Racial Activism 101

Things you can do

Things you can do:

Work on yourself

Work on yourself in relation to others

Work on others

Work on the community

Work on yourself

Become aware of personal racial ideology

Become aware of personal (and societal) stereotypes

Be aware of self-fulfilling prophecies

Avoid just-world beliefs (blaming the victim)

Work on yourself (part 2)

Educate yourself

About other racial/ethnic/cultural groups

Learn a foreign language

Recognize skin privilege and give it up when possible

Diversify circle of friends

Push your comfort zone

Consider all people as individuals first, but recognize that racial/ethnic group membership is often part of one’s identity.

Never assume that a person's race/ethnicity tells you anything about his or her cultural values or patterns of behavior (e.g., Cross article).

Treat all "facts" you have ever heard or read about cultural values and traits as hypotheses, to be tested anew with each person.

Remember that all members of racial/ethnic minority groups in this society are bicultural. The percentage may be 90-10 (in either direction), but they still have had the task of integrating two value systems that may be in conflict.

Do not assume that you can relate to (or even understand) another person’s experience just because you have also experienced some form of oppression or discrimination.

Work on yourself in relation to others

Work on other individuals

Do not tolerate prejudicial remarks, including jokes Ask for clarification (“What do you mean?”)

Express the impact on you (“That really offends me!”)

Label the behavior (“That joke was very racist”)

Silence is tolerance/approval

Change the metaphor: Promote “real” multiculturalism Seek to understand

Encourage others to do the same

Share what you think and believe, without attacking

Work toward community/institutional change

Work within your sphere of influence (classes, job, clubs)

Before you try to come up with a solution, make sure you have identified the right problem (who decides?)

Become an ally to members of an oppressed group

Take initiative, but maintain accountability

Find allies within your own group

Cultural competence in psychotherapy

Do not prejudge which aspects of a client's cultural history, values, and lifestyle are relevant to your work with the client.

Assist the client in identifying areas that create social or psychological conflict related to bi-culturalism and seek to reduce dissonance in those areas.

Know your own attitudes about cultural pluralism, and whether you tend to promote assimilation into the dominant society or stress the maintenance of traditional cultural beliefs and practices.

Identify cultural explanations for the individual’s illness and the associated beliefs (e.g., temporary vs. permanent)

Be aware of cultural elements in the clinician-client relationship