Disability as a Disability as a Multicultural and Multicultural and

Diversity ComponentDiversity ComponentShonda McLaughlin, PhD, CRCShonda McLaughlin, PhD, CRC

John Hopkins UniversityJohn Hopkins UniversityNovember 1, 2006November 1, 2006

What is Multiculturalism?What is Multiculturalism? Sue, et. Al (1998) defines ten Sue, et. Al (1998) defines ten

characteristics of multiculturalism:characteristics of multiculturalism:1. values cultural pluralism and acknowledges our 1. values cultural pluralism and acknowledges our

nation as a cultural mosaic rather than a melting pot.nation as a cultural mosaic rather than a melting pot.

2. is about social justice, cultural democracy, and 2. is about social justice, cultural democracy, and equity.equity.

3. is about helping all of us acquire the attitudes, 3. is about helping all of us acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively knowledge, and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralism democratic society and interact with in a pluralism democratic society and interact with peoples from diversity background.peoples from diversity background.

4. Transcends race, class, gender, and ethnicity. It also 4. Transcends race, class, gender, and ethnicity. It also includes diversity in religion, national origin, sexual includes diversity in religion, national origin, sexual orientation, ability, and disability, age geographic orientation, ability, and disability, age geographic origin.origin.

5. is about celebrating the realistic contributions and 5. is about celebrating the realistic contributions and achievements of our and other cultures and involves achievements of our and other cultures and involves our willingness to explore both the positive and our willingness to explore both the positive and negative aspects of out group’s and other groups’ negative aspects of out group’s and other groups’ behavior over time.behavior over time.

6. is essential component of analytical thinking and 6. is essential component of analytical thinking and challenges us to study multiple perspectives, to challenges us to study multiple perspectives, to develop multiple perspectives, and teach our children develop multiple perspectives, and teach our children how to integrate broad and conflicting bodies of how to integrate broad and conflicting bodies of information to arrive at sound judgements.information to arrive at sound judgements.

7. It recognizes “treating everyone the same” may deny 7. It recognizes “treating everyone the same” may deny equal access and opportunities, and that differential equal access and opportunities, and that differential treatment is not necessarily “preferential.”treatment is not necessarily “preferential.”

8. means “change” at the individual, 8. means “change” at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. It is an on-organizational, and societal levels. It is an on-going and long-term process that requires going and long-term process that requires commitment and hard work.commitment and hard work.

9. may mean owning up to painful realities about 9. may mean owning up to painful realities about oneself, our group, and our group society.oneself, our group, and our group society.

10. is about achieving positive individual, 10. is about achieving positive individual, community, and societal outcomes because it community, and societal outcomes because it values inclusion, cooperation, and movement values inclusion, cooperation, and movement toward mutually shared goals.toward mutually shared goals.

DisabilityDisability

What is it?What is it?

Webster’s definitionWebster’s definition

““1. A disabled condition”1. A disabled condition” ““2. That which disables, as an illness 2. That which disables, as an illness

or injuryor injury ““3. A legal disqualification or 3. A legal disqualification or

incapacity”incapacity” ““4. Something that restricts; 4. Something that restricts;

limitation; disadvantage”limitation; disadvantage”

ImagesImages What comes to mind when you hear the What comes to mind when you hear the

word “disabled?”word “disabled?” Define Define disabilitydisability. . FDRFDR

– AthleticAthletic– ““Crippled”Crippled”– ““Supercrip”Supercrip”– InspirationInspiration– Not a WholeNot a Whole– MemorialMemorial– What’s the significance in the statute?What’s the significance in the statute?

Language/Needs/IdeasLanguage/Needs/Ideas

““perpetuates common perpetuates common misconceptions about people with misconceptions about people with disabilities…”disabilities…”

Power does not equal to disability.Power does not equal to disability. Political movementPolitical movement

Effective Multicultural Effective Multicultural Counseling (Sue & Sue, Counseling (Sue & Sue,

1990)1990) Movement from being culturally Movement from being culturally

unaware to being aware and unaware to being aware and sensitive of his/her own cultural sensitive of his/her own cultural heritage and to valuing and heritage and to valuing and respecting differencesrespecting differences

Counselor awareness of his/her own Counselor awareness of his/her own values an biases and how those values an biases and how those biases may affect culturally diverse biases may affect culturally diverse persons with disabilitiespersons with disabilities

cont..cont.. Developing and increasing the comfort Developing and increasing the comfort

level with difference that exist between level with difference that exist between themselves and persons being served in themselves and persons being served in terms of race and beliefsterms of race and beliefs

Sensitivity to circumstances that may Sensitivity to circumstances that may dictate the referral of a culturally diverse dictate the referral of a culturally diverse individual with a disability to a member of individual with a disability to a member of his/her own race/ culturehis/her own race/ culture

Acknowledgment and awareness of Acknowledgment and awareness of his/her own beliefs, attitudes, and feelingshis/her own beliefs, attitudes, and feelings

Changing ViewsChanging Views

Although there has been Although there has been improvement, we, still, have ways to improvement, we, still, have ways to go. go.

Progressed from institutionalization – Progressed from institutionalization – rehabilitationrehabilitation– EugenicsEugenics– VeteransVeterans– SegregationSegregation

ImplicationsImplications

Consciously, add disability related Consciously, add disability related issues into our conversations. issues into our conversations.

Do not be embarrassed of disability.Do not be embarrassed of disability. Own up to our responsibility to Own up to our responsibility to

include people with disabilities, include people with disabilities, instead of excluding them. instead of excluding them.

The point is...The point is...

We all have abilitiesWe all have abilities Many of us have disabilitiesMany of us have disabilities The focus is on the PERSON and their The focus is on the PERSON and their

ABILITIESABILITIES And now, a word on “ility”And now, a word on “ility”