Connect: 8/18/21 ~ RAP: revisiting cultural activism
Greetings and Happy Midweek!
Since it’s just past mid-month, it’s time for another of our RAP sessions (Review and Process, revisiting a cross-cultural theme or topic from a previous Connect, going more deeply into what we’ve begun to explore). For this week’s thoughts, I also tap into the 3rd dimension, HARBOR, of my Global SKILLs cross-cultural perspectives model and the Collaborative aspects of PROACTive learning strategies.*
Given several recent emerging international catastrophes, I thought we would revisit the topic of cultural activism which I introduced last year (see my October 28 blog post (https://www.globalskillspartners.com/blog-). I want to repeat what I asserted in my first activism message - that what I share is not meant to be at all partisan...simply reflections on how communities and cultures are being impacted and how we, as individuals and community members, are responding - or might respond.
My head has been spinning and my heart heavy with several humanitarian disasters this past week including the situation in Afghanistan, with the Taliban take-over, and in Haiti, after the devastating earthquake immediately followed by a destructive storm system. It’s tempting, especially since we are all pandemic weary to start with, to feel helpless and perhaps even hopeless when faced with the magnitude of human suffering and cultural upheaval we see unfolding hour by hour.
Instead, I personally feel compelled to DO something! I have asked myself how I might actively, cross-culturally make a difference in either of these contexts. In thinking this through realistically, I am trying to take a HARBOR perspective - looking at where local people are coming together to help. Since the region where I live is one of the top 10 areas in the US for immigrant resettlement, I have initially decided to contact local immigrant services to see how I might step up and volunteer. I’m hoping to model and participate in collaborative efforts: emphasizing cultural understanding and exchange, sharing resources, working toward mutually agreed upon and mutually beneficial goals.
I don’t have a lot of extra time, but if each one of us does just a little - in culturally appropriate ways, BIG differences can be the outcome!
What about you - what’s one step toward cultural activism you’d like to explore?
Share this with a friend or with us here. And check out the LINKs below for some inspiration of how others are stepping up.
Until next week! Betsy
Global SKILLs LINKs
~ Starting with little (Kosovo, for example, is currently one of the poorest countries in the world) but willing to reach out cross-culturally and help:
~ An inspiring effort by two women activists, connecting cross-culturally to help heal a centuries old divide: https://parentscirclefriends.org/robiandlailamay2021/
* contact me for more information on the 3D model and/or the cross-cultural learning strategies mentioned above, and how you might use them in your current programming
~ Global SKILLs 3 Dimensional Dynamics Model: 1st dimension = HOME; 2nd dimension = HOST; 3rd dimension = HARBOR
~ PROACTive Learning Strategies: PROfile, PROcess, PROgram and ACT - Applications, Collaboration and Transformation
2021 ~ Celebrating 40 years of working in
intercultural communications and global community building
Connecting, Collaborating, Cultivating Community