Presentation I prepared for DiversifiED, the inaugural educators of color leadership conference, co-hosted by the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance and Tennessee State University. DiversifiED was open to all public school educators, pre-service educators, teacher educators and education advocates with an interest in celebrating the importance of a diverse teacher workforce.

1. Moving from racism
to intercultural dialogue

2. We assist Latinos in the Greater Memphis area by
connecting, collaborating and advocating for
health, education and justice.
Our mission

3. 1. What makes you reject someone?
2. How do you define your-self?
3. Define culture
4. Define racism

4. ● Think about a situation where you found yourself among people
and felt uncomfortable.
○ Who were these people?
● Think about a situation where you found yourself among people
and felt really comfortable.
○ Who were these people?
● Describe the situation and share how did you feel and
why did you feel that way?

5. Comfortable Uncomfortable
● Family
● Friends
● People I know at least
one time before
● People I have
something in common
● Space/route I’m
familiar with
● People I don’t know
● People that stare me
● People is totally
different than me
● Places I’m not familiar
with
● Unfamiliar situation

6. Comfortable Uncomfortable
● Family
● Friends
● People I know at least one
time before
● People I have something in
common
● Space/route I’m familiar with
● People I don’t know
● People that stare me
● People is totally different than
me
● Places I’m not familiar with
● Unfamiliar situation
What makes you reject someone?

7. ● The sum of a way of life, including expected
behaviour, beliefs, values, language and living practices
shared by members of a society. It consists of both
explicit and implicit rules through which experience is
interpreted
Herbig, Paul
Culture

8. ● Profession
● Family
● Language
● Hobbies
● Place were born
● Food
● School/university
● Place we live
● Things we’re good at
How do you define your-self?
Culture
Identity

9. ● a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various
human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement,
usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and
has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group
is inferior to the others
● is the belief in the superiority of one race over another, which
often results in discrimination and prejudice towards people based
on their race or ethnicity.
Racism

10. ● Difference challenges us
● Others tend to disrupt/discomfort my-self.
● Conflict comes when differences arise
● Conflict is NOT the same as problem.
● Conflict is pure possibility.
○ How we manage conflict defines how we deal with
differences
Differences/Conflict

11. ● Levinas - Ethics is the first philosophy.
● The face of the other remind us we are not the center
of Universe - COMMANDS US DON'T KILL ME!!
● Humans should never be treated as means but ends.
○ “Because the other is like me”
● “Other people” generate discomfort.
● Being with others we invade their space.
● I see/feel myself obg-ligated with respect to the other.
Otherness

21. ● How much is the other like me?
● Samaritan
● Ignore the face of others leads to
abuses and violence.
● Group of selves tend to dominate
the OTHERS.
● Less self centered
● Infinite responsibility
Otherness

22. What do you feel?

28. What
do
you
feel?

32. What
do
you
feel?

33. ● Vulnerability of the other is the
enlightenment radiant essence of
humanity.
●
Otherness

34. ● “No es lo mismo juntos que revueltos”
● Dialogue
● Mutual understanding
● “Common ground”
○ Parents - Children
Multicultural Vs Intercultural

35. ● IC is the ability to develop targeted knowledge, skills
and attitudes that lead to visible behaviour and
communication that are both effective and appropriate in
intercultural interactions
○ Knowledge
○ Skills
○ Attitudes
Intercultural competence

36. Intercultural
competency

37. Knowledge
○ Cultural self awareness
○ Culture specific knowledge
○ Sociolinguistic awareness
○ Grasp of global issues and trends
Intercultural competence

38. Skills
■ Listening, observing, evaluating
■ Using patience and perseverance
■ Resilience
■ Viewing the world from others' perspectives
Intercultural competence

39. ● Attitudes
○ Curiosity (viewing difference as a learning opportunity)
○ Openness (withholding judgement)
○ Respect (valuing other cultures)
○ Discovery (tolerance for ambiguity)
Intercultural competence

40. ● Intercultural competence cannot be acquired in a short
space of time or in one module.
● It is not a naturally occurring phenomenon but a lifelong
process
● Critical reflection becomes a “powerful tool” on the journey
towards achieving it.
● Needs also to be addressed explicitly in learning and
teaching and staff development.
Intercultural Competence

41. ● Several times what we enjoyed the most is something
familiar.
● Our identity was defined by others
(mother/family/friends/country/food, etc)
● Our life was possible because others made it possible.
● It is difference what help us define ourselves.
● You don’t need to be racist to discriminate or exclude
● We feel comfortable/safer when we are familiar to people,
places, food - Home - Homesick
Racism - Interculturality

42. ● Diversity is opportunity to improve your-self.
● Conflict gives the opportunity to change and/or confirm
yourslef/Makes you stronger.
● Dialogue is fundamental.
● Media can reinforce or challenge stereotypes
● We need to educate for conflict.
● We need to keep ourselves exposed to the face of the most
vulnerable of our societies
Racism - Interculturality

43. ● Identity - Cultural self awarenes/Know yourself
○ Expand your culture, your-self.
● Educate yourself and others for conflict -Dialogue
● Multicultural is not enough. We need intercultural
● Keep yourselves in relation to a minority group.
4 Recomendations

45. ¡Gracias!
Marcos Villa
Community Engagement Coordinator
Of. 901.366.5882 Ext. 126
Cel. 901.671.8358
marcos@latinomemphis.org