Your brain creates mental shortcuts as a way to help you rapidly respond to situations based on past experiences or societal messages about various races, thus leading to stereotypes. But these shortcuts are generalizations and are rarely accurate assessments of an individual or group. They’re what’s known as a “cognitive bias.”
It is a lifelong process of critical self-reflection and self-critique Redressing the power imbalances in the senior management and incumbent dynamic
Developing mutually beneficial partnerships with communities on behalf of individuals and defined populations
Advocating and maintaining institutional accountability that parallels the 3 principals above
Cultural humility is a byproduct of education. After the first stage of awareness, people start believing they get it until they learn that they don’t. It’s a multi-stage learning journey. Some feel acknowledging these issues means they can’t be proud of who they are. But really, this process is really about learning how to understand one’s biases and continually reflect on how they can continue to operate
The Way Forward
- How do I want to grow and develop toward cultural humility?
- When was the last time I couldn’t understand another person’s experience or actions?
- When was the last time you were challenged by another person’s way of being?
- What are some questions you can use when getting to know someone?
- What are my ways of cultural humility?
- How can I practice these ways of cultural humility?
Cultural Humility
- Describes a commitment to engage in an active process of:
- Lifelong learning and critical self-reflection
- Pursuing institutional accountability
- Recognizing and challenging power imbalances, including a shift toward:
- Staff-focused interviewing and strategies
- Community-based research and advocacy