Beyond “Cultural Tourism”: Beyond “Cultural Tourism”: Striving for Cultural Striving for Cultural

CompetenceCompetence

by Paul C. Gorski - by Paul C. Gorski - gorski@EdChange.orggorski@EdChange.org

May 1, 2008May 1, 2008

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I.I. Introductory Blabber:Introductory Blabber:Warming UpWarming Up

The Quiz Humility Cognitive dissonance Authenticity

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I. Introductory BlabberI. Introductory Blabber

• Getting the most out of it:– Comfortable with discomfort– Respond positively to cognitive dissonance– Willing to be challenged and pushed

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I.I. Introductory Blabber:Introductory Blabber:Who We AreWho We Are

• Who’s in the room?

• My background and lens

• The gap (NMH story)

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I.I. Introductory Blabber:Introductory Blabber:The AgendaThe Agenda

1. Warm-Up Callisthenic Activity2. Definitions3. Rethinking4. Toward Transformation5. Challenges to Authenticity

Part II:Part II:

Defining “Diversity” and Defining “Diversity” and “Cultural Competence”“Cultural Competence”

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II. DefiningII. Defining

• Your definitions– Diversity– Cultural Competence

• The purpose of diversity and cultural competence..?

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II. DefiningII. Defining

• Stages of Cultural Competency:1. Heroes and Holidays (“Celebrating the Joys

of Diversity”)

2. Intercultural Learning (“Learning about Other Cultures”)

3. Human Relations (“Why can’t we all just get along..?”)

4. Transformational (Equity & Social Justice)

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II. DefiningII. Defining

• The problem with “cultural competence”

• Diversity and cultural competence as status quo

– Why diversity and cultural competence often are reframed to fit dominant society• And to whose benefit..?

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II. DefiningII. Defining

Morning Callisthenics: The Crosswalk

Part IIIPart III

Rethinking “Diversity” & Rethinking “Diversity” & “Cultural Competence”“Cultural Competence”

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III. RethinkingIII. Rethinking

Critical Concepts• Deficit Theory• Hegemony• Systemic (Institutional) Oppression• Institutional Likeability

• See handout(s)

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III. Diversity as InequityIII. Diversity as InequityChanging Hearts, Not SystemsChanging Hearts, Not Systems

• Focus exclusively on changing hearts and minds while ignoring systemic inequities

• Ex.: cultural plunges, “how to teach Latinos,” anti-prejudice workshops

• Your examples?

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III. Diversity as Inequity:III. Diversity as Inequity:Universal ValidationUniversal Validation

• Diversity and cultural competency can not be about validating all perspectives

• White supremacy is not a valid perspective on race

• Conservative reframing: equity and social justice as “inclusivity”

• Your examples?

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III. Diversity as Inequity:III. Diversity as Inequity:“Whitening” of Social Movements“Whitening” of Social Movements

• Research shows that as civil rights orgs become more white, they become more conservative

• Ex.: Candy-coating “diversity” discussions to be consumable to privileged audiences

• “Change takes time”• White-washing of MLK, Rosa Parks, etc.• Your examples?

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III. Diversity as Inequity:III. Diversity as Inequity:Regressive ProgramsRegressive Programs

• Service learning that maintains social and political hierarchies

• Cultural competency as economic strategy

• Dances, food fairs, cultural plunges, arts and crafts (dealing with race/racism through cultural events)

• Your examples?

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III. Diversity as Inequity:III. Diversity as Inequity:Ruby Payne SyndromeRuby Payne Syndrome

• Leaning on the work of popular speakers without critical analysis of their work (and how it might contribute to that which we purport to fight against)

• Your examples?

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III. Diversity as Inequity:III. Diversity as Inequity:Homogenization Homogenization

• Minimizing cultures to surface-level stereotypes and assumptions– Usually based on a single dimension of

identity

• Conflating identities (such as race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion...)

• Your examples?

