Lauren D., Week 12

When we think about a bridge, we often think about a solid structure that allows us to cross from one point to another.  The structure is often created to aid in crossing water or other dangerous grounds.  To think of where we are today as a nation, the foundation of accepting diversity and culture most surely is unstable and in need of aid.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have witnessed amazing youth and young adults utilizing their passion to create change by working together in raising community awareness on cultural competency.  Reflecting back to first couple of weeks our group met, I was beyond inspired by the insight participant’s vocalized, the visions they saw and the knowledge they possessed. 

This groups’ creativity has now come to life in their own construction of a bridge to close the gaps of social inclusion.  From taking everyday materials and working together to form the bridge outline, to painting the flags of each of their countries, the process has been incredible to witness.  It brings so much excitement and hope within my heart and soul to think of revealing this art piece and the process which occurred to make it all happen.

I have learned through my MSW journey that there are not magic wands or superhero capes.  For if there were, one of my greatest wishes would be for this world to be more accepting of others; for diversity to embraced not feared.  Through this project, I have had the opportunity to connect with a group who is not afraid to talk about the genuine gaps that create obstacles on a daily basis for minorities in regards to social inclusion.  It is these conversations that need to exist and need to be heard.

So it is now to time get the word out about our exciting reveal…..to politicians, to law enforcement, to educators and school administrators, to anyone who is willing to partake in this incredible journey to creating a stronger and safer community! 

Bridging the Gaps for Social Inclusion

December 13, 2016

6:30 p.m.

WCHP Classroom @ UNE

Lisa D. Blog 12

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Designing the bridge

The group worked hard on painting and creating their own styles and ideas to complete this bridge.

As you can see this is not the finished product.

Please join us on December 13th at 6:30pm on the University of  New England  Portland campus, Blewett building to see the finish product. 

Most importantly, come to show support for our youth and young adults. By coming together, we can help bridge cultural gaps  for our youth. 

Lisa D. Blog 11

The bridge has been paper mache














Priming the bridge for the group to add their design styles

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This week our time was limited. We worked together to build the ends of the bridge and to start to develop the training program for teachers.

The group came up with 3  components  for the training:

Slide show fro teachers on cultural competency and looking at the dynamics within a classroom setting for both teachers and students.

Present a survey for teachers pre and post os the training program to document growth of cultural competency.

Offer focus groups led by students and Kesho Wazzo at the beginning and end of the training. 

The first focus group would consist of having a dialog about the cultural dynamic of the a classroom. What do teachers know and do not know about cultural competency and Identify issues in the calls room setting and in the educational system as a whole.

The 2nd focus group would be at the end of the training to come up with ways to bridge the gaps between students and teachers.

Lisa D. Blog 9

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 This week we started to build the bridge. It took a lot of thought and figuring out how to design it.  The young adults from Kasha Wazzo were very creative in building the structure. 

Materials used were all recycled materials: foam poster board, paper mache spiders (left over from halloween) to form the arch. cardboard boxes, sticks of wood , foam tubing and lots and lots of duck tape! 

This week was a short meeting time.  The Kesho Wazzo group had an event they were part of.

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This week the group of young teens and UNE students looked at the commonalities of information form the focus groups. What was found was a focus on communication and language as well as teachers and the dynamics in a class room.

We decided to develop a training program for teachers, school counselors, principles and office staff. First initial ideas are to develop a survey to see what educational staff know about cultural gaps within the class room and how they are a part of bridging these gaps. Another thought was to develop a training program that focuses on informing about cultural competency. 

The group also started a rough draft designed of the bridge for the art component of this project. The middle will be arched with tall square ends. There will be a middle sculpture piece that represents the training program.

