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People

Manifest Diversity: A CULTURALLY & COMPETENT BUFFALO

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As a multicultural educator, I present cultural diversity workshops examining cultures, music and languages from around the world.  I strongly believe in bringing people from all walks of life together. I strongly believe in educating people about the world and the diversity of it. And I strongly believe that we can learn from each other by engaging in a simple conversation, hence the solution to create understanding.  It is so important to be culturally competent in today’s world because we are encountering people from all walks of life. It takes time, patient and respect to understand someone who is different. It takes cultural awareness, cultural knowledge and cultural sensitivity to be culturally competent. But what does it mean to be culturally competent? Culturally competent means that you have the awareness, knowledge and sensitivity to be able to understand someone who is different from you. So instead of understanding who you are, you are able to understand who someone else is based on their values, beliefs, norms, customs, traditions, styles, biases, stereotypes, behaviors and so on.  You understand that they do things differently than you do. They eat different foods than you do, they cook different foods than you do, they walk, talk and act differently than you do. At the end of the day, you still respect them. That is what it means to be culturally competent. Someone who is not culturally competent discriminates, judges and looks at the differences of someone in a negative way. Their actions may label them a racist, a homophobic or someone who thinks they are morally, physically and intellectually superior than others. These are not traits that define someone who is culturally competent. No matter what color, race, creed or sexual orientation someone comes from, cultural competence teaching us to understand others who are different from us. So if you want to practice being culturally competent. Talk to someone who is different than you, learn about their differences without judging. Attend an event or a workshop in which you learn about people from around the world. Google things that you never would about someone. Get to know them and why they are the way they are. Establish some positive feedback of your own about meeting people. How do you say Hello in their language? How can you erase stereotypes and judgements from your heart? How can you be more open minded in a world that makes it hard to accept people who are different? I will be hosting more programs and events where we can learn about different types of people and how to interact, engage and treat people as human beings. For more information: checkout theeducationalpledge.com and email me at: manifestdiversity@gmail.com Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Community Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Military & Veterans Peace People Politics THE NEED TO MANIFEST “MANIFEST DIVERSITY September 25, 2022/No Comments THE NEED TO MANIFEST “MANIFEST DIVERSITY With so many cultures, races, and ethnic groups from around the world, wouldn’t it Read More Manifest Destiny vs Diversity February 25, 2022/No Comments Manifest Destiny vs Diversity “Manifest Destiny: Manifest destiny was a widely held belief in the 19th-century United States that American Read More Manifest Diversity December 25, 2019/No Comments With so many cultures, races and ethnic groups from around the world, wouldn’t it be beneficial to work together instead Read More Load More End of Content.