Part IVPart IV

Toward a Transformational Toward a Transformational Diversity and Cultural Diversity and Cultural

CompetenceCompetence

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #1IV. Shift of Consciousness #1

• Must be willing to think critically about those things about which I’ve been taught not to think critically– Corporate capitalism– Two-party political system– Consumer culture

• And the relationship between these things and racism

– Hetero-normative-ness

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #2IV. Shift of Consciousness #2

• Must acknowledge that authentic cultural competence requires me to advocate equity and justice for everybody– No picking and choosing who gets it

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #3IV. Shift of Consciousness #3

• Must expose and reject deficit theory– Blames people in oppressed groups for their

oppression– Create hostile conditions, then demonize

people for being angry or resistant– John and the lunchroom story

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #4IV. Shift of Consciousness #4

• Must acknowledge inequities and oppressions—and understand them as systemic and not just individual acts and practices– So changing hearts isn’t enough to reach

cultural competence—must prepare ourselves and others to change institutions and society

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #5IV. Shift of Consciousness #5

• Must regain a sense or urgency– “Change takes time”

• How much time does it take?• An expression of privilege

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #6IV. Shift of Consciousness #6

• Must move beyond the “objective facilitator” or “human relations educator” role and take on activist role– Not about validating all perspectives– “Neutrality” or depoliticizing difference means

endorsing oppression

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #7IV. Shift of Consciousness #7

• Must transcend “celebrating the joys of diversity” and move toward dismantling systems of power and privilege– Beyond food fair and cultural plunge

*** We CANNOT address systemic oppression through events that focus on culture

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #8IV. Shift of Consciousness #8

• Must be willing to unsettle and discomfort– Institutional likeability– Am I framing my diversity work as “peace and

harmony” or “equity and justice”?– Who am I trying to keep comfortable, and at

whose expense?

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #9IV. Shift of Consciousness #9

• Must be careful to avoid “savior syndrome” or “messiah mentality”– This is an expression of supremacy and

privilege– Who, exactly, is being “saved” in anti-racist

work?

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #10IV. Shift of Consciousness #10

• Must understand diversity issues—racism, sexism, imperialism, classism, etc.—as intertwined– Stop working against each other– Deal with oppressions within movements

• Racism and classism in feminist and gay rights movements

• Sexism and classism in civil rights and gay rights movements

• Homophobia in anti-racist movements

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #11IV. Shift of Consciousness #11

• Must work for JUSTICE first, then PEACE and HARMONY– Racial harmony without racial justice is

compliance with systemic racism

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IV. Shift of Consciousness #12IV. Shift of Consciousness #12

• Focus on understanding the cultures and forces of power and privilege, not only on the experiences and cultures of the dispossessed “other”– We cannot understand race and racism

without understanding white privilege and power at the systemic level

What We Can DoWhat We Can Do

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IV. What We Can Do:IV. What We Can Do:Challenge & Support Each OtherChallenge & Support Each Other

• Strengthen “the choir.”

• Challenge each other. Worst possible case is people committed to diversity and cultural competence contributing to inequity and injustice.

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IV. What We Can Do:IV. What We Can Do:Socialize Youth for ActivismSocialize Youth for Activism

• No more hosting dances and food fairs.

• Work with youth on organizing and deepening their understandings of issues, beyond what they see on TV.

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IV. What We Can Do:IV. What We Can Do:Put “Diversity” in ContextPut “Diversity” in Context

• Globalization & Global Capitalism

• Imperialism

• World Bank/IMF

• Environmental Justice Movement

• Immigration/English-Only Movement

• Etc.

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IV. What We Can Do:IV. What We Can Do:Take Back Our HeroesTake Back Our Heroes

• Resist whitewashing or commercialization of social justice heroes

• MLK• Rosa Parks• Black Panthers• Today: Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis,

etc.

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IV. What We Can Do:IV. What We Can Do:Organize Across IdentitiesOrganize Across Identities

• We’re fighting the same fight, so let’s fight it together!

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IV. What We Can Do:IV. What We Can Do:Know Your PrejudicesKnow Your Prejudices

• Never stop identifying and working to eliminating our own prejudices and biases.

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IV. What We Can Do:IV. What We Can Do:Find Local ResourcesFind Local Resources

• Reframe “Cultural Competence”

• Include, for example:– Ability to recognize inequity and injustice– Ability to resist inequity and injustice– Ability to de-center the U.S.– Ability to think critically– Ability to identity one’s own prejudices

Part VPart V

Challenges to Practicing Challenges to Practicing Authentic “Diversity” and Authentic “Diversity” and “Cultural Competence”“Cultural Competence”

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VII. ReflectionVII. Reflection

“Humility is the ability to see.”-Terry Tempest Williams