This video is a supplement to the webinar Staying Active: Sustaining Confidence Part II and also serves as a standalone resource on the topic of maintaining cultural activation in the context of service provision. It features several different care providers who practice cultural awareness in their interactions with their clientele, including Christine Wagner of the St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center; Donald Hardaway, Jr., a community service provider; David L. Putney of the Monroe County Office of Mental Health; and Rodney Corry of the Monroe County Office of Mental Health. Throughout the video, the providers explore biases, stereotypes, cultural factors relevant to their fields, share ways culture helps them in serving their communities, and describe their experiences and understandings of cultural identity and the role it plays in serving their communities.
Ms. Wagner has come to understand that cultural identity is how someone defines themselves. Other individuals cannot define what these social identities are and assign them to people as they see fit. Wagner identifies herself as a white, middle class, and educated cisgender woman, and she remains cognizant of her social identities when working as a Sister of Saint Joseph of Carondelet. She uses her identities as a doctor and nun to navigate resource networks and serve minorities within the Capital Region. In asking questions about individuals and learning about them, she avoids stereotypes as a means of understanding individuals and can better serve their needs. Watch the video to hear more from other service providers from community-based organizations.
This resource was first shared in 2016.
(Supplemental Video, YouTube)