Sophie Miles

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Photo Credit: Getty Images/Caiaimage

Week 4: Reexamining Our Attitudes and Perspectives

As humans, we are constantly making judgments based on available information in order to survive. Some of those judgments involve categorizing people and places as “good” or “bad.” When we don’t have any available information—for example, we have not had any experience with that person or place—we might draw from our unconscious learnings from childhood, community, and media portrayals, and make assumptions. These assumptions are often stereotypes or generalizations that have been allowed to propagate in society, and they are flawed. They tell a very narrow story.

This week, you reexamine your attitudes and perspectives, checking for these assumptions about others. First, you go back and reread the initial introduction you posted in the Class Café. Then, taking into account what you have learned about yourself over the last 3 weeks, you rewrite your introduction to reveal aspects of yourself and your identity that you now feel are important to claim and share. You then reflect on your interactions with classmates and how new information may have changed your earlier assumptions. 

Learning Objectives

Students will:

· Explain the process of reexamining identity

· Reflect on interactions with diverse class colleagues

· Describe assumptions and perceptions related to culture and identity  

Learning Resources

Assumptions and Bias

Nieto, L., & Boyer, M. F. (2006). Understanding oppression: Strategies in addressing power and privilege. ColorsNW.

Note: Review this resource, which was introduced in Week 2.

Credit line: Nieto, L., & Boyer, M. F. (2006). Understanding oppression: Strategies in addressing power and privilege. https://www.evergreen.edu/sites/default/files/writingcenter/docs/cv/Nieto_Ask%20Leticia.pdf 

Adichie, C. N. (2009, July). The danger of a single story [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 19 minutes.

TEDx Talks. (2018, October 22). Valerie Alexander: How to outsmart your own unconscious bias | TEDxPasadena [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/GP-cqFLS8Q4

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 18 minutes. 

Changing Beliefs

MySPNN. (2015, April 30). SPNN forum: Author Jonathan Odell [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG0DR6f-jfE&feature=youtu.be

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 30 minutes. 

THIS IS DUE THURSDAY BY 10PM

Discussion: Revisiting Your Introduction

Throughout the past few weeks you have explored culture, identity, and cross-cultural experiences. You have also gotten to know some of your colleagues in your exchange of ideas in Discussion. Now that you have a better understanding of your culture, values, and beliefs, and how those might have evolved, what would you change about the introduction you posted in Week 1? Would you give more space to certain aspects of your identity?

For this Discussion, you rewrite your original Class Cafe introduction to more fully embrace who you are, and then reflect on the process. 

To Prepare

· Review your course announcements for possible information related to this week’s Discussion and Assignment.

· Review all of the Learning Resources assigned for this week.

· Return to the Class Café and reread the initial introduction you posted there at the beginning of the course.

· Consider what you would add or subtract in your initial description of who you are. Ask yourself:

· What is the first thing you seemed to be emphasizing? Did you identify yourself as belonging to a dominant or subordinate group?   

· Which identity markers stand out as most important?  

· To what extent did you choose, unconsciously, to “play it safe”—exposing only the necessary bare essentials to your unknown classmates?

· Remember that all of your classmates have been going through the same process of self-reflection and discovery as you have these past 3 weeks. You still do not know one another well, but you probably know a little more about yourself, and perhaps you sharing on a deeper level now will encourage others to do so. We are here to learn from each other. 

By Day 4

Post a rewrite of your Class Cafe introduction here, considering what attributes or identifying elements you feel need to be added, expressed, or expanded upon.

Then, explain this process of reexamining and defining yourself. Why did you make the changes that you did? How did you come to this discovery? What exercise, assignment, or resource from the course helped you better understand yourself and your identity? 

THIS IS MY CLASS CAFÉ INTRODUCTION.

India Williams 

RE: Please introduce yourself

COLLAPSE

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Hi everyone, my name is India and I live in South East Virginia.  I am pursuing my bachelor's in Human Services with a concentration in addictions.  When I graduate I plan on finding work as a community services advocate and concentrate on helping the youth and young adults with homelessness and addiction.  I am married with a 27 year old daughter and a 29 year old stepson.  I have 2 grandchildren and they are our world.  I am a restaurant manager and that has given me the opportunity to work with kids from all walks of life and with issues that have given me the chance to help them.  I see that the majority of you are working in the field already and have the experience and skill that goes with the degree.  I have not been able to find work in my field where I can gain some experience.  It will be a pleasure learning with you all and good luck in all you seek.

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THIS IS DUE SATURDAY BY MIDNIGHT

Reflective Assignment: Self in Relation to Others

In the process of developing cultural humility, you will make mistakes. Maybe the words don’t come out right, you offend someone, or you unconsciously fall back on the assumptions that have helped you navigate life thus far. This is to be expected. To be humble is to say “I’m not perfect,” “I don’t know everything, I can never know everything,” and “I’m trying.” To be humble is also to be curious about others and how they have come to be who they are.

