if we all left but Pete it would be OK or that Ryno is the only one worth watching or making fun of someones speech pattern is so very hurtful and mean. You're welcome to your opinion. My opinion is that you are going out of your way to hurt our feelings.

2. Dreams Agents come to us through first filling out an online form to apply. That form does not ask for ethnicity or sex or sexual orientation or religion or political affiliation or anything other than experience and expectations. Once we narrow down the candidates we do a phone interview to make sure they understand the position and to make sure we are a good fit all the way around. The agent is then brought on. We don't meet the applicant or the agent before or during the application or interview process. Only recently have we started in-house training after an agent is brought on and that is the first time we meet in person. We know nothing personal about a new agent at all until we meet them after they are brought on.

3. Morgan is not currently an employee of the DIS or Dreams Unlimited Travel.

4. The last person hired to be part of the DIS was Deni. Corey read her resume and liked her qualifications. He then did a phone interview and decided she would be a good fit for the job. Only after making that decision did he do an in person interview.

5. No one is ever hired to just be on any of the podcasts; everyone has another role or job within the organization. Initially even the producers weren't hired to be "on" the show. Employees and agents come on the show when the need arises or we feel they would make a good contribution to the discussion. Some of the folks/guests who come on the show are doing so voluntarily without compensation.

As far as bringing on agents and new hires for the DIS I can't think of a more fair process. There is no way of knowing anything about these folks except if we feel they are qualified or not.

I understand and appreciate wanting to feel like you are being represented on the podcast and in our Dreams Unlimited Travel agents. I am cognizant when the cast of a show or movie lacks gay representation. However we are not a TV show or movie - we aren't "casting" people for the podcast.

If you feel you, or someone you know, would make a good Dreams Agent please have them apply through our online form - https://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/reservations/application_agent_new.cfm

Currently we are not hiring for the DIS but one way to get yourself known by Pete, Corey and others is to be a site contributor and submit articles. That lets them see your passion for Disney and your ability to express that passion. You can become a contributor by writing to contributors@wdwinfo.com

John - John@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com

 

[Kaleidodad]

I must admit I have not gotten that sense - but perhaps have missed a post where that was implied. I have seen it mentioned where they shouldn't hire someone only because they are a POC - that is, if there are two candidates and one is clearly superior but the other is a POC they shouldn't hire the 2nd just because they are a POC - in that scenario it could reduce the overall quality because they chose the less skilled candidate not because the person is POC

Theoretically adding diversity should add to the quality of the show all else being equal

You didn't miss anything: nobody has said that here, but we are at a point in time where to not place "diversity" first is going to be considered by some to be dismissing it altogether. Stephen King just tweeted along those lines and took a twitter-beating for it.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1217058366394130433

https://twitter.com/x/status/1217058848403599361

 

[jbehr12]

I wasn't going to get involved in this thread since I feel it's about allowing folks to express their concerns and opinions rather than a response from anyone associated with the show but there a few things I would like to interject. Please understand that I am not trying to negate or bolster anything that has been said so far about the topic the OP brought up or show any preference towards this conversation in any way, but only add some context.

1. I wonder if some of you posting here think those of us on the podcast aren't real. I wonder if some think we are robots or holograms or something. The reason why I speculate this is because if you knew we were real people with real feelings you might not be so quick to be rude and hurtful. Posting that there are no standouts because Charles is gone or that if we all left but Pete it would be OK or that Ryno is the only one worth watching or making fun of someones speech pattern is so very hurtful and mean. You're welcome to your opinion. My opinion is that you are going out of your way to hurt our feelings.

2. Dreams Agents come to us through first filling out an online form to apply. That form does not ask for ethnicity or sex or sexual orientation or religion or political affiliation or anything other than experience and expectations. Once we narrow down the candidates we do a phone interview to make sure they understand the position and to make sure we are a good fit all the way around. The agent is then brought on. We don't meet the applicant or the agent before or during the application or interview process. Only recently have we started in-house training after an agent is brought on and that is the first time we meet in person. We know nothing personal about a new agent at all until we meet them after they are brought on.

