Social Justice

Culture & Identity

Expectations

Listening Actively
Respect
Suspended Judgement
Unconditional Positive Regard
Lean into discomfort

Culture
Share something--a tradition, memory,
picture on your phone, item in your bag-that you feel best represents YOUR
culture
Why does this represent your culture?

Reflect: ...so what IS culture?

Culture Defined
the beliefs, customs, arts, etc. of a particular society,
group, or time (Webster)
a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life,
art, etc. (Webster)
a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a
place or organization (Webster)
A way of making meaning out of our distinctly human
experience (Allan, 1998)

Culture Defined
To realize it takes all sorts to make a world,
one must have seen a certain number of sorts
with ones own eyes. There is all the difference
in the world between believing academically
with the intellect, and believing personally with
the whole living self.
-Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World

Culture in Practice
What role does culture play in your
understanding of yourself?
...Does it create expectations?
...Does it hold you accountable to certain
actions?
...Does it shape your conception of social
justice?

Identity
How would you define identity?
What does identity mean to you?

Identity Crisis
What are some
contributing
factors?

Identity
Identity is
a perception
an expression

Identities
Do any of these need to be defined?
Age
Gender Identity
Sexual Orientation
Race
Ethnicity
Religious or Spiritual Affiliation
National Origin
First Language
Socioeconomic Class
Disability/Ability

Small Group Dialogue

Walk your group members through your worksheet.
Was this activity difficult or easy?
Why did you place some identities closer to the core
than others?
How does each identity manifest differently for you?
(Perceived/Expressed)
What could be the effect of expressing or not expressing
these identities?

Large Group Dialogue

What came up during your small group dialogue that
you found interesting? Why was it interesting?
What significance does culture have on you
understanding your identities?
Is there a place for discussing
multiple identities and social
justice together? If yes, how?

Connection to Your RA Role

Open Reflection on the content of today
How does the information from today
influence your work as an RA?
How does this information influence your
sense of self?

Debrief