| My involvement on the issue of cultural competence | | | | the rights of Norwegians living in the United States. The |
| and access to language smart service delivery began | | | | group also allowed it to purchase insurance as only |
| when my family arrived in the mainland United States, | | | | natural born US citizens were allowed to purchase |
| in New York City. I was eight years old and was | | | | insurance at the time. The initial charter and rules called |
| thrown into the semi-bilingual school systems of New | | | | for all the groups' communications to be in the |
| York, Newark and Elizabeth. Yes, my family moved | | | | Norwegian language. Hungarian Americans were also |
| around; allot. By the time I graduated High School I | | | | forced to start their own clubs and societies, many |
| counted 13 different schools in 3 States not including | | | | church related. The reason was discrimination and the |
| schools in Puerto Rico. The one thing that amazes me | | | | inability to integrate into existing services and |
| the most is the resilience of my parents to navigate | | | | structures. New Brunswick had the highest percentage |
| the system by using the pre-existing communities of | | | | of Hungarian Americans in the U.S., it was referred to |
| Puerto Ricans and Cubans (they were the main Latino | | | | as "the most Hungarian city in the United States" |
| population at the time), to survive. How did those | | | | according to the New Jersey Encyclopedia. Polish |
| communities learn to survive? They learned from other | | | | Americans also began their life here by fleeing the |
| pre-existing communities before them, such as Italians, | | | | persecutions their country was undergoing in the late |
| Irish, and Chinese, to name a few. The truth is that | | | | 18th century. Divided by Russia, Germany, and Austria |
| regardless of the existing support structures at the | | | | Poland was under threat of losing its culture and |
| time and now, Latino communities continue to struggle | | | | language. Therefore, many fled to the United States to |
| with a system that needs fundamental change. | | | | save the culture and language which they knew and |
| As a professional I have sat on many conference | | | | loved. They established banks, newspapers, churches, |
| planning committee's, cultural competence boards, | | | | clubs, and businesses for and by Polish people. It is |
| government and nonprofit commissions all dealing with | | | | easy to forget that many who came to the shores of |
| access to services by the Latino community. Time and | | | | this country were discriminated against and ridiculed |
| again we have discussed and determined the need for | | | | because they spoke a different language and had a |
| culturally competent and community sensitive services | | | | different culture. This is really no different than what |
| to the Latino community; there have been reports and | | | | Latinos are going through today with one exception, |
| recommendations on what to do and how to do it. | | | | many of these groups came here before Franklin D. |
| Through the years one thing has remained constant, | | | | Roosevelt's New Deal. |
| the actual drive of culturally and linguistically competent | | | | The reason why "real change" in linguistic and culturally |
| services into the Latino community are spotty at best. I | | | | competent services, does not happen is often cited as |
| find myself, reliving and rehashing the same issues | | | | money. Money seems to be the driving force in many |
| year-to-year and hoping for a different outcome. | | | | of the decisions made about service delivery. |
| However, I am usually disappointed in the actual results. | | | | However, the overall cost of not delivering services in |
| I am always intrigued by the reasons "professionals" | | | | an appropriate and culturally competent manner will |
| give for their "inability" to penetrate the Latino | | | | surely lead to increase cost and inappropriate service |
| community. The first of course, is the amount of | | | | delivery. |
| money it would take to serve this community at 100%. | | | | If money is the answer, then let us imagine all that will |
| This is also the most troubling answer as it purports to | | | | be saved by educating people in a language they |
| separate the Latino community from the general | | | | understand. Remove the guesswork most non-native |
| service delivery system. In reality, it is probably less | | | | speakers undergo at mainstream agencies, doctors |
| expensive to rework the system to be culturally and | | | | offices, disability organizations and other institutions by |
| linguistically sensitive, than to continue service delivery in | | | | following one of these vetted recommendations: |
| "reactive" and "crisis" mode. Individuals who need | | | | · Translate materials into Spanish and other |
| services will get them; one way or the other. The | | | | languages in order to increase the availability of |
| question is, whether they will receive the services in an | | | | information to the diverse communities. This would |
| emergency setting or as part of a routine or | | | | decrease the lack of misinformation about services |
| preventive schedule. When evaluating how agencies | | | | and programs offered by agencies, councils and |
| or councils serve the Latino community it may be wise | | | | others. This would include: web pages, resource |
| to look at the overall cost savings which society would | | | | directories, pamphlets, and other media such as Public |
| garner from preventive and routine service delivery. | | | | Service Announcements, and direct outreach |
| How we get to a point where it is not about the initial | | | | campaigns. |
| investment but the eventual outcomes? | | | | · Increase the number of individuals who are Latino |
| The second response usually involves a "fairness" | | | | within boards, advisory groups, councils, and search |
| question in the minds of those in charge. Sometimes, it | | | | committees. |
| takes on a historical approach, such as, well when my | | | | · Increase the amount of Latino staff to ensure a |
| grandparents came from X country they didn't have | | | | diverse place reflective of the people served. |
| bilingual services or materials in their language. The | | | | · Provide cultural competency training staff, board |
| other and more common answer is," You know if we | | | | members, and volunteers in order to better serve all |
| do it for one group then we're going to have to do it | | | | communities. |
| for all groups." The truth is that many of us were not | | | | · Incorporate the use of technology such as language |
| here when someone's grandparents came to the | | | | lines to communicate with Spanish speakers when |
| shores of a country which promises equality and | | | | native speakers are unavailable. |
| justice for all. But I do know that even then there were | | | | · Include Latino related topics in conferences, |
| established groups such as the Sons of Norway, | | | | workshops, webinars and trainings. |
| established in 1895 that was formed in order to protect | | | | |