Activities
That May Help Integration Efforts
Presentations that could be given at the Senior Citizen Centers might include areas of multicultural education. According
to Gay (2004, p. 193), multicultural education greatly reduces concepts such as the need for segregation and advances equality among those schooled in it’s principles. Ponzo, (1992) in his article
promoting successful aging, states that older people can continue to grow and find fulfillment in their later years. Furthermore,
“counselors can play a key role in helping people better prepare for and live out a long and vital life” (p. 213).
Some specific areas of teaching multiculturalism could be:
1. Recognize ethnic holidays and explain their meaning via posters.
2. Ethnic poetry being read during lunch time.
3. History posters could be rotated on the walls to give place for the achievements of minority members,
such as the World War II code talkers.
4. Games can be used to teach multiculturalism.
5. Ethnic goods, such as Navajo blankets, could be displayed.
6. Ethnic speakers could talk about their heritage and what it means to them.
7. Not a part of the regular lunch, but at other special times, such as ethnic holidays, there could
be tasting tables of ethnic foods and spices.
8. Yoga and other ethnic practices could be shown and discussed. Traditional Healing Arts may be very
interesting to the seniors.
Ethnic Holidays
Along with the dates and
names of various holidays, the spiritual meanings associated with the celebration could also be listed on a poster for the
Senior Citizens to read on their own, thus not supporting one religion over another. Crowther, Parker, and Larimore (2002)
found that positive spirituality actually improves senior health and that seniors have received spiritual health interventions very positively. In addition,
it was found that alliances between health professionals and religious groups, focusing on health promotion, have been successful.
Crowther et al., (2002) do caution that the positive spiritual intervention not be aimed at caregivers, but only at the patient
as they are means to self-health care. Furthermore, they caution that all interventions be sensitive to multiculturalism and
should be respectful and sensitive to the intended audience. To find a vast multicultural list of ethnic holidays throughout the year, visit Colorado Library Advisory Board’s Diversity
Tool Kit at http://diversity.aclin.org/
Ethnic Poetry Online
McCall (2004) reports success
in teaching cultural diversity and social justice through the use of ethnic poetry in social studies classes. She found that
diverse perspectives presented in poetry are helpful to raise issues of justice and equality in a less threatening manner
than open discussions on prejudice (p. 172). She suggests that listeners have time in groups to discuss the meaning of the
poems and it helps them connect the poetry to their normal lives (p. 173). She lists poems that she has used in public education
classes, including in elementary classes, such as: “In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall” (1997), and “The Way
the Door Closes” (Smith, 2003). A web site is given to the rest of the collection that she uses: http://www.socialstudies.esmartweb.com. She concludes with the following statement: “Poems make abstract issues of cultural
diversity and racial, economic, and gender injustices real. Poetry definitely offers rich learning opportunities” (McCall,
2004, p. 177). Although Kitsantas and Talleyrand (2005) do not specifically name the web sites, they believe that online resources
exist to further help in multicultural education. Researchers have found that “online multicultural education courses
and activities (e.g. global telecommunications exchange projects) have been successful in promoting multicultural awareness”
(p. 629).
Highlighting the Achievements of Minority Members
Utah pioneers are often idolized during the “Days of ’47 celebrations”
(July 24th). However, a number of African Americans were also involved with the settlement of the Great Salt Lake
area. One such person was Jane Manning James who was very well known in pioneer days but has only recently been remembered
in “Standing on Promises” a new book by Margaret Young from Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah. The story told
in the book is also becoming a film that will be sold by Deseret Book in the near future, according to the Deseret Morning
News, Saturday August 6, 2005 page E 2 in an article written by Carrie Moore. The Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City,
Utah has also kept records that contain information of non-white pioneers and their contributions to the settling of the valley.
On a national level, Bonnett (2005) suggests a number of African American early
immigrants who should be credited with national achievements, including Carter G. Washington, Edward Blyden, George Padmore,
Marcus Garvey, and Claude McKay. Other great African Americans include Shirley Chisholm, Franklin Thomas, Constance Baker
Motley, Norman Manley, Eric Williams, Cheddi Jagan, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Modern day figures include Collin Powell and
a host of actors, singers, dancers and musicians. There are a great many others who could be studied for their contributions
to America from groups such as Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and Native American intermixed with great contributions from white
ethnicities.
Games to Teach Multiculturalism
In her article of 2003,
Rummens discussed how an individual gains their identity, including sub sets of their ethnic identity and how parts of one’s
identity can overlap or intersect with others. She measures self-identity, personal identity, and social identity. Probably
the most important message from this article is found in the conclusion: “Where socio-culturally salient identifications
intersect with minority status, a differential impact on an individual’s life circumstances, social opportunities, and
personal outcomes is often found” (p. 17). Game playing can let people engage in identity formation, in a non- threatening
way, to act out the lives of ethnic or racial different individuals, including what they understand that minority person’s
life might be like. This can help them realize more personally the challenges that may face minority members. Kim and Lyons
(2003) found that game playing was a “useful strategy to instill and enhance multicultural competence” (p. 400).
