Cultural Dives

Mackenzie Taylor - CE 534 - Project 2  

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"Acceptance is the road to all change" -Bryant McGill

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Then vs. Now

Through both experiences, I have gained more understanding and appreciation for cultures different than my own. Seeing the almost zero white persons using the free meal service was a shocking realization. I am well aware of how greatly white privilege plays a role in our lives, but seeing myself be one of the few white people in this setting was not something I expected to see. Reading the statistics of which populations make up the homeless community is very different than seeing it firsthand. It became more real than it had ever felt before. Which is opposite to my experience at Hmong village. Seeing how easily this environment flowed around me was an intimidating feeling. I'm sure that is how minorities feel in a majority-white setting as well, and after experiencing it myself I have more understanding of it. Sometimes, in order to navigate an environment you have to build one that feels comfortable to you. That is how I felt at Hmon village. They created a space that erased that feeling of not belonging. Both locations were a fun experience, and I was not expecting to engage as much as I did. They provided a new view of these communities that I will never lose.

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An Outsider Looking In

Many of us value the feeling of belonging. The idea of sticking out and not blending in is often one that causes fear and anxiety. Imagine feeling that every single day. For many individuals outside of the white, middle-class population, that fear is a reality. For those part of a minority culture, whether that be on race, social status, or financial terms, this reality can look a number of ways. For some, this comes in the form of slurs and verbal threats. For others, it is the unspoken judgment that hits most. For example, when COVID-19 began many people put blame on the Asian culture for the illness (Lu, 2021). This came with a mix of verbal attacks and purposeful avoidance. Experiencing purposeful disrespect every day is draining and can take a large toll on people. Another example can be seen in the stigma against homeless individuals. There have been multiple occurrences in that I have heard others say they do not give money to homeless people because 'they just spend it on drugs and alcohol.' More than once, this has happened within earshot of the person they are referring to. As a society, we need to do better. Each person deserves the respect of another.

How can I approach this as a counselor?

As a counselor, it is important to know how to work with individuals of all backgrounds. One way to do this is to discuss these topics with your client. Learning how these issues affect your client can drastically change the relationship between counselor and client, and improve the progress that is to be made. Along with this, it builds cultural competence as the counselor. Another way to approach this is by understanding and acknowledging your own biases. This can be with race, classism, gender, sexuality, etc. This will allow the counselor to learn ways to work around them and learn to keep them outside of the work they do. Both of these should be kept in mind when working with clients of all kinds, including those diagnosed with co-occurring disorders.

References:

Lu, J. (2021, March 26). Why pandemics give birth to hate: From bubonic plague to covid-19. NPR. Retrieved October 28, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/03/26/980480882/why-pandemics-give-birth-to-hate-from-black-death-to-covid-19

Hays, D. G. & Erford, B. T. (2017). Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence: A SystemsApproach, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. ISBN-10: 0134522702, ISBN-13: 978-0134522708

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"Everybody tries to be exactly the same. I think being an outsider is a good thing." - Ethan Embry

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Hmong Village Market

St. Paul, Minnesota is home to one of the largest Hmong populations in the country! One place that holds a large amount of their culture is known as Hmong Village, a market that contains a wide variety of foods, clothing, items, and more. I took a trip to experience it for myself this month and WOW is a perfect way to sum up my thoughts!

I first walked through the section containing the restaurants/food that is ready to eat. Although I did not purchase food from this area, it smelled amazing. It was a busy day, I went on a Saturday, so there were some lines but they appeared to be moving quickly. Everyone was conversing with each other and there appeared to be a well-known flow to the movement in this area.

Next, I ventured to the sections that contained homemade, traditional Hmong clothing. The colors and patterns were beautiful and knowing of the cultural significance behind them made the experience even better. I found a small shop that wasn't too busy and began browsing through the options. The owner, a kind older woman, was very kind and shared with me the process of making the traditional garments worn within their culture. We discussed her life pre-moving to America and how happy she was to find an area that provided her with a sense of home (referring to Hmong Village & other areas of St. Paul). She added that having other Hmong individuals around the area made the transition easier to make. Below is an image of some traditional garments found at the market.

Last, I walked over to the farmers market/grocery section. This was easily my favorite area! There were many foods that I had not tried before that I was excited to learn more about. I found a stand that sold fruit and asked the merchant some questions. After hearing the descriptions of them, I opted to buy some Lychee. I had already had these before, but these were much fresher than any I had tried in the past! Below is an image from the grocery area of the market.

It was a wonderful experience to see all of the small businesses thrive and everyone interacts as if they were all family. I felt out of place due to not knowing what things were or how to properly order things, but I found helpful people who were willing to help me gather enough information to leave with a successful purchase!

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Union Gospel Mission

What is Union Gospel Mission?

Union Gospel Mission provides services to help people rebuild their lives. Offering a variety of services to those in need, UGM helps people find themselves again.

Services Offered-> addiction recovery, adult education and training, chaplaincy, child development, food and shelter, medical care discipleship, and mental health care.

The food and shelter services are divided into two locations, one for men and one for women/children:

-> Bethel Hotel (mens residence) is located in St. Paul, MN and provides shelter for at least 52 men per night (more in the winter). They offer transitional housing for up to 2 years and assist in building skills for their future. Use this link for more information and contact via [phone] and online

-> Naomi Family Program (women and children residence) is located in St. Paul, MN and provides full-and-part-time programming for single women or mothers. They offer shelter, education, and child development programs. Use this link for more information and contact via (651)-444-5880 and online. *Note: address to this residence is not available without contacting the program directly*

UGM also has a Ticket of Hope Program. This program is set up for individuals to purchase/donate meal tickets for others. Once the ticket is printed, it can be handed out to others and it will provide a free meal. Meals are offered 3 times a day at both locations!