3. Morgan is not currently an employee of the DIS or Dreams Unlimited Travel.

4. The last person hired to be part of the DIS was Deni. Corey read her resume and liked her qualifications. He then did a phone interview and decided she would be a good fit for the job. Only after making that decision did he do an in person interview.

5. No one is ever hired to just be on any of the podcasts; everyone has another role or job within the organization. Initially even the producers weren't hired to be "on" the show. Employees and agents come on the show when the need arises or we feel they would make a good contribution to the discussion. Some of the folks/guests who come on the show are doing so voluntarily without compensation.

As far as bringing on agents and new hires for the DIS I can't think of a more fair process. There is no way of knowing anything about these folks except if we feel they are qualified or not.

I understand and appreciate wanting to feel like you are being represented on the podcast and in our Dreams Unlimited Travel agents. I am cognizant when the cast of a show or movie lacks gay representation. However we are not a TV show or movie - we aren't "casting" people for the podcast.

If you feel you, or someone you know, would make a good Dreams Agent please have them apply through our online form - https://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/reservations/application_agent_new.cfm

Currently we are not hiring for the DIS but one way to get yourself known by Pete, Corey and others is to be a site contributor and submit articles. That lets them see your passion for Disney and your ability to express that passion. You can become a contributor by writing to contributors@wdwinfo.com

John - John@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com

Superbly handled

 

[BaymaxFan78]

Here's my useless opinion: I am offended by the term "Person of color" To me it sounds like people are trying to separate people of different race. I also get offended by it because white and black aren't colors, but the people we call "black" fall under this term, but "white" people do not. Also, nobody is really white or black. I am half hispanic and half american, am I a poc? I have no clue. Do I care if I am or not? Not really. I just see it as another label. I look white as heck, but that is just 50% of me. By looking you wouldn't know, which leads me into my next topic.

One of my co-workers is married to a guy who is "mixed" One of his parents is also mixed, and one is fully african, or "black". If you look at him though, he looks white. He has very minimal characteristics of somebody who is african. Its a very interesting gene pool.

The Dis could hire somebody who is like him. Somebody who looks caucasian, but is actually not, but we wouldn't know. We would probably still be here discussing why there isn't more diversity, when there is, but it's not visible.

 

[BaymaxFan78]

I wasn't going to get involved in this thread since I feel it's about allowing folks to express their concerns and opinions rather than a response from anyone associated with the show but there a few things I would like to interject. Please understand that I am not trying to negate or bolster anything that has been said so far about the topic the OP brought up or show any preference towards this conversation in any way, but only add some context.

1. I wonder if some of you posting here think those of us on the podcast aren't real. I wonder if some think we are robots or holograms or something. The reason why I speculate this is because if you knew we were real people with real feelings you might not be so quick to be rude and hurtful. Posting that there are no standouts because Charles is gone or that if we all left but Pete it would be OK or that Ryno is the only one worth watching or making fun of someones speech pattern is so very hurtful and mean. You're welcome to your opinion. My opinion is that you are going out of your way to hurt our feelings.

2. Dreams Agents come to us through first filling out an online form to apply. That form does not ask for ethnicity or sex or sexual orientation or religion or political affiliation or anything other than experience and expectations. Once we narrow down the candidates we do a phone interview to make sure they understand the position and to make sure we are a good fit all the way around. The agent is then brought on. We don't meet the applicant or the agent before or during the application or interview process. Only recently have we started in-house training after an agent is brought on and that is the first time we meet in person. We know nothing personal about a new agent at all until we meet them after they are brought on.

3. Morgan is not currently an employee of the DIS or Dreams Unlimited Travel.

4. The last person hired to be part of the DIS was Deni. Corey read her resume and liked her qualifications. He then did a phone interview and decided she would be a good fit for the job. Only after making that decision did he do an in person interview.