With that in mind, in this Assignment, you consider the assumptions you originally brought to this course regarding your classmates and how those assumptions may have changed after reading their Discussion posts this week. You also assess your reaction to your classmates’ revised introductions. 

To Prepare

· Review all Learning Resources assigned for this week. Pay close attention to the Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie video, The Danger of a Single Story.

· Review your classmates’ posts on this week’s Discussion board. Consider your reactions to your classmates and with whom you identified. 

By Day 7

Submit a 1- to 2-page critical reflection on what you learned from your classmates’ discussion posts and whether you could relate on any level to their writings. Specifically:

· What assumptions did you make earlier in the course about your classmates, and based on what? To what extent have those “single stories” broadened or changed with new information? 

· What shook or challenged you in the revised introductions? Why?

· Whose experience did you most identify with? Whose experience did you not identify with, and why?

· Do you think your classmates view you as belonging to the same group (dominant or subordinate) as you have assigned yourself? Why or why not?

THESE ARE TWO DISCUSSION POSTS FROM MY CLASSMATES THAT YOU CAN USE TO REFLECT ON FOR THE ASSIGNMENT

Paul Wilson 

RE: Discussion - Week 1

COLLAPSE

Top of Form

Paul C. Wilson, CPSS, CADC

Cultural Humility and Diversity HUMN: 4009

Walden University

10/14/2021

 

Describe how broad or narrow your definition and understanding of the term “diversity” was, prior to reviewing the resource materials.

My understanding of the term “diversity” was extremely narrow before reading the resources for class. I had just thought that diversity meant to be different as far as race was concerned. I never truly paid attention to what and how it really meant. I thought it was more like have a certain amount of people from different race’s or ethnicities at a job or to be eligible for a service program.

 

Compare the concepts of cultural competency and culture humility.

Cultural competency is understanding the difference of cultures and know that even if the individual belongs to one ethnical group, does not mean he/she has the same values as all may think a particular ethnical group does. And, culture humility would be to have an open mind that an individual’s culture may be different than my own and what I assumed from television or other social media formats.

 

 

Referencing these materials explain why cultural humility is important for professionals in your chosen discipline.

In my experience as a recovering addict and counselor, the process for other to recover can be different than my own. I has to except them for who they are, and the process they feel can help them on their journey. “We all view the world through the lens of our own experience, and our experiences might vastly different from other people’s” (Markman, 2015). I cannot assume everything I do in my process like going to narcotics anonymous meetings, going to church and having a sponsor will work for everyone. I would have to get a chance to understand the individual’s cultures and beliefs.

 

Provide an example to illustrate the importance.

I was working with a client in the past that did not believe in God, or a higher power, but wanted to continue to go to 12-step meetings. He stated he could not grasp the understanding of a higher power helping him with his recovery. I gave him away too look at a higher power from his own prospective. I stated to the client that he could use a chair or a door knob to be his higher power, because the door knob lets you in the meetings and the chair allows you to sit in the meetings. He thought that was very helpful.

Markman, A. (2015, March 19). What cultural differences can teach us about human nature.

www.fastcompany.com

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THIS IS THE SECOND CLASSMATE POST THAT YOU CAN ALSO USE.

Alecia Carter 

RE: Discussion - Week 2

COLLAPSE

Top of Form

Demonstration 3: Law Enforcement

In this scenario, both the detective and person of interest display high and low statuses throughout their interaction. The detective begins the scene asserting his natural high status by commanding the person of interest to sit down. A command is a way to assert a person's high status as it assumes a superior-inferior relationship with another (changinginminds.org).

 

The person of interest then asserts her high status by defending herself, criticizing the detective, and commanding she has her lawyer presented to her. According to changingminds.org, each of these actions is a way to display high status when dealing with others. At the end of the video, the detective does not respond to the person of interest’s insult and demand, which makes him immediately assume low status (changingminds.org)

 

How Culture Relates to the Status Roles People Take

Since statuses are not permanent states and everyone can assume a high or low status (Nieto & Boyer, 2006), we assume culture relates to those roles based on rank in society, places of work, and familial relationships. Rank is a socially constructed value given to people of privilege, while target or oppressed groups are those in society that are systemically undervalued and oppressed (Nieto & Boyer, 2006). 

 

If we look back at the video Status Play, the detective is held at a higher rank than the person of interest, but if we also look at the video through the lens of racism, we see a whole other layer of power being used on an already oppressed member of society. Dr. Nieto mentioned in the video Awakening to What Works: Practical Approaches to Deep Change, that everyone can assert a high or low status. While we see the person of interest assert her own power and take a high status against this detective, it doesn’t change his rank.

 

References

 

Changing Minds. (n.d.) Status conversations. http://changingminds.org/techniques/conversation/types/status_conversation.htm

 

 Nieto, L. (October, 2015). 2015 Seattle Race Conference. http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos?videoid=x59621

Nieto, L. & Boyer M.F. (2006). Understanding oppression: Strategies in addressing power and privilege. Colors NW.

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