Multicultural Advocates, Inc.
Strengthening Community through Equality and Empowerment
Ways to improve your cultural fluency.
- Ask, and 'really' listen. Allow your respect for another culture to shine through your questions.
- Be conscious of your own perceptions and world views.
- Understand you have a 'cultural background' also. Not everyone follows your ways. Your background is not universal.
- Have empathy. Try and see the world through another person's eyes.
- Be conscious of your body language and other messages you may be sending out. Some messages may be invisible to you and unintentional. Remember, your attitude gives out silent signals.
- Recognize when your generalizations turn into stereotypes.
- Allow others to speak in their own languages. You don't know everything that happens around you. Enjoy the sounds of a language that you don't understand. Do not automatically assume they are talking about you.
- Learn to pronounce unfamiliar sounding names correctly. Be patient and trust your skills to do so.
- Accept contradictions and ambiguity. You don't have to be in control all the time.
- Have a sense of humor.