I’ve been there. I think almost every person of color has been there. A well meaning person tiptoes around the concept of culture, not wanting to present themselves as ignorant or worse, discriminatory. Decidedly, they opt to purposefully ignore cultural background altogether. They reason that in order to be fair, they must acknowledge characteristics like confidence or charisma and integrity or persistence rather than traits attributed to cultural upbringing. With the vast array of cultures represented in America, it might feel best to cast these elements aside in the interest of leveling the playing field. After all, highlighting cultural differences while simultaneously pursuing unity and mutual understanding seems rather counterintuitive. We should strive to understand people separate from their cultural backgrounds as a means of preventing discrimination and other negatives, right? Not necessarily. Although choosing to minimize the implications of cultural background is a seemingly positive approach to interacting with diverse individuals, acknowledging culture is actually imperative to understanding human identity and needs.
Personal identity is composed of many elements; however, cultural background has a significant impact on this development. Larry Adelman’s The Power of Illusion discusses the mythical genetic implications of race and cultural background and the role of these social constructs in society. Adelman emphasizes that while race and culture does not exist on a biological level, it does impact what is called “lived experience”, an assessment of the opportunities, availability, access, and circumstances of a particular individual (Adelman, 2003). All of the qualities that represent lived experience shape a person’s development. It’s the idea of the alternate or parallel universe: Otherwise similar individuals who come from different backgrounds will receive different opportunities, have different experiences and ultimately grow to be different people because of that fundamental change in background. A somewhat opposing concept, epigenetics, counters Adelman’s separation of biology and race by asserting their correlation, while still confirming that cultural background has several implications on human identity In her research on epigenetics and its connections to modern activism, French scholar, Elodie Grossi, describes the theory of epigenetics and its effects on the current population. Grossi, explains that epigenetics is a phenomena in which traumatic memory is passed down through the descendants of ancestors who have undergone metabolic changes which modified the epigenome due to stress and nutritional deprivation commonly associated with slavery (Grossi, 2020). While the theory of epigenetics is still being researched, its plausibility illustrates that cultural background, which extends to familial history, is deeply rooted in the lives of individuals. Because culture is so instrumental to personal identity, it is almost impossible to truly understand or learn much about a person without considering their culture.
Cultural background can also reveal the needs of an individual or group. At its core, a person’s needs typically include the conditions necessary for them to feel safe in an environment. Zaretta Hammond’s Culturally Responsive Learning and The Brain expounds upon this idea. Hammond uses fundamental aspects of culture and the brain to highlight the importance of culture in the academic setting. Hammond introduces culture as a three-level concept, ranging in depth that influences the brain’s “schemas” or way of thinking which as a result, affects the way humans process the world and differentiate between safe and unsafe environments (Hammond, 2015). Culture’s significant impact on the brain makes it a key determiner for an individual’s willingness to connect with others and the conditions necessary to make this connection possible. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention affirms the importance of cultural acknowledgement as a means of meeting the needs of patients in a healthcare setting. The database highlights cultural competence as a necessary component for effective work in cross-cultural settings and a vital step in correcting racial disparities in illness and death in America (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). The purpose of the healthcare industry is to meet the needs of all members of society creating a safe, trustworthy environment for patients to receive care. The importance of cultural competence within the field affirms the idea that culture should inform the way that we interact with and accommodate others. Just as it is impossible to understand identity without culture, it is also difficult to develop meaningful connections with individuals and establish a safe environment that meets their needs.
It’s not at all odd that some believe that focusing on culture can be troublesome and divisive rather than fruitful and unifying. Yuval Harari’s Sapiens discusses the concept of social hierarchy in society and its relation to social interaction. Harari explains that a person’s perceived position in society’s hierarchical system will affect the way that others interact with this individual (Harari 2019). Cultural background, especially within a society that upholds a racial hierarchy, has implications on a person’s perceived hierarchical level. Cultural background compounded with the concept of social hierarchy can lead to several negative impacts on social interaction including stereotyping and discrimination. The question then becomes: Is it better to forego acknowledging culture in the interest of preventing these ills? I say, no. There is a way to respectfully acknowledge culture without perpetuating hatred. I can remember a large community event in my old neighborhood held annually through my middle school. It was a culture fair that gave students the opportunity to showcase their cultures through writings, art, food, traditional clothing and performance. It was a time where students felt visible, proud of their identity and safe enough to share with the community. There is always going to be gray areas when addressing such topics as culture, but frankly, opting to ignore it altogether is taking the easy way out and eliminates the opportunity for true collaboration and improvement within society.
There are many different elements that compose culture, and all of them come together to form a complex individual with a unique identity and needs. As ironic as it sounds, in order to successfully collaborate within society, acknowledging cultural differences is vital. Therefore, learning about and experiencing other cultures through research, traveling and more is the duty of a responsible community member and will greatly benefit society.
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