The document discusses the need for camps to better serve a diverse population of campers. It notes that while children of color make up a growing percentage of the camp-aged population, they are underrepresented as campers and in camp leadership and staff roles. There are both psychological barriers like white privilege and lack of cultural competence, as well as institutional barriers that inhibit diversity. The document advocates developing cultural relevancy by supporting camp owners and staff of color, recruiting and supporting diverse campers, and implementing other strategies to make camps more inclusive.

1. We Can’t Afford to Be Colorblind
Kevin Gordon, Camp Kupugani

8. Agenda
 The issue: under representation
 The changing population
 Who we serve currently
 Barriers to serving diverse campers
 Ways that we can serve them better

24. 80
70
60
50
Percentage of Children of
Camper Age in US (2015)
40 Percentage of Campers
Served By ACA Resident
Camps (2010)
30
20
10
0
White Latino(a) Black Asian Multiracial

25. THE MAKEUP OF CAMP OWNERS AND
ADMINISTRATORS DIVERGES FROM
OUR CAMP-AGED POPULATIONS
 Camp Kupugani is the only black-owned private residential camp
in the U.S.
 Fewer than 4 % of US resident camp directors are of color: of 251
sample size, 242 White, 2 Hispanic/Latino(a), 1 Black, 1 Asian /
Pacific Islander, 5 no response (2009 ACA Compensation &
Benefits Survey)
White
Black
Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Islander
No Response

26. THE MAKEUP OF CAMP STAFF
DIVERGES FROM OUR CAMP-AGED
POPULATIONS
100
90
80 Percentage of
70 Children of
60 Camper Age in
50 US (2015)
40 Percentage of
30 Counselors at
20 US Resident
10 Camps (2010)
0
Latino(a) Asian
White Black Multiracial
White
Black
Hispanic/Latino(a)
Multiracial
Asian
Native American /
Pacific Islander

27. We Can’t Afford to Be Colorblind

28. Problem Roots
 Psychological
barriers
 Institutional
barriers

29. Problem Roots: Psychological Barriers
 White privilege
 Lack of cultural competence

30. White Privilege Defined
 P erceived advantages enjoyed by white people beyond
that which is commonly experienced by non-white people
in those same social, political, and economic spaces
(nation, community, workplace, income, etc.). It differs
from racism or prejudice in that a person benefiting from
white privilege does not necessarily hold racist beliefs or
prejudices themselves and can be, as is often the case,
unaware of his or her privilege. (Wikipedia.com).

31. White Privilege Defined Again
 A white person...has privilege, simply because one is
white. As a member of the dominant group a white
person has greater access or availability to resources.
White ways of thinking and living are the norm against
which all people of color are compared. Life is structured
around those norms for the benefit of white people.
(Http://www.ucc.Org/sacred-
conversation/multiracialmulticultural.Html).

32. …And Again
 The ability to grow up thinking that race doesn’t matter.
Not having to daily think about skin color and the
questions, looks, and hurdles that need to be overcome
because of one’s color. It may be less recognizable to
some white people because of gender, age, sexual
orientation, economic class or physical or mental ability,
but it remains a reality because of one’s membership in
the white dominant group. (Http://www.ucc.Org/sacred-
conversation/multiracialmulticultural.Html).

33. White Privilege Ramifications
 Comfort with status quo
 Comfort with being generally good
people actually limits progress
because it diminishes any sense of
urgency

34. Lack of Cultural Competence Is a
Problem
 Cultural competency is an ongoing process and
practice that builds the capacity of organizations
and individuals to understand, accept, value,
and honor the unique contributions of all people,
including people’s: ability, age, disability,
ethnicity, gender, gender identity, geographic
region, health, language, mental health, race,
religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic
status, and spirituality.

35. Cultural Competence
Continuum
 Cultural destructiveness
– Practices which seek to denigrate and destroy other cultures.
 Cultural incapacity
– The organization or individual does not intentionally seek to be
culturally destructive but rather lacks the capacity to help diverse
clients or communities.
 Cultural blindness
– An organization or individual believes that culture makes no
difference and that we are all the same. All populations are
expected to assimilate and adapt to the services that best serve
the dominant culture.

36. Cultural Competence
Continuum
 Cultural pre-competence
– An acceptance and respect for differences and continuing self-
assessment regarding organizational culture. The culturally
competent organization works to hire unbiased employees.
 Advanced cultural competence
– Holding culture in high esteem . . . . the culturally proficient
organization hires staff who are specialists in culturally
competent practice. Such an organization advocates for cultural
competence throughout the system and improved relations
between cultures throughout society.
(T. Cross 1988). "Cultural competence continuum." Focal point, the bulletin of the
research and training center on family support and children's mental health,
Portland state university, as cited in “cultural competency: the key to hiring
diverse staff” (Gretchen Vaughn, September/October 2007 issue of camping
magazine.).

37. Lack of Cultural Competence
Ramifications
 Cultural differences and racial biases continue to
inhibit career paths of people of color seeking
camp opportunities
 Even some professionals that support diversity
subconsciously stereotype minority subordinates
 Inability to appreciate motivating behaviors
– safety as primary reservation
– family plays key role
– camp was never part of culture
– importance of staff/ownership modeling
and support from other campers of color

38. Problem Roots: Institutional Barriers
Recreational programs admittees and enrollees are
predominantly white

Culture of camp

Communication
– Allow phone calls?
– Open door policy?
– Strive to win parents over to traditional camp culture?

Session length and fees?

Programming?
 Lack of mentorship
 Few people of color work in the field;
therefore there is limited availability of
qualified mentors for those seeking guidance
and direction

42. How Do We Implement Change?
 Develop cultural relevancy
 Support owners of color
 Develop staff of color
 Recruit and support campers of color

43. “Camp Kupugani helped me realize
everyone is unique and that makes us
special, and everyone is alike and that
brings us together.”

44. “I love
Camp
Kupugani
because it
is so
diverse,
and the
people
here
accept you
for who
are.”

45. “My daughters are multi-racial; their father
is African American and American Indian
and I am white. I talk to them a lot about
race and I just worry that they feel like they
don't "fit" in. When [my daughter] talked
about feeling "at home" at Kupugani, it just
made me feel like the camp offered her a
place where she could truly be herself.”

47. We Can’t Afford to Be Colorblind
Kevin Gordon, Camp Kupugani
kevin@campkupugani.com
Slideshare.net/kupugani for specific tips on:

Embracing The Larger Culture

Widening The Circle: Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Campers