Why We Care About Cultural Awareness

By Jess Counsell and Sandra K. Ziebold

Building community partnerships is an important part of what we do at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. Attending cultural awareness meetings helps grow our partnerships in the community.

Are you culturally aware?  What does that mean? 
It means the ability of becoming aware of not only ours but other cultural values, beliefs and perceptions.  It involves being sensitive to the similarities and differences that exist between ourselves and people from other countries or other backgrounds, especially differences in values and attitudes.

Staying informed on the diverse cultures within our community is an important part of maintaining the inclusive environment at Beacon of Hope. Partnering with the Burmese Community has helped us gain a brighter perspective on ways we can better assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The South Side Burmese Cultural Awareness Meeting the last week of August was the perfect opportunity to get information and ask questions. One of the greatest needs that was addressed is in regard to a lack of volunteers that can teach English. Recognizing the potential language barrier helped us gain a greater understanding of what we can do to provide services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault within the Burmese Community.

Facts To Note:

• The Burmese community contributes greatly to small business growth in our area
• The employment rate within the Burmese Community is at 91%