I was fortunate enough to be able to see first-hand how their services change people's lives every day. I spent an afternoon at Naomi Family Program and attended a lunch on a Thursday earlier this month. The experience was eye-opening and I gained a greater understanding of this community of people. Below are more details on my experience:

-> 10/13/22: I started this adventure feeling incredibly anxious and unsettled. This was not something I envisioned myself doing and the battle of feeling as though I should not be here was difficult to push through. But that changed once I walked in the doors. I was immediately greeted with a smile and a 'hello!' There were many conversations happening in the lines for the meal and everyone was chatting with those around them. Once I got my meal, I made my way to a table where a mother and her two children were eating at. We introduced ourselves and began chatting. Throughout our conversation, I found it to be easy to talk about life with this stranger. I spoke with her children and shared images of my cat with them which they were excited to see. After my meal was done, I said my goodbyes. Similar to on the way in, I was greeted with smiles and a quiet 'goodbye.'

When I returned home to begin documenting my experience and reflecting on how I felt, I easily could point to my largest takeaway. The people I interacted with here were overwhelmingly kind. They spoke of how thankful they were to be there and be provided with the opportunities they were getting. It was noticeable how they took what they were given with an open heart and mind, there was no room for anything else. Another aspect that was very apparent was the lack-of white people utilizing this service. The majority of the individuals present were of African American and Asian descent. The volunteers working at this time were more diverse than the community they were serving.

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"People who are homeless are not social inadequates. They are people without homes." - Shelia McKechnie

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Homeless and What is Available

Homelessness is unfortunately a prevalent and serious problem within the American culture today. The growing number of homeless individuals within our country is alarming, but the reasons behind why are not shocking. Socioeconomic status defines the structure of America's population. Since the founding of our country, there have been noticeable divides between those who are of status and those who are not. The theory of classism has been a part of American history since the very beginning. Many would agree that the class system in America can be defined as Structural classism, making the social and institutional practices the reason for the discrimination against those in the lower classes (Hays, 2018, p.195). The structure of the social class system creates an impossible barrier for people to cross, making homelessness an unavoidable consequence of this.

While Minnesota's homeless population is smaller than in warmer areas of the country, I see many individuals each day while living my everyday life/routines. There is an intersection near my house that is underneath an overpass, it is noticeable how the number of people increases as the temperatures start to decline. The many challenges that individuals who are experiencing homelessness face each day are trying and demanding. Knowing what is available to use as support as you go through this experience can greatly change how it will play out. But what is available for the homeless community?

Below are a few resources I found in the Twin Cities that provide a variety of support for those in need:

Agate Housing + Services

-> Agate Housing + Services provides a list of resources that can assist an individual in finding support with food, shelter, public assistance, healthcare, education, employment, legal services, and services for immigrants.

-> The Handbook of the Streets is a packet of locations that provide a variety of necessary services to ensure the health and safety of an individual. This can be accessed in digital or paper format and is updated yearly to insure accurate information is being provided.

-> They provide a copy of Minneapolis and St. Paul specific resources. Below is an image of the Minneapolis handbook from the Agate Housing + Services website.

-> Inside these handbooks, individuals can find information on all provided services mentioned above, broken down into sections. Inside, one will find the address, phone number, hours of operation, and services provided at each location. There is also a list of emergency numbers and hotlines to utilize in times of need.

Hennepin Waypoint

-> Hennepin Waypoint is another organization that provides services to individuals experiencing homelessness and financial hardships. They have nine main categories of services offered: shelter, food, clothing, public restrooms, crisis lines/outreach, medical/health assistance, employment/job training, legal assistance, and activities/events.

-> Each category is broken down into smaller sections. For example, the tab labeled "food" is broken down into 3 smaller sections; meals, food shelves, and foodstamps/SNAP. Each tab within the broad topic will bring you directly to a map of the area with a list of resources available. Directions and addresses will be found here.

Youth Services Network

-> Youth Services Network focuses on youth experiencing homelessness. Services provided include shelter, food, outreach, health & wellness, mental/emotional health, education, resource hotlines, employment, pregnant & parenting youth, and basic need drop-in centers.

->Each tab provides addresses and contact information for the resource being provided. As well as the hours of operation, the ages services are provided to, information regarding LGBTQ+ friendly options, and activities offered.

Individuals who experience poverty have higher chances of developing mental health concerns or making the preexisting condition decline significantly (Hays, 2018, p.203). Unfortunately, the farther down the social ladder you go, the fewer resources are available to utilize. Isn't ironic that the people who would benefit the most from access to mental health resources are the same people who have the least amount of access? Knowing the options of the services that are available can have the largest impact on those experiencing difficult situations. Sharing them with others will help spread the information to a larger number of people, which can be a life-altering event for many.

References:

Hays, D. G. & Erford, B. T. (2017). Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence: A Systems Approach, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. ISBN-10: 0134522702, ISBN-13: 978-0134522708

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Welcome & Hello!

Welcome to my blog, Cultural Dives!

Hello! I'm Kenzie, I'm in Minnesota. Specifically, the Twin Cities area. I am currently a student at Winona State University, in the Addictions Counseling certificate program. As a future counselor, it is important I gain knowledge and experience with cultures, communities, backgrounds, beliefs, etc., other than my own. I'll be visiting some sites in my area to do just that & sharing stories/thoughts along the way. Hope you enjoy!