Cultural Awareness

& Mindful

Intercultural Communication

Mania Asadizadeh

Ruben Reyes Santiago

January 2016

Training Agenda

1. Introduction

2. Survey Results

3. Privilege Walk

Group discussion

4. Microaggression

5. Racism

6. Cultural Assumptions

7. Intercultural Communication

8. Empathic Responding

9. Feedback

1) Respect confidentiality

2) Respect each other

3) Participate in group activities

4) Share feelings and experiences you are comfortable sharing

5) Be supportive and encouraging to each other, but do not offer advice

6) Always be honest

7) Listen to each other

8) Avoid interrupting or having side conversations

9) Accept each other without making judgments

10) Refrain from using offensive language

11) Silence your cell phones and electronic devices

12) If triggered, Step out quietly if needed.

Multicultural Competency Survey Results

A. What form of learning experience/style would you prefer?

● “I prefer a mix of presentation, activities, and discussion”

● “Online training”

● “Perhaps it would be helpful to hear from a panel of diverse students/coworkers if

there are folks who are willing to participate?”

Multicultural Competency Survey Results

B. What do you hope to learn?

● “What the heck makes you culturally competent?”

● “Techniques for managing misunderstandings that may arise from lack of intercultural awareness

● “[Learn about] privileges, biases, and using that to have cultural humility and understanding of people from different cultures.”

What Makes Someone Culturally Competent?

● Pair up with with someone next to you and answer this question.

● Share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions

HINT: Define Culture

Define Competence

Put them together

So you are telling me

It takes more than this presentation for me to become

culturally competent?

Cultural Competency is a Lifelong Project1) Self-check

a) Historical and familial roots, values, beliefs

b) What are my privileges?

c) What are my biases?

d) What are my assumptions about a person based on their appearance, gender, race, accent, SES, religion, etc.?

e) Is there anything about what I am learning that feels uncomfortable? If yes:

i) Reach out to support groups

Lutheran Community Services: http://www.lcsnw.org/portland/counseling.html

Diversity and Multicultural Student Services: http://www.pdx.edu/dmss/home

ii) Gain insight iii) Find acceptance

2) Utilize available learning resources a. PSU resource centers and student organizations

i. Cultural Centersii. Disability Resource Center

iii. Women’s Resource Centeriv. Queer Resource Centerv. Study Abroad

b. PSU events, trainings and workshops

i. International Coffee Hour ii. International Nightiii. Cultural events: https://www.pdx.edu/dmss/programs-and-events-calendar

c. PSU library database, memoirs, classes, journals, etc.

d. Friends, classmates, coworkers, etc.

Cultural Competency is a Lifelong Project

3) Advocatea. Advanced self check

i. What is my underlying motivation for advocacy?1. Be a good person?2. Give the marginalized population a voice?3. Gain acceptance?4. Other thoughts? …

ii. How comfortable am I to step out of my comfort zone?1. Will I be safe? 2. Do I have resources/people I can rely on for self-care?

iii. Would the person/population want me to stand up for them? Example

Lost Voices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpPASWlnZIA

4) Continue to educate yourself and others

Cultural Competency is a Lifelong Project

We All Make MistakesHere is what you can do if you are genuinely sorry

1) Apologize for what you did. None of this:

a) “I am sorry you took it that way”b) “I am sorry you are offended”c) “I am sorry, but…”

More like this:

“I did [THIS] and it caused [THIS], and I am sorry for that”

2) Think of what you can do to make it right.

* If you can’t make it right, how can you prevent it

3) Move on

a) Forgiveness is not part of the deal

b) The person you offended does not owe you any help here c) Do not over-apologize or walk on eggshells around them. That would make them feel responsible for making you feel better

STEP 1: Please stand in a circle in the middle of the room

STEP 2: We will read statements to you and would like you to respond to the statements by taking steps forwards/backwards

STEP 3: We realize that some statements might be of a sensitive nature for some individuals, so keep in mind that you do not have to respond to any statement that is uncomfortable.

Let’s Walk!

Privilege Walk Listen

Walk

Think/Feel

Reflect

“Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act” ~Albert Einstein~

Micro-Aggression & Cultural Assumptions

● Racism vs. Microaggression

● What is microaggression?

● Cultural Assumptions

● Being an Ally

Micro-Aggression

Video Example

● When an individual verbally or nonverbally snubs or insults someone whether intentionally or unintentionally, or communicates hostile, derogatory messages to target individuals based solely upon their marginalized group membership.

● “Death by a thousand cuts”

● Microaggressions reinforce stereotypes

Racism

Video Facts

● Belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, particularly so as to distinguish an individual as inferior or superior to another race(s).

● Poor Treatment of or violence against people because of their race.

Cultural Assumptions

Culture: Customs, arts, social institution, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.

Definition of Cultural Assumption- When an individual assumes that a person has a particular value and attitudes based on their cultural background. Examples can be based on age, gender, lifestyle/family, ethnicity.

A most common cultural assumption “We are all the same”.

Being an Ally

Ally

Tips Clip

Intercultural Communication

Verbal Communication with non-native English speakers

● English is a difficult language!

● Keep it simple

● Give and seek feedback

○ Close-ended questions

○ Open-ended questions

● Not understanding vs. misunderstanding

● REMEMBER: Asking is always better and safer than assuming

Intercultural Communication

Nonverbal Communication with non-native English speakers

● Examples of nonverbal

Continue the self-check:

○ Am I making assumptions?

○ Am I making a judgment?

● Asking for clarification means

You did not make a false assumption

You respected the individual and their culture

You learned something new

Do’s Don’ts

Be patient Don’t interrupt a person’s speech

Keep it simple Avoid acronyms, idioms, metaphors, abbreviations, fillers, and colloquialisms

Speak clearly and slowly Don’t speak loudly

Be explicit Avoid “uh-huh, uh-uh” use Yes or No

Pause between words Avoid running words

Write down steps when needed Don’t let the person leave without having understood your point

Use visual tools (e.g. maps, charts)

Repeat and rephrase when needed Try not to use “I would do...if I were you”use “You need to do…” instead

Other Tips

● Empathic communication requires more than understanding what someone says

It is about conveying your understanding back to individuals

+ Showing them you genuinely care about them

● Why is empathic responding important?

We represent Portland State University

○ We want people to choose PSU

○ We want people to stay at PSU

○ We want people to tell others about their awesome PSU experience

When “I Understand” Is Not Enough

Empathic Responding Formula There is a simple, yet powerful way to let someone know

1) You are listening to them

2) You are hearing them out

3) You see them

4) You understand what they are telling you

5) You feel what they feel

6) You are available to help to the best of your ability

7) You can be trusted

...and it goes like this:

Empathic Responding Formula

“You feel [feeling word] because [Experience, thought, or behavior]”

Admissions examples:

* Student cries and says, “I have been waiting so long to get my scholarship money, and now I get a letter that says I don’t qualify anymore!”

* “Oh, I have already seen my academic adviser many times. He just doesn’t seem to care! I wait so long in the waiting room every time with an appointment… then he rushes out so fast I don’t get to talk to him.”

* “I have emailed many times. Everytime I email I get a response saying ‘we will respond in 3-5 business days’. I am so worried about my visa situation. I have acceptance to other schools, and I might have to cancel admission to PSU if I don’t hear anything.”

FeedbackThank you for your attendance

and participation

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“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it

away from you.”

~B.B. King~