We Can’t Afford to Be We Can’t Afford to Be ColorblindColorblind

Kevin Gordon, Camp KupuganiKevin Gordon, Camp Kupugani

AgendaAgenda

The issue: under representationThe issue: under representation The changing populationThe changing population Who we serve currentlyWho we serve currently Barriers to serving diverse campersBarriers to serving diverse campers Ways that we can serve them betterWays that we can serve them better

White Latino(a) Black Asian Multiracial0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Percentage of Children of Camper Age in US (2015)Percentage of Campers Served By ACA Resident Camps (2010)

THE MAKEUP OF CAMP OWNERS AND THE MAKEUP OF CAMP OWNERS AND ADMINISTRATORS DIVERGES FROM ADMINISTRATORS DIVERGES FROM

OUR CAMP-AGED POPULATIONSOUR CAMP-AGED POPULATIONS Camp Kupugani is the only black-owned private residential Camp Kupugani is the only black-owned private residential

camp in the U.S.camp in the U.S.

Fewer than 4 % of US resident camp directors are of color: Fewer than 4 % of US resident camp directors are of color: of 251 sample size, 242 White, 2 Hispanic/Latino(a), 1 of 251 sample size, 242 White, 2 Hispanic/Latino(a), 1 Black, 1 Asian / Pacific Islander, 5 no responseBlack, 1 Asian / Pacific Islander, 5 no response ( (2009 ACA 2009 ACA Compensation & Benefits Survey)Compensation & Benefits Survey)

White

Black

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

No Response

THE MAKEUP OF CAMP STAFF THE MAKEUP OF CAMP STAFF DIVERGES FROM OUR CAMP-AGED DIVERGES FROM OUR CAMP-AGED

POPULATIONSPOPULATIONS

WhiteBlackHispanic/Latino(a)MultiracialAsianNative American / Pacific Islander

WhiteLatino(a)

BlackAsian

Multiracial

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percentage of Children of Camper Age in US (2015)Percentage of Counselors at US Resident Camps (2010)

We Can’t Afford to Be We Can’t Afford to Be ColorblindColorblind

Problem RootsProblem Roots

Psychological Psychological barriersbarriers

Institutional Institutional barriersbarriers

Problem Roots: Psychological Problem Roots: Psychological BarriersBarriers

White privilegeWhite privilege

Lack of cultural competenceLack of cultural competence

White Privilege DefinedWhite Privilege Defined

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

White Privilege Defined White Privilege Defined AgainAgain

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

……And AgainAnd Again

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

White Privilege White Privilege RamificationsRamifications

Comfort with status quoComfort with status quo Comfort with being generally Comfort with being generally

good people actually limits good people actually limits progress because it diminishes progress because it diminishes any sense of urgencyany sense of urgency

Lack of Cultural Competence Is a Lack of Cultural Competence Is a ProblemProblem

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

Cultural Competence Cultural Competence ContinuumContinuum

Cultural destructivenessCultural destructiveness– Practices which seek to denigrate and destroy other Practices which seek to denigrate and destroy other

cultures. cultures. Cultural incapacity Cultural incapacity

– The organization or individual does not intentionally The organization or individual does not intentionally seek to be culturally destructive but rather lacks the seek to be culturally destructive but rather lacks the capacity to help diverse clients or communities.capacity to help diverse clients or communities.

Cultural blindness Cultural blindness – An organization or individual believes that culture makes An organization or individual believes that culture makes

no difference and that we are all the same. All no difference and that we are all the same. All populations are expected to assimilate and adapt to the populations are expected to assimilate and adapt to the services that best serve the dominant culture.services that best serve the dominant culture.

Cultural Competence Cultural Competence ContinuumContinuum

Cultural pre-competenceCultural pre-competence– An acceptance and respect for differences and continuing An acceptance and respect for differences and continuing

self-assessment regarding organizational culture. The self-assessment regarding organizational culture. The culturally competent organization works to hire unbiased culturally competent organization works to hire unbiased employees.employees.