5. No one is ever hired to just be on any of the podcasts; everyone has another role or job within the organization. Initially even the producers weren't hired to be "on" the show. Employees and agents come on the show when the need arises or we feel they would make a good contribution to the discussion. Some of the folks/guests who come on the show are doing so voluntarily without compensation.

As far as bringing on agents and new hires for the DIS I can't think of a more fair process. There is no way of knowing anything about these folks except if we feel they are qualified or not.

I understand and appreciate wanting to feel like you are being represented on the podcast and in our Dreams Unlimited Travel agents. I am cognizant when the cast of a show or movie lacks gay representation. However we are not a TV show or movie - we aren't "casting" people for the podcast.

If you feel you, or someone you know, would make a good Dreams Agent please have them apply through our online form - https://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/reservations/application_agent_new.cfm

Currently we are not hiring for the DIS but one way to get yourself known by Pete, Corey and others is to be a site contributor and submit articles. That lets them see your passion for Disney and your ability to express that passion. You can become a contributor by writing to contributors@wdwinfo.com

John - John@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com

Well said.

 

[ALWEASEL]

I wasn't going to get involved in this thread since I feel it's about allowing folks to express their concerns and opinions rather than a response from anyone associated with the show but there a few things I would like to interject. Please understand that I am not trying to negate or bolster anything that has been said so far about the topic the OP brought up or show any preference towards this conversation in any way, but only add some context.

1. I wonder if some of you posting here think those of us on the podcast aren't real. I wonder if some think we are robots or holograms or something. The reason why I speculate this is because if you knew we were real people with real feelings you might not be so quick to be rude and hurtful. Posting that there are no standouts because Charles is gone or that if we all left but Pete it would be OK or that Ryno is the only one worth watching or making fun of someones speech pattern is so very hurtful and mean. You're welcome to your opinion. My opinion is that you are going out of your way to hurt our feelings.

2. Dreams Agents come to us through first filling out an online form to apply. That form does not ask for ethnicity or sex or sexual orientation or religion or political affiliation or anything other than experience and expectations. Once we narrow down the candidates we do a phone interview to make sure they understand the position and to make sure we are a good fit all the way around. The agent is then brought on. We don't meet the applicant or the agent before or during the application or interview process. Only recently have we started in-house training after an agent is brought on and that is the first time we meet in person. We know nothing personal about a new agent at all until we meet them after they are brought on.

3. Morgan is not currently an employee of the DIS or Dreams Unlimited Travel.

4. The last person hired to be part of the DIS was Deni. Corey read her resume and liked her qualifications. He then did a phone interview and decided she would be a good fit for the job. Only after making that decision did he do an in person interview.

5. No one is ever hired to just be on any of the podcasts; everyone has another role or job within the organization. Initially even the producers weren't hired to be "on" the show. Employees and agents come on the show when the need arises or we feel they would make a good contribution to the discussion. Some of the folks/guests who come on the show are doing so voluntarily without compensation.

As far as bringing on agents and new hires for the DIS I can't think of a more fair process. There is no way of knowing anything about these folks except if we feel they are qualified or not.

I understand and appreciate wanting to feel like you are being represented on the podcast and in our Dreams Unlimited Travel agents. I am cognizant when the cast of a show or movie lacks gay representation. However we are not a TV show or movie - we aren't "casting" people for the podcast.

If you feel you, or someone you know, would make a good Dreams Agent please have them apply through our online form - https://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/reservations/application_agent_new.cfm

Currently we are not hiring for the DIS but one way to get yourself known by Pete, Corey and others is to be a site contributor and submit articles. That lets them see your passion for Disney and your ability to express that passion. You can become a contributor by writing to contributors@wdwinfo.com

John - John@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com

Wow. Nice job.
I'm a fan of the DIS and I tend to like like everyone. Because they are doing something I am not brave enough to do or good enough to do.
I didn't notice anything about Elaine accept for her love of Disney and and a good example of a travel agent.
I appreciate a boss who stands up for their employees and co workers. I have not been to WDW since 2008 because of financial reasons. But I am hoping to go in 2023.
The Dis is a way for me to stay plugged in to the parks. And I am on the forums for a similar reason and also the great people that help.
I would like to be a contributor but like I said it's been over ten years since i have been in the parks. But I have people here and on the shows that keep me happy and in the know.