By using games, Kim and Lyons found that multicultural competencies were easier to teach (p. 408). One example of a game to
use is “Actions Speak Louder than Words,” which is based upon nonverbal gestures. Another is called “Cultural
Bingo,” which asks the players to tell about various cultures. “Multicultural Jeopardy,” according to this
article, helps players eliminate stereotypes concerning other people. The article, however, did not state where these games
could be obtained.
Ethnic Goods
Hoffman, (2004) describes
how five high school year book staffs determined to include all the richness of the schools’ diversity into the yearbook.
They “knowingly used varieties of strategies in their yearbooks to involve, include, and showcase marginal students”
(p. 4). They felt that inclusion was important. Senior Citizen Centers can follow the spirit of these year book staff members
when holding fund raising activities, for an example. Special effort could be made to contact local ethnic groups who could
bring their hand-made goods to sell at the event. They could also be asked to demonstrate ethnic skills or customs at the
event. Ethnic foods, on tasting tables, could be also be incorporated.
Ethnic Speakers
During the June, 2005, Residential Colloquia for Capella University held in Phoenix, Arizona, Dr. Thomas Clyburn commented
specifically to the question of how to integrate the three Davis County, Utah,
Senior Citizen Centers while respecting the white majority who now attend the centers. It was his opinion
that the centers should request speakers from minority populations in the area. Those speakers would be able to teach the
values and interests of their respective groups which should break down stereotypes that the white elderly might still hold.
It would also allow a dialogue to begin with the centers and other groups in the community. During that same meeting, Dr.
Suzanne Holmes presented research findings in a session entitled “Caregiving in the African American Community” which contained useful information which could benefit the centers. One
such concept is the minority’s concern about involving themselves with government agencies; they are so reluctant that
they have built strong informal caregiving networks within their own communities. These networks are not only made up of blood
relatives, but of members of their social community. This concept may help the white majority members cope with the increasing
demand for adult caregiving at the same time government sources are drying up.
Traditional Healing Arts
As a larger percentage of seniors will be minority members in the near future,
it is reasonable to consider how they might view healing as opposed to America’s medical model. White elderly may also
find interest in some of the healing arts from other countries, especially as it relates to their own chronic illnesses. Indigenous
healing concepts usually differ from Western ideals inasmuch as they are more likely to be holistic, include family members
and the community, probably include religious components, and involve the patient more directly in the healing process. According
to The National Center for Cultural Healing, (2003) claims that the very word “heal” is to make whole and it involves
many parts of the person. Symptom relief, learning better skills, prevention, and crisis intervention are all a part of healing
(p. 1). It has been noted recently that mental health practices in America are increasingly including some areas of indigenous
healing practices “as an alternative to, or as collaboration with, Western psychological services” (Yeh, Hunter,
Maden-bahel, Chiang, & Arora, 2004, p. 410).
Wellness, according to Underwood, Adler and Pape, (2005) may have different meanings
to different cultures. As an example, to many societies outside the Western civilization, illness of mind and body may be
a result of family dynamics, fate, or being possessed by evil spirits. Even ancestors may punish an individual for not taking
proper care in Ancestor Worship. Illness is not distinguished as being either the body or the mind, but is considered interwoven
and result in the imbalance which is causing the distress. Healing practices are required to help the sick person become in
balance again:
Reiki, charkra, qigong, pranic healing; yoga; breath work; and
meditation are just a few
examples of indigenous approaches
that also focus on
the connectedness of the body, spirit, and
mind and on bringing about
and maintaining a balance in the
flow of energy (Yeh, et al.,
2004, p. 413).
Al-Krenawi and Graham provide a fascinating view into the social work practices
of Muslim-Arabs in their article published in 2003. Due to immigration from that part of the world, this article might prove
important to staff at the senior centers. Not only does it discuss healing practices, but it goes much further in describing
the social customs of this people. Sections of the article include subjects such as polygamy, blood vengeance, conflict resolution
rites, family involvement, traditional healing and religion. Religious
and cultural strategies were found to help in Muslim-Arab communities, as well as culturally respected personnel that enhanced their social work practice (p. 80).
With many alternative healing therapies,
the client is more involved in the healing process than would normally be found in Westernized medicine and clients may find
that the alternative healing ways may be especially helpful when used in combination with their doctor’s orders and
prescriptions. (Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2003, p. 453).
Counselors can play an important role by encouraging clients to make full use of resources within their own communities, including
community centers, extended
families, neighborhood social
networks, and ethnic advocacy groups. Churches of all
denominations can be powerful
influences in low-income,
minority, and ethnic communities (p. 452).