Advanced cultural competenceAdvanced cultural competence– Holding culture in high esteem . . . . the culturally Holding culture in high esteem . . . . the culturally

proficient organization hires staff who are specialists in proficient organization hires staff who are specialists in culturally competent practice. Such an organization culturally competent practice. Such an organization advocates for cultural competence throughout the system advocates for cultural competence throughout the system and improved relations between cultures throughout and improved relations between cultures throughout society.society.

(T. Cross 1988). "Cultural competence continuum." Focal point, the (T. Cross 1988). "Cultural competence continuum." Focal point, the bulletin of the research and training center on family support and bulletin of the research and training center on family support and children's mental health, Portland state university, as cited in “cultural children's mental health, Portland state university, as cited in “cultural competency: the key to hiring diverse staff” (Gretchen Vaughn, competency: the key to hiring diverse staff” (Gretchen Vaughn, September/October 2007 issue of September/October 2007 issue of ccaamping magazinemping magazine.)..).

Lack of Cultural Competence Lack of Cultural Competence RamificationsRamifications

Cultural differences and racial biases continue Cultural differences and racial biases continue to inhibit career paths of people of color to inhibit career paths of people of color seeking camp opportunitiesseeking camp opportunities

Even some professionals that support diversity Even some professionals that support diversity subconsciously stereotype minority subconsciously stereotype minority subordinatessubordinates

Inability to appreciate motivating behaviorsInability to appreciate motivating behaviors– safety as primary reservationsafety as primary reservation– family plays key rolefamily plays key role– camp was never part of culturecamp was never part of culture– importance of staff/ownership modeling importance of staff/ownership modeling

and support from other campers of colorand support from other campers of color

Problem Roots: Institutional Problem Roots: Institutional BarriersBarriers

Lack of mentorshipLack of mentorship

Few people of color work in the field; Few people of color work in the field; therefore there is limited availability of therefore there is limited availability of qualified mentors for those seeking qualified mentors for those seeking guidance and direction guidance and direction

Recreational programs admittees and enrollees are Recreational programs admittees and enrollees are predominantly whitepredominantly whiteCulture of campCulture of campCommunicationCommunication

– Allow phone calls?Allow phone calls?– Open door policy?Open door policy?– Strive to win parents over to traditional camp Strive to win parents over to traditional camp

culture?culture?Session length and fees?Session length and fees?Programming?Programming?

How Do We Implement Change?How Do We Implement Change?

Develop cultural relevancyDevelop cultural relevancy

Support owners of colorSupport owners of color

Develop staff of colorDevelop staff of color

Recruit and support campers of colorRecruit and support campers of color

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

““I love I love Camp Camp

Kupugani Kupugani because because it is so it is so

diverse, diverse, and the and the people people here here

accept accept you for you for

who are.”who are.”

““My daughters are multi-racial; their My daughters are multi-racial; their father is African American and father is African American and

American Indian and I am white. I American Indian and I am white. I talk to them a lot about race and I talk to them a lot about race and I just worry that they feel like they just worry that they feel like they

don't "fit" in. When [my daughter] don't "fit" in. When [my daughter] talked about feeling "at home" at talked about feeling "at home" at

Kupugani, it just made me feel like Kupugani, it just made me feel like the camp offered her a place where the camp offered her a place where

she could truly be herself.”she could truly be herself.”

We Can’t Afford to Be We Can’t Afford to Be ColorblindColorblind

Kevin Gordon, Camp KupuganiKevin Gordon, Camp Kupuganikevin@campkupugani.com

Slideshare.net/kupugani for specific tips on:Slideshare.net/kupugani for specific tips on:Embracing The Larger CultureEmbracing The Larger Culture

Widening The Circle: Recruiting and Retaining Diverse CampersWidening The Circle: Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Campers