This document describes the cultural identity of a 25-year-old native Houstonian. They identify strongly with many local Houston communities, as well as Jewish culture and Israel. They see themselves as a global citizen and believe that love is their religion. Their multicultural identity and upbringing have influenced their values of openness, diversity, and social justice work. They acknowledge experiencing various privileges due to factors like their education, gender, sexuality and ethnicity.

2. “Don’t ask where I am from, ask where I am local”
25 years old native Houstonian
I consider myself a local of the following communities
Surrounding neighborhoods off of Braeswood and Chimney Rock rd.
Tel Aviv, Israel
HISD
Reformed “Hippy” Jewish Community/Congregation Emanuel
Houston
Johnston Middle School & Bellaire High School
Greene Family Camp located in Bruceville-Eddy, Texas
Houston Community College
University of Houston & the GCSW
Cohort 2 & Fall 2015 Admits
P.A.I.R. Houston (Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of
Refugees)
Las Americas Newcomer School
Conflicted Vegetarians who love Sushi

3. How do I identify myself? What is my cultural Identity?
First and foremost I am a citizen of
the world
I am human
Love is my religion (corny, I know) ,
but I was raised in a reformed Jewish
Household
I do not identify as Jewish, more like
Jew-ish. I would consider myself
Jewish in the cultural sense more
than anything, my Jew-pride is
complex, but it is there.
 My spirituality is influenced by
multiple belief systems, I cannot
place limits on these things, that is
just not how I am wired. For me, a
belief/practice/value either
resonates or it doesn’t
This was my first trip to the Western
Wall in Israel and abroad in general, I
was 16 years old. It changed me
forever because my world became so
much bigger

4. My (Multi)cultural identity
My identity is not only a
reflection of me, but of
those I share and have
shared my life with, as
well as of all things in
life I love and inspire
me. I do not exclusively
identify with any one
community, culture,
language, or nation
alone.
I see no trouble with
the way I identify, that
is the beauty of
diversity (and awesome
parents) and freedom
to choose what is best
for oneself
“I have left my heart in so many places”

5. My multicultural identity is extremely
important to me, and has a considerable
amount of influence now more so than
ever given the state of our world and my
SW identity/role(s)
SW allows me to help bridge the gaps
between people that continue to prevent
balance and peace around the world

6. Values & Value tensions
The highest held beliefs or values that I was
taught were to be kind, be openminded,
forgive, be patient, “give back” or “pay it
forward”, respect diversity or differences,
and you better respect history and your
elders. Be honest with yourself and others.
Examples of value tensions that exist for
me within my own culture(s) include:
Feeling guilty that I feel weird saying I am
Jewish sometimes given that I only feel
Jew-Ish
Expressive views/opinions & Being
respectful
(Choosing my battles & Understanding my
audience)

7. The Weingartens
My Mama
We go
way
back
Some Jews
on Christmas
Eve

8. Privilege
• Examples of privileges experienced in my culture(s) include
but are not limited to the following:
• -Access to higher education
• -White privilege in general (it will always hurt to admit that
is reality)
• -Privilege is having a police officer for a father that uses his
privilege for good not evil
• -Privilege is having choices for Lunch and having Lunch at all
• -Privilege looks like the roof over my head and running
drinkable water
• -Privilege looks like being an educated female
• -Privilege looks like being heterosexual in this day and age
• -Privilege is knowing my options and having feasible access
to resources such as legal aid and healthcare
• Privilege comes in so many different forms, I could go on
forever…

9. Since I was in
high school it
was my dad
begging me to
consider Social
Work 

10. Limitations related to Culture(s)
Jewish stereotype: People tend to assume you are
wealthy (which is not even a little bit true for my family,
all hail the coinstar!)
Jewish stereotype: All Jews are greedy and money-
hungry (Which is clearly not true given my career path 
)
Some people may think I am unintelligent because I am
blonde, thanks America!
Some people may assume that because I am white
female that I do not know any form of struggle or
experience forms of racism or prejudice
People may assume that because I am Jewish I blindly
support Israel (NOPE)
People may assume that because I am Jewish, that I do
not like or support Muslim people (NOPE, AGAIN)