Discuss how your culture impacts the way you work with others. Summarize and reflect on the process of writing the cultural autobiography. Discuss how this process has helped you discover yourself as a multicultural being (personal meaning).
Assignment Question
The primary objective of this writing assignment is to challenge you to reflect on events and life experiences that have shaped your cultural being. A cultural autobiography is a reflective, self-analytic portrayal of your past and present. The objectives of this project are to increase cultural self-awareness and promote cultural social justice, advocacy, conflict resolution, and other culturally supported behaviors that promote optimal wellness and growth of the human spirit, mind, or body. The autobiography should include exploration of some history and experiences that shape your cultural narrative. It should include descriptions of significant experiences related to your awareness of your cultural identity, how you see yourself as a cultural being, and meaning-making processes in your narrative. The narrative can be arranged thematically, chronologically, etc., but ensure that you address the following within your narrative: First, explore your life experiences that you consider significant in shaping your worldview, cultural heritage, and cultural identity. Analyze how these experiences have shaped your culture (standards of thinking, valuing, behaving, and evaluating) and interpret the cultural meanings of these experiences to you (cultural socialization process). Specifically, how has your identity been influenced by your experiences of oppression, power, and privilege? Include specific life experiences you consider relevant. Discuss the impact of culture on your current functioning, behaviors, attitudes, and values. Discuss how your culture impacts the way you work with others. Summarize and reflect on the process of writing the cultural autobiography. Discuss how this process has helped you discover yourself as a multicultural being (personal meaning). Questions/topical areas to consider when writing your autobiography: How do others identify or label you culturally? What are your racial and ethnic identity labels? Describe your progression along the racial identity models we have reviewed. Describe your understanding and experience of privilege and/or oppression related to your racial identity. What do you know about your family’s immigration history/entry into the United States? Describe. How do you and your family members align with the dominant American values discussed in class? Do the “American” values differ within the cultural dynamics of your family and socialization? Describe your experience of socialization related to gender and sexual orientation. What are the roles and expectations you learned are associated with your gender? Describe the messages you received about sexual orientation and couple relationships growing up. What were you taught about your family’s socioeconomic status throughout your life? Was social class (yours or others) openly discussed, observed, assumed, etc. in your family of origin? Did you often interact with those whose SES background differed from your own? Describe a critical incident that made you aware of your social class. In what spiritual or religious tradition were you raised, if any? How do you understand faith and religion today? Are there any traditions of faith you currently follow? What does spirituality mean to you and what is its importance in your day-to-day life? How do you culturally identify? Include the identities (woman) or identity intersections (Latina woman) you view as most salient and describe why these are most salient for you. How has your cultural identity served as a source of strength in your life? Have you ever experienced any part of your cultural identity as a challenge, problem, difficulty, or deterrent in your life? Formatting Expectations Your cultural autobiography should be 8 to 10 pages in length and written according to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Publication Manual (7th edition). As students preparing for careers within the helping profession, papers must be grammatically correct and reflective of this level of education.