Lauren D., Week 11

Cultural Competency 

“People never hurt others in moments of personal strength and bravery, when they are feeling good about themselves, when they are strong and confident. If we spent all of our waking moments in that place, then fighting for social justice would be redundant; we would simply have social justice and be done with it, and we could all go swimming, or fishing, or bowling, or dancing, or whatever people do. But it is because we spend so much of our time in that other place, that place of diminished capacity, of flagging energy, or wavering and somewhat flaccid commitment, that we have to be careful.”

These powerful words of Tim Wise, author of White Like Me: Reflections on Race From a Privileged Son, struck my heartstrings, as I continue seeking insight and knowledge on how I can support our younger generation in the successful movement for social inclusion, reform and change.  I have been beyond inspired by our weekly group of youth and young adults and their display of motivation and courage to challenge the injustices that continue to exist at both macro and micro levels of our society and community. But going back to the excerpt mentioned above, I ponder if so much hurt has been instilled within minority individuals from the place of other’s ignorance and the history of inequality for genuine acceptance and safety to swim with those who have wounded them.

As the youth and young adults this week continued to engage in the process of constructing our final exhibit of a life bridge, I am energized by their visions, teamwork and creativity. It creates true hope to witness the hands of diversity intertwining and working towards a shared purpose of community awareness.  The focus for this week included brainstorming the more intricate details of the action training plan targeted to educators and administrators in the local school systems.  The participants this week designed pre and post survey questions that attendees of the conference would answer in regards to cultural competency.

Pre-Conference Survey Questions included:

How competent do you feel you are on cultural diversity from a scale of 1-10?

Why did you rate yourself as you did?

What are your strengths regarding cultural competency?  Where do you lack knowledge?

Do you think you have any biases in regards to culture and race?

How do you handle your own biases in regards to race and culture?

How do you handle conflict in the classroom with minority students and white students?

Do you notice any racial tension in the classroom among students?

Is your classroom an open place for students to talk about racial conflict around the world?

Do you feel comfortable facilitating these dialogues?

Do you have a savior mentality towards minority students? (thinking you need to help them more)

Have you ever found yourself thinking minority students represent their whole culture? Give an example if you have.

Thinking about the language you utilize in the classroom, does it impact minority students? Give examples.

Post-Conference Survey Questions included:

How competent do you feel you are on cultural diversity from a scale of 1-10?

What do you know now that you didn’t know before this training in regards to cultural competency?

What might you do different in your classroom after this training?

How are you going to challenge the educational system to become more culturally competent?

How are you going to form your classroom to be more culturally competent?

How might you change or challenge your own biases?

These youth and young adults continue to amaze me!!!

Lauren D., Week 10

The Gift of Being Vulnerable

This week, I want to steer from my usual reflection on the readings and weekly workshops, and rather discuss the vulnerability of this project and its impact upon my heart and soul.  I found through this journey that there is no greater gift, than the ability to truly sit back and take in the inspiration, knowledge and power this younger generations has upon social justice and change.  As a graduate student aspiring to always be filling my “toolbox” for future clinical practice, I entered upon this independent study, without expectations and open to possibilities. 

I remember in my first semester at UNE, reading an article that highlighted the importance of social workers gaining cultural competency, not through training and certificates, but rather through the grassroots level of listening to minorities and their challenges, values and moral.  For there is no greater learning than that of first-hand.  This article has always been held on a pedestal for me, as I saw the importance of letting go of my so called educational “expertise,” and the necessity to listening to the knowledge of others; for they have experienced and endured first-hand the injustices of society, that I never have.

Bridging the Gap of Social Inclusion, has given me this opportunity each week.  As I listen to the stories of the youth and young adult participants and their stories, their lives, their obstacles and their strengths, I have learned more than any textbook possibly could have offered.  I have felt their pain of discrimination, I have witnessed their conversations surrounding unfairness in the school systems and communities, and I have experienced their hope and courage to take on reform and change. 

Each week I continue to be amazed by this younger generation truly searching for a way to make the wrongs right; to create equality; and to believe that a future exist where we are all treated as one, without giving up where they came from, and who they truly are!