People

YO SOY 3RD GENERACION BORICUA

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YO SOY 3RD GENERACION BORICUA Yes, the title is indeed alluding to how I, Ruthy Harris, am a third-generation Puerto Rican in the United States of America. Now, I want to begin by saying this may seem like an odd read, but I feel compelled to tell my perspective on being a Buffalo, New York native in search of your responses and feedback on this entry. My direct email is blossomandexcel@gmail.com. My purpose is to encourage anyone who may have had similar experiences or thoughts. And for those who cannot relate, it is my hope that you can help someone or at least empathize. “The more you seek approval, the more you repel authenticity ” – Brendon Burchard I am forty years old and have finally come to terms with my personal identity. As this may open the floor to criticism, I welcome your perspective. I first realized I was not accepted within my proposed culture of being Boricua at the early age of 9 years old. Long thick hair that had to be hot combed to show its length over my shoulders and down my back. I had a caramel-tone complexion and hazel-brown eyes. I am Boricua and Morena. Yes, three of my grandparents hail directly from the island of Puerto Rico, I can say with such enthusiasm and affection which I still hold until this day! I have my fourth grandparent being African American and Cherokee Indian. Hindsight, for me it is no mystery why I had such a conflicted identity crisis, especially entering high school. Now, many individuals may face similar dilemmas nowadays as interracial couples and mixed children are now so very common. I am mixed, grew up on parts of the west and east sides of Buffalo, and had the privilege of attending a parochial high school that was predominately Caucasian. Nevertheless, I quoted Brendon Burchard as a predictor of what a person in such a situation as I may need to reference.  As with many individuals, this statement resonates with me since I struggled with acceptance from several cultures. Now, I aim for authentic relationships, based on fundamental core values like honesty, kindness, respect, and love. To me, it’s important to know who you are within so that you can work without limitations and unnecessary boundaries on expected personality traits based on outward appearance. Go ahead, get to know and love who you are right now. And, then go ahead and get to know others well and spread more love. Many best wishes to you as you also remember to enjoy your day, every day Ruthy Harris is available to speak about her experience as a “PUERTO RICAN WITH DARK SKIN”, and other topics of interest to the growth and development of our cultures and communities.  Email us: latinovillage1@gmail.com / 646-248-2302 Read More From This Writer All Post Business Culture Entertainment Food Government Health Interviews Lower West Side Business & Economic Development Medical Military & Veterans Our Community Peace People Sports YO SOY 3RD GENERACION BORICUA July 24, 2019/No Comments POST TITLE (CAPITAL) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus Read More FORWARD DIRECTION June 24, 2019/No Comments FORWARD DIRECTION I’ve always wondered why in my past I hadn’t succeeded in a way I considered a triumph. I Read More

People

INDOCTRINATION

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INDOCTRINATION As a follow-up on our political concepts, this week I would like to talk about a word we rarely think about but should always be aware of: Indoctrination… What is indoctrination? Indoctrination as a noun is the process of conditioning someone or a group of people to think or behave in a certain way that they will not question. Unlike education which promotes critical thinking, indoctrination actively discourages it and does so, often in very subtle ways. The reason I picked this topic is as our country’s political stances get more and more divided with no end in sight. It is important to realize why some people might be so entrenched in their views that no evidence or argument seems to change or even question their stance. This of course makes any meaningful debate very difficult. This is caused by various methods, deliberate or not, that made those views cornerstones of who they are. Should those views be challenged, they take it as a personal attack. You might have seen examples of this in the past, with very nice or even very smart people turning most unreasonable when their ideology is questioned. This is a very dangerous and anti-intellectual phenomenon that must be cured. However, the only thing you can do is point it out to the person, as politely as possible, so that they can build themselves on solid ground, hopefully. As Yuri Bezmenov, a former KGB agent told in his lectures, the goal of malicious sedition is to create these ideologues that he termed “Useful idiots.” These are people who have been so indoctrinated in communist ideology that they will not question it, accepting it even in the face of damning evidence or as he likes to call it, “until the new government puts them down to establish stability.” I would strongly suggest looking up his lectures on YouTube, it gives you an idea of why all the turmoil on our college campuses today, as well as the rise of communist thought on the college or university campuses today. However, not all indoctrination is deliberate. We sometimes, without realizing it, indoctrinate ourselves into certain beliefs and start defending the indefensible, and with no awareness. The first step is to realize this and shake out of it. The second step is to learn and develop new foundations for your worldview. Never be afraid of questioning the most fundamental “truths” that we see, no matter how popular or unpopular they are. Of course, the media has realized it is easier to indoctrinate groups over individuals. Just remember the words of Plato in this regard: “It is a sign of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Read More From This Writer All Post Books Business Culture Education Entertainment Food Government Health Interviews Lower West Side Business & Economic Development Medical Military & Veterans Our Community Peace People Sports Who We Are INDOCTRINATION July 13, 2019/No Comments POST TITLE (CAPITAL) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus Read More STAYING CLOSED TO THE TRUTH June 13, 2019/No Comments “The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them “ — Thomas Jefferson Read More COMPUTERS AND GENERATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Part 2 May 13, 2019/No Comments COMPUTERS AND GENERATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Part 2 In my previous article, I talked about how technology, which is most mainstream at Read More Load More End of Content.

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