It’s more than just It’s more than just language:language:

Cultural competency in Cultural competency in today’s global today’s global environmentenvironment

YITRC Technical Assistance YITRC Technical Assistance InstituteInstitute

Washington, DCWashington, DC

July 11, 2008July 11, 2008

My Voice, My ChoiceMy Voice, My ChoiceCenter on Disability StudiesCenter on Disability Studies

University of HawaiUniversity of Hawai‛‛ii

Nathan Say, BANathan Say, BA

Project CoordinatorProject Coordinator

Jean Johnson, DrPHJean Johnson, DrPH

Project DirectorProject Director

ParableParable

We hold these truths to be We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights, that certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness-that to the pursuit of Happiness-that to secure these rights, Governments secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.consent of the governed.

July 4, 1776July 4, 1776

What splendor! What poverty!What splendor! What poverty!What humanity! What humanity!

What inhumanity!What inhumanity!What mutual good will!What mutual good will!

What individual What individual isolation!isolation!What loyalty to the ideal!What loyalty to the ideal!

What hypocrisy!What hypocrisy!What triumph of conscience!What triumph of conscience!

What perversity!What perversity!

Czeslaw MiloszCzeslaw Milosz

What is cultural What is cultural competence?competence?

Cultural competence is a dynamic attribute, Cultural competence is a dynamic attribute, a changing, and never-ending pathway that a changing, and never-ending pathway that guides us toward an increasingly multi-guides us toward an increasingly multi-ethnic future world.ethnic future world.

It is an awareness, the valuing of all It is an awareness, the valuing of all cultures, and a willingness to make changes cultures, and a willingness to make changes are underlying values.are underlying values.

But it is an arena in which the “head” is But it is an arena in which the “head” is less important than the “heart.”less important than the “heart.”

cultural competence=social cultural competence=social justicejustice

Leveling the playing field to Leveling the playing field to provide equal opportunities for provide equal opportunities for life, liberty and the pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by ensuringhappiness by ensuring

AccessibilityAccessibility AvailabilityAvailability AppropriatenessAppropriateness

“Sources of Cultural Identity”

Ability/Disability

Ethnicity/Nationality

Race

Age

Health

Sex/Gender

SocialClass

Language

Social Status

Religion

Sexuality

GeographicRegion

TheIndividual

Cushner, McClelland, & Safford (1996), Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach, p. 66

“Socializing Agents that Transmit Culture”

Cushner, McClelland, & Safford (1996), Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach, p. 66

*TheIndividual

School

Church

Community

Neighborhood

Peer Group

ElectronicMedia

Family

Technology

Workplace

Print Media

The Arts

Sports

“The Cultural Acquisition Process”

TheIndividual

Sch

ool

Churc

h

Community

NeighborhoodPeer Group

Electronic

Media

Fam

ilyTechnology

Workplace

Print Media

The A

rts

Spo

rts

Ethnicity/Nationality

Race

Ability/Disability

Language

Social Status

Religion

Sexuality

GeographicRegion

Age

Health

Sex/Gender

SocialClass

Cushner, McClelland, & Safford (1996), Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach, p. 66

Why is it important to develop Why is it important to develop culturally competent skills to serve culturally competent skills to serve a diverse population of persons a diverse population of persons with disabilities?with disabilities?

AccessibilityAccessibility

AvailabilityAvailability

AppropriatenessAppropriateness

Ethical IssuesEthical Issues

To what degree are To what degree are students/participants, regardless of students/participants, regardless of their beliefs and attitudes, their beliefs and attitudes, encouraged to be open, reflective, encouraged to be open, reflective, and critical thinkers?and critical thinkers?

To what degree may such inquiry To what degree may such inquiry place students/participants in direct place students/participants in direct conflict with their families and the conflict with their families and the communities in which they live?communities in which they live?

Prejudice FormationPrejudice Formation

ObservationObservation Group membershipGroup membership MediaMedia Religious fundamentalism – the Religious fundamentalism – the

more orthodox or fundamental more orthodox or fundamental one’s religious beliefs are, the one’s religious beliefs are, the greater the prejudice toward greater the prejudice toward other religious and cultural other religious and cultural groups is likely to be.groups is likely to be.

Prejudice/EmpowermentPrejudice/Empowerment

DismissDismiss

DevalueDevalue

DisregardDisregard

DisempowerDisempower

be Presentbe Present

be Proudbe Proud

be Pertinentbe Pertinent

be Powerfulbe Powerful

EmpowermentEmpowerment

““Empowerment is a Empowerment is a process of increasing process of increasing personal, inter-personal, or personal, inter-personal, or political power so that political power so that individuals can take action to individuals can take action to improve their life situation.”improve their life situation.”

Gutierrez, 1990Gutierrez, 1990

ThoughtsThoughts

It is more than just language. It is more than just language.

What are some of the other What are some of the other factors?factors?

What is objective?What is objective?

What is subjective?What is subjective?

HawaiHawai‛‛i as an Examplei as an Example

No dominant ethnic No dominant ethnic majoritymajority

““But not all are equal.”But not all are equal.”

Many different languagesMany different languages

Language Access ActLanguage Access Act

MythsMyths

Lump sum – lumps all Asian Americans Lump sum – lumps all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders together as a and Pacific Islanders together as a categorycategory

Dim Sum – only those in the same group Dim Sum – only those in the same group can understand each other, ignores the can understand each other, ignores the larger forces affecting all minority larger forces affecting all minority groupsgroups

Zero Sum – the gains of one group Zero Sum – the gains of one group represents a loss to another or other represents a loss to another or other groupsgroups

Disability Cultural IssuesDisability Cultural Issues

•StigmaStigma

•ShameShame

•DisparitiesDisparities

•IndependenceIndependence

•Self-determinationSelf-determination

Participatory Action Participatory Action Research (PAR)Research (PAR)

Traditional research has often Traditional research has often allowed the dominant cultural allowed the dominant cultural perspective to prevail over perspective to prevail over minority.minority.

PAR provides a voice for cultural PAR provides a voice for cultural interpreters. interpreters.

PAR offers a means of scientifically PAR offers a means of scientifically documenting and translating non-documenting and translating non-Western experiences.Western experiences.

Self-InventorySelf-Inventory

DiscussionDiscussion

JoshJosh

ReferencesReferences

Cushner K, McClelland A, Safford P (1996). Cushner K, McClelland A, Safford P (1996). Human Human Diversity in Education.Diversity in Education. New York: McGraw-Hill. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Fong R, Furuto S (2001). Fong R, Furuto S (2001). Culturally Competent Practice.Culturally Competent Practice. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Fumia M (1997). Fumia M (1997). Honoring Our Children:Honoring Our Children: One Family’s One Family’s Journey to Wholeness.Journey to Wholeness. Berkeley: Conari Press Berkeley: Conari Press

Gutierrez LM (1990). Working with women of color: An Gutierrez LM (1990). Working with women of color: An empowerment perspective. empowerment perspective. Social Work, 35:Social Work, 35: 149-154 149-154

http://www11.georgetown.edu/research/gucchd/nccchttp://www11.georgetown.edu/research/gucchd/nccc