Aliento Program Resources

For many students, the word culture is synonymous with race and ethnicity. Yet, a large majority of students who go into counsellor education programs are Caucasian. By its very premise, multicultural therapy leaves out Caucasian individuals, leaving many to believe they have ′no culture′ and feeling disconnected from culture, multiculturalism and social justice. Culture, as it is beginning to be defined, can be seen not as a particular race or ethnicity, rather, as the intersections of multiple identities. Thus, everyone, no matter what their race or ethnicity, has a culture. This book is the first to deal with culture more broadly and attempt to help students examine their own culture. This allows Caucasian trainees to embrace culture and have a stronger connection to multiculturalism without feeling alienated from the discussion.

"In Developing Cultural Humility: Embracing Race, Privilege, and Power, Editor Miguel Gallardo invites a group of psychologists who represent various cultural backgrounds but identify as 'White' to share their individual journeys toward recognizing, understanding, and embracing their unique cultural identities and experiences. Contributing authors discuss the challenges and triumphs involved in the pursuit of integration of multicultural and social justice concerns in their personal and professional lives. They share how they remain engaged in the continual practice of self-discovery while remaining culturally responsive and humble. Each chapter centers on a journey of self-discovery by a White psychologist with a reflective commentary from a BIPOC psychologist. The commentaries give voice to the personal journeys of individuals from historically dehumanized communities and also offer them the opportunity to react to and comment on the stories of White psychologists. Together, the chapters provide a model for pushing discussions, re-centering dialogues, and building stronger, more respectful relationships. An exemplary resource to stimulate meaningful dialogue about race, privilege, power, and intentional self-reflection, Developing Cultural Humility is well suited for graduate-level courses in psychology, especially those with emphasis on multiculturalism and culturally responsive practice."--Back cover

This book is a practical guide for educators seeking to facilitate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) conversations in higher education. More than ever, students expect their learning to address the pressing challenges in our world today. Against the backdrop of growing social justice movements, cancel culture, and deepening polarization, faculty and administrators require effective skills to navigate the strong opinions and emotions that arise when addressing social issues in the classroom and on campus. Authors in this timely volume unpack why DEI conversations are difficult, highlight common missteps when facilitating such conversations, and offer readers practical skills that support robust, inclusive, and meaningful discussions. Featuring real-world examples from educators on the front lines, this book provides actionable tools and practices to cultivate learning environments that foster student engagement, deep learning, inclusion, and a sense of belonging.