My