Library Home: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources: Cultural Considerations

You don't know everything about anyone (including yourself). Your level of cultural competency is limited by what you don't know--and that which you don't know you don't know! Thus, accepting that you don't know everything and that you will always have something to learn, is a mindset of being humble. This should not be confused with being humiliated. Being humble does not mean you are lesser than someone else, it means you are willing to learn from someone else.

Culture is Complicated

TIP 59: Improving Cultural Competence (samhsa.gov)
Free to download and read.
A Proposed Framework for Integration of Quality Performance Measures for Health Literacy, Cultural Competence, and Language Access Services: Proceedings of a Workshop (2018) (nap.edu)
Free to download and read.

Build Bridges with Knowledge

Finding Common Ground Takes Creativity

“The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.” — Bertrand Russell, quoted in the book A Word a Day. (quoteinvestigator.com)

Image Source: Be open to be changed (sketchplanations.com)

Cultural Humility is Life Long Learning - Not just reading a book or taking a course.

Cultural Humility | Juliana Mosley, Ph.D. | TEDxWestChester

Some people mistake cultural knowledge or cultural interest for cultural competency.

VIDEO: "Cultural Humility: People, Principles and Practices" (30-minute documentary
Don't assume you are competent; choose to have an open mind. Avoid stereotypes. Discusses:
• Lifelong learning and critical self-reflection
• Recognizing and changing power imbalances
• Developing institutional accountability

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