Culturally competent librarians and educators understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures. Cultural competence encompasses:

• being aware of one’s own world view
• developing positive attitudes towards cultural differences
• gaining knowledge of different cultural practices and world views
• developing skills for communication and interaction across cultures

While there is no single checklist that identifies the attributes of culturally competent educators or librarians, the following attitudes, skills and knowledge are commonly identified in the literature:

• understands and honors the histories, cultures, languages, and traditions of diverse communities
• values the different abilities and interests of youth
• respects differences in families’ home lives
• builds on the different ways of knowing and expertise found in different cultures and communities
• recognizes that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing
• understands that a strong sense of cultural identity and belonging is central to developing a positive self-esteem
• identifies and challenges their own cultural assumptions, values and beliefs
• demonstrates an ongoing commitment to developing their own cultural competence

As you watch, consider these questions:

• What are the primary premises of cultural competence?
• What issue is cultural competency designed to address? How does it address this issue?

Review the below definitions of Cultural Competency. What are the key ideas that stand out for you in these definitions? 

• “the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures” (SAMHSA, 2016)
• “a congruent set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that enable a person or group to work effectively in cross-cultural situations; the process by which individuals and systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, and communities and protects and preserves the dignity of each” (National Association of Social Workers, 2001).
• “the ability to recognize the significance of culture in one’s own life and in the lives of others; and to come to know and respect diverse cultural backgrounds and characteristics through interactions with individuals from diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic groups; and to fully integrate the culture of diverse groups into services, work, and institutions in order to enhance the lives of both those being served by the library profession and those engaged in service” (Overall, 2009, 189-190).
• “the ability to successfully teach students who come from cultures other than our own. It entails developing certain personal and interpersonal awareness and sensitivities, developing certain bodies of cultural knowledge, and mastering a set of skills that, taken together, underlie effective cross-cultural teaching” (Diller & Moule, 2005).
• “high levels of respect for and knowledge of other cultures; actively working for and with diverse groups” (Cooke, 2017, 18).

The concept of cultural humility was developed by Melanie Tervalon and Jann Murray-Garcia in 1998 to address inequities in the healthcare field. It is now used in many fields, including education, public health, social work, and library science, to increase the quality of interactions between workers (i.e. library staff and educators) and their diverse community members.  Cultural humility goes beyond the concept of cultural competence to include:

1. A personal lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique
2. Recognition of power dynamics and imbalances, a desire to fix those power imbalances and to develop partnerships with people and groups who advocate for others
3. Institutional accountability (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998)

As you watch this video, consider the following questions:

• What are the primary premises of cultural humility?
• How do Tervalon and Murray-Garcia distinguish cultural humility from cultural competency? Why do they think this distinction is important?

Both cultural competence and cultural humility require:

1. Developing cultural self-awareness
   1. Becoming aware of your own cultural norms, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors
   2. Identifying & examining your own personal biases, stereotypes, and prejudices
   3. Considering the impact cultural differences might have on your interactions with BIYOC, their families, and their communities
2. Gaining cultural knowledge
   1. Being comfortable with “not knowing” – Balancing your expert knowledge with being open to learning from the community and their lived experience
   2. Being curious about other cultures – Asking questions, reading #ownvoices texts about other cultures, viewing #ownvoices films & documentaries, studying another language, attending classes & workshops about other cultures, etc.
   3. Attending cultural events and festivals
   4. Establishing trusting relationships with community confidants or connectors who are able to provide insights into cultural norms, family practices, communication styles, traditions, etc.
   5. Conducting an asset-based community analysis or community walk.

Cultural humility also requires:

1. Understanding and redressing power imbalances
   1. Studying the history of race and racism in the U.S. and understanding how it disproportionately impacts BIPOC
   2. Completing racial equity training
   3. Learning to develop and evaluate culturally relevant and appropriate programs, materials, and interventions
2. Holding the library or educational system accountable for providing inclusive and equitable programs and services
   1. Serving on the library or school equity team
   2. Collecting and analyzing data about library practices, programs, services, and community partnerships through an equity lens
   3. Analyzing library policies for bias and rewriting them to make them reflective of the cultures, customs, behaviors and information needs of various community members