A Paradigm Shift in DEI Course Discussion: Read the article, “Cultural Competence: An Important Skill Set for the 21st Century” and share how you will be intentional about growing your skills in cultural competence. Which of the skills listed in this article are particularly important for you to focus on?
Being intentional about growing my skills in cultural competence has been a significant goal of mine, especially within the last year of my intellectual pursuits. This module helped me understand white culture and my preconceived lens guiding my perception and understanding of the world. In understanding white culture, I am more able to know how my views and others around me (in a predominantly white culture society) influence our perception of others. One skill (Increasing cultural and global knowledge) that I want to work on is increasing my understanding of white culture, which I will do by exploring different perspectives and research via books and podcasts (open to recommendations). A few resources I have found are Lifting the White Veil (Jeff Hitchcock, 2011), White Fragility (Robin DiAngelo, 2018), and the podcast Seeing White (John Biewen, 2017). Similarly, I will also find resources to increase my global cultural competence to be more educated and knowledgeable of many cultures. Books I have found include Behind the beautiful forevers (Katherine Boo), Open Veins of Latin America (Isabel Allende), and Expand Your Borders: Discover Ten Cultural Clusters (David Livermore, 2013).
Self-assessment is a skill that is particularly important for everyone to work on in all facets of life. I can use the Harvard Implicit Association Test to analyze my implicit bias empirically. Also, I can surround myself with individuals knowledgeable about implicit bias and cultural competence and ask for guidance in areas for improvement that I may need to be cognizant of. This goes hand in hand with the skill of engagement and working on my approach to conversations of culture and ensuring I am productively navigating these conversations.