I would like to give a special shout out to all the board mods and admins and regular posters and such. They make coming here fun and bring the spirit of Disney to me in Minnesota where it is cold and snowing as a write this.
Thanks all you make my day a little bit brighter.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I wasn't going to get involved in this thread since I feel it's about allowing folks to express their concerns and opinions rather than a response from anyone associated with the show but there a few things I would like to interject. Please understand that I am not trying to negate or bolster anything that has been said so far about the topic the OP brought up or show any preference towards this conversation in any way, but only add some context.

1. I wonder if some of you posting here think those of us on the podcast aren't real. I wonder if some think we are robots or holograms or something. The reason why I speculate this is because if you knew we were real people with real feelings you might not be so quick to be rude and hurtful. Posting that there are no standouts because Charles is gone or that if we all left but Pete it would be OK or that Ryno is the only one worth watching or making fun of someones speech pattern is so very hurtful and mean. You're welcome to your opinion. My opinion is that you are going out of your way to hurt our feelings.

2. Dreams Agents come to us through first filling out an online form to apply. That form does not ask for ethnicity or sex or sexual orientation or religion or political affiliation or anything other than experience and expectations. Once we narrow down the candidates we do a phone interview to make sure they understand the position and to make sure we are a good fit all the way around. The agent is then brought on. We don't meet the applicant or the agent before or during the application or interview process. Only recently have we started in-house training after an agent is brought on and that is the first time we meet in person. We know nothing personal about a new agent at all until we meet them after they are brought on.

3. Morgan is not currently an employee of the DIS or Dreams Unlimited Travel.

4. The last person hired to be part of the DIS was Deni. Corey read her resume and liked her qualifications. He then did a phone interview and decided she would be a good fit for the job. Only after making that decision did he do an in person interview.

5. No one is ever hired to just be on any of the podcasts; everyone has another role or job within the organization. Initially even the producers weren't hired to be "on" the show. Employees and agents come on the show when the need arises or we feel they would make a good contribution to the discussion. Some of the folks/guests who come on the show are doing so voluntarily without compensation.

As far as bringing on agents and new hires for the DIS I can't think of a more fair process. There is no way of knowing anything about these folks except if we feel they are qualified or not.

I understand and appreciate wanting to feel like you are being represented on the podcast and in our Dreams Unlimited Travel agents. I am cognizant when the cast of a show or movie lacks gay representation. However we are not a TV show or movie - we aren't "casting" people for the podcast.

If you feel you, or someone you know, would make a good Dreams Agent please have them apply through our online form - https://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/reservations/application_agent_new.cfm

Currently we are not hiring for the DIS but one way to get yourself known by Pete, Corey and others is to be a site contributor and submit articles. That lets them see your passion for Disney and your ability to express that passion. You can become a contributor by writing to contributors@wdwinfo.com

John - John@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com

Thanks for the additional feedback!
Would it be too much to ask if the diversity seen on the show is a reflection of Dreamsgency as a whole? Just curious. Maybe POC don't apply because they don't see themselves and so the circle continues, KWIM? I know that many fields use search firms to help gather qualified, diverse employees, not sure if that is something in the Travel Agency world. I'm a huge beer fan and I know that there is a local beer company working on decolonizing the craft beer community by using a hiring firm to help in that way. I wonder if there is something similar in the TA community.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

You didn't miss anything: nobody has said that here, but we are at a point in time where to not place "diversity" first is going to be considered by some to be dismissing it altogether. Stephen King just tweeted along those lines and took a twitter-beating for it.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1217058366394130433

https://twitter.com/x/status/1217058848403599361

Yes, because the idea that the only movies/ books/ characters/ people/ history/ stoires/ hairstyles/celebrating worth showing, displaying or discussing are white is not accurate. There are other stories. There are other narratives. Not to mention Mr. King is a perpetrator of the "magical negro" very often in his writing.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

** off topic notice **

If you noticed that your posts are missing I deleted them because the original poster of that particular side discussion deleted his/her posts, and so the ensuing conversation didn't really make sense (plus it was a little cruel - I would have deleted it for that comment since that is not what this board is about).

