Everyone has a culture

Doesn’t everyone have a culture? If we share the same citizenship, does it mean that we are all the same? This issue was particularly poignant while I was participating in a local activity where everyone was asked to share something from their cultural background. The students of Asian, African, Latin American and Jewish descent had no problem coming up with a presentation. Some were first generation Americans, others were third or more. At that time I don't think anyone identified as Native American though most southerners, black and white, have Native American ancestry.

The white students began to feel left out. They felt they didn't have a culture. The director of the program at the time was highly skilled at facilitating this issue. As the program evolved, one of the advisors developed the category “plain ol' American.” As part of her presentation, she usually shared U.S. American cultural symbols such as baseball and apple pie. The more I encountered people who were unsure of their cultural identity the more I wanted to learn about how people perceived themselves. It has become a significant part of my journey as an interculturalist.

Ten years later when I was developing a course, this issue resurfaced. Before launching a course or adding a new activity to an existing course, I usually put together a focus group. We were researching activities to stimulate cultural conversation. My intern, who is white, couldn't tell me her ethnicity. She identified more as a Catholic. This became particularly relevant to her when she moved from a place with a large Catholic population to a Baptist university in a Baptist town. We concluded that our concept of identity had to be more inclusive.

I attended a Catholic high school, where most of the students were white. However, they knew their Irish, Italian, or Greek roots (See Diverse Birmingham). Even if there was intermarriage in their backgrounds, they knew the cultural roots of each side of their families. Looking back, many of them were children of recent immigrants and there may have been grandparents who kept the family traditions alive. So how would I approach this issue with people who don’t recognize culture?

In part 2, I will share how I work with people to help them develop a cultural identity.

Clogging Meets Hip Hop

I was so excited when I saw cloggers from Alabama on America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC). I love all forms of dance, but I have never tried clogging. Dynamic Addition, a group from Winfield, AL, was so talented. I was on my feet for just about every performance. It was amazing to see these performers and their success at incorporating hip hop into their moves. I really want to see them in person. Perhaps I will stop by their studio on my way to Memphis.

Pandemics and Globalization

Unfortunately, I failed to take Latin so I frequently have to look up words or call my younger sister. I wasn't sure about the difference between a "pandemic" and "epidemic". Recent headlines about the Swine Flu and motherhood have lead me to investigate the terms more closely. I was introduced to the term "pandemic" in reference to AIDS. I had heard of it referred to as an "epidemic," but while traveling abroad, heard the word "pandemic." According to Wikiedia, "pan" as a prefix means all. That was my original understanding because of the term Pan-Greek councils at universities or PanAfrican movement that encompasses a unified effort by various African countries.

I wondered if the Swine flu was a pandemic due to its travel across the globe. I taught a globalization course, but never considered discussing pandemics as a function of it. Since reading about the spread of the Swine flue through air travel and seeing evidence of it in North America and Asia, I thought its presence in four countries was the criteria for the use of the term "pan."

Wikipedia defines, a pandemic as "an epidemic of infectious disease that spreads through a populations across large region; for instance a continent, or even worldwide." So a pandemic doesn't have to cross the globe, just a large region according to this definition.

References:
The World Health Organization
The Daily Beast Cheat Sheet

Birmingham's Cultural Evolution Part 3

(Click here for Part 2) Brian returned to Birmingham on several occasions still longing for our childhood experience. In the late '90's, I took him on a shocking field trip. Our first stop was a late night visit to the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Lakeshore. At about 11:30 p.m. Wal-Mart became a mini United Nations. Families were speaking different languages and buying foods that we ate as children. Later that same year, I had to document evidence of globalization in Birmingham. Brian photographed all the places of our teenage years that were now occupied by Latino and Asian businesses.

He began with Green Springs Hwy and Valley Avenue. We reminisced about the old days heading to "soul night" at Holiday skating rink. After hours of skating and dancing, we would leave for a late night binge at Liberty Supermarket--close to where Sabor Latino sits. Latino nightclubs, Mediterranean grills, Asian grocery stores sit where we used to frequent places like Quincy's, the movie theater and the game room. Though I felt nostalgic, I was so amazed and excited. A friend who resides in Minneapolis commented that to sustain Las Americas, our Latino population must be really large.

The diverse community that I longed for was evolving right before my eyes. What used to be a bicultural community is growing into a global society. After a 20 year experience, I understand why Birmingham was coined, "The Magic City."

Birmingham's Cultural Evolution Part 2

(Continued from Part 1) As I registered for graduate school, the diversity that UAB had attracted caught my attention. Students and scholars from around the world converged on a daily basis on the Southside alongside Blacks and Whites whose families had lived here for over a century. One of the most memorable moments was when students from Bombay, Japan, South Africa, and a few Middle Eastern countries asked if we could go to a soul food restaurant.

We ordered just about everything on the menu including: ox tails, chittlins', pigtails, greens, and sweet potatoes. We gave demonstrations on proper use of hot and pepper sauces. After describing what we were eating, many of the students commented, "We eat many of the same foods in our countries." I was amazed that okra is referred to as ladyfingers in some parts of India.

Eventually Olympic soccer converged on the City. Sister city activities with Japan, China, and Hungary began to capture my attention. Japanese visitors frequented Birmingham to visit the Japanese Tea Garden and the Samuel Ullman Museum. The cultural fairs sponsored by the Greek, German, and Middle Eastern communities could not be missed.

Oppressed people from all over the world looked to Birmingham as a beacon. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute documented how the Movement influenced the world including recordings of "We Shall Overcome" sung by students at Tiananmen Square. South Africans escaping Apartheid sought guidance for building relationships across cultures.

Brian returned to Birmingham on several occasions still longing for our childhood experience. ..Stay tuned for Part 3/3

Diverse Birmingham: Evolution of a Worldclass City

When my brother, Brian, and I moved to Birmingham from Northern, California in the late '70's, we experienced a major culture shock. At first glance, Birmingham consisted of two major groups--Black and White. For the exception of Five Points South, Birmingham was still segregated. However, as time progressed, Birmingham's cultural roots began to expand before my eyes. At John Carroll, I met Mexican, Palestinian, Lebanese, Greek, Italian, Vietnamese and Irish students. At Ramsay, I also met Muslim and Jewish students.

In the interim between college and career, I was looking for an escape from an infrequent lecture by Granddaddy. He asked, "Do you realize Atlanta and Charlotte had to start from somewhere--Use your talent to build Birmingham." One of my cousins rescued me. She had read that Birmingham was hosting a music festival similar to Summerfest in Milwaukee. We were able to raise
$ 5.00 each for weekend passes to the first annual City Stages. It was surreal. I couldn’t remember another occasion in Birmingham where so many people of different races, creeds, colors and musical tastes were in the same two square blocks. How could I leave for the east coast with all this excitement in Birmingham?

As I registered for graduate school, the diversity that UAB had attracted caught my attention… Stay tuned for Part 2/3

Sojourns: Change Your Wardrobe. Change Your World Eent

Change Your Wardrobe. Change Your World.
"A Fair Trade Clothing Trunk Show for Women, Men & Children."
This event is planned to start at 10:00 am on May 1, 2009 at Sojourns.
http://www.adventureartpeace.com/