Personal Culture Reflection Paper

Applying the aspects of culture learned throughout the semester; reflect upon your own identity as a cultural being. Reflections need to address your awareness of your ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, spirituality, ability, level of identity development, and positions of privilege and underrepresentation. Submissions must also address your reflections on areas of needed continual development and ways you plan to engage in this ongoing development. The following is suggested as a format for structuring your paper: 1. Describe your own racial/cultural group of origin. Name belief(s) or custom(s) you learned from being a member of that group. Name aspect(s) of your ethnic/racial group(s)’customs, values, beliefs, or behaviors that you are proud. Name aspect(s) of your ethnic/racial group(s)’customs, values, beliefs, or behaviors that you don’t prefer, or with which you have difficulty. Please share a bit about what makes this/these belief(s), custom(s), or value(s) problematic. Include references to privilege and marginalization. 2. What culturally different groups and behaviors do members of your group commonly share a prejudice against/discriminated against, (e.g., How are/were issues of race and ethnicity discussed/ addressed in your family? What stereotypes, jokes, statements, were made of other groups (from your earliest recollection)? Do these sentiments persist today? 3. Describe your socioeconomic status growing up. Name beliefs and values associated with being part of this socioeconomic group. Name aspect(s) of your socioeconomic group(s)’customs, values, beliefs, or behaviors that you are proud. Name aspect(s) of your socioeconomic group(s)’customs, values, beliefs, or behaviors that you don’t prefer, or with which you have difficulty. Please share a bit about what makes this/these belief(s), custom(s), or value(s) problematic. Include references to privilege and marginalization. Name your current socioeconomic status. Describe how you came to your current status. Describe aspects of privilege and marginalization associated with your current status. 4. Describe your ability status. Name beliefs and values associated with being a part of this ability status. Name aspects of your ability status that you are proud and those that you don’t prefer. Address aspects of privilege and marginalization. 5. Name the dominant religious perspective that you grew up with (or spiritual or nonreligious worldview of origin), as best you can describe it. Name one or more belief(s) or custom(s), or value(s) you were taught from that religion or worldview. Name one or more aspect(s) of your received religious/spiritual worldview customs, beliefs, values, or behaviors that you don’t agree with or don’t prefer or with which you have difficulty. Name your current belief(s) or view(s) on your religious perspective (It can be the same as or different from the original belief). Describe how you came to your current perspective. Address aspects of privilege and marginalization throughout 6. Name your belief(s) or idea(s) about gender that were passed on to you from your culture (e.g., gender roles, gendered expectations for behavior). Name one or more aspect(s) of your received beliefs, ideas, or values about gender that you don’t agree with or don’t prefer, or with which you have difficulty. Name your current beliefs on the ideas about gender you learned from your culture (It can be the same as or different from the original belief.). Describe how you came to your current perspective. Address aspects of privilege and marginalization throughout. 7. Name your belief(s) or idea(s) about homosexuality that were passed on to you from your family, ethnic group, and religion. Name one or more aspect(s) of your received beliefs, ideas, or values about homosexuality that you don’t agree with or don’t prefer, or with which you have difficulty. Name your current value or belief about homosexuality (It can be the same as or different from the original belief.). Describe how you came to your current perspective. Address aspects of privilege and marginalization throughout. 8. Selecting a minimum of one identity development model, identify your current stage of development. Address areas that need additional development to ensure that you will be a culturally competent human service professional. Describe ways in which you plan to engage in this development. The paper should have a cover page and should be at least three pages in length (double spaced). Your cover page does not count towards the pages.