 

[Kaleidodad]

Yes, because the idea that the only movies/ books/ characters/ people/ history/ stoires/ hairstyles/celebrating worth showing, displaying or discussing are white is not accurate.

Nobody here or in those tweets is saying anything remotely like that. You are bringing a lot of your own bias into this conversation and not making much of an effort to engage with other viewpoints.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Nobody here or in those tweets is saying anything remotely like that. You are bringing a lot of your own bias into this conversation and not making much of an effort to engage with other viewpoints.

Everyone has a small amount of bias, that's why conversations are good helps people to see blind spots. I, however, disagree that I am bringing any into this conversation or not engaging other viewpoints. The statement Mr. King made is just ludicrous because it is IMPLYING that stories that are not white/cisgender/male aren't of honorable/celebratory quality. Think of all the "1ST" still happening. This is quite trivial but this past year we saw the first year where every titled beauty pageant winner was a woman of color. My point: are we to believe until 2019 only white women were worthy of that title? Qualified? Think about what it means for girls of color to see "their" faces be celebrated. His intent might not be malicious but the impact of the words are.

 

[ChrisFL]

I don't see how any of that is relevant to the DISUnplugged podcast

 

[Tonyz]

I don't see how any of that is relevant to the DISUnplugged podcast

I mean... it’s an entire discussion dedicated to talking about representation on said podcast.

 

[DrunkJam]

Here's my useless opinion: I am offended by the term "Person of color" To me it sounds like people are trying to separate people of different race. I also get offended by it because white and black aren't colors, but the people we call "black" fall under this term, but "white" people do not. Also, nobody is really white or black. I am half hispanic and half american, am I a poc? I have no clue. Do I care if I am or not? Not really. I just see it as another label. I look white as heck, but that is just 50% of me. By looking you wouldn't know, which leads me into my next topic.

One of my co-workers is married to a guy who is "mixed" One of his parents is also mixed, and one is fully african, or "black". If you look at him though, he looks white. He has very minimal characteristics of somebody who is african. Its a very interesting gene pool.

The Dis could hire somebody who is like him. Somebody who looks caucasian, but is actually not, but we wouldn't know. We would probably still be here discussing why there isn't more diversity, when there is, but it's not visible.

My young daughter (and I genuinely don't want to belittle anyone's opinion or thought or identity) was very cross with me when we were taking about racism and in the course of the conversation, I referred to her as white. She was confused and upset, because, in her words, she is not white, she is peach coloured!

 

[jbehr12]

I mean... it’s an entire discussion dedicated to talking about representation on said podcast.

I think he’s referring to some of the tangents.

 

[Tonyz]

1. I wonder if some of you posting here think those of us on the podcast aren't real. I wonder if some think we are robots or holograms or something. The reason why I speculate this is because if you knew we were real people with real feelings you might not be so quick to be rude and hurtful. Posting that there are no standouts because Charles is gone or that if we all left but Pete it would be OK or that Ryno is the only one worth watching or making fun of someones speech pattern is so very hurtful and mean. You're welcome to your opinion. My opinion is that you are going out of your way to hurt our feelings.

I just want to say that my praising of Charles was not taking anything away from anyone on the show, I just personally really resonated with him in a way that I never have with a Disney podcaster on ANY show.

The show still has the best cast of characters of any podcast around. You guys could talk about anything and get an audience.

 

[Tonyz]

I think he’s referring to some of the tangents.

Well I think talking about the Oscars and female directors is very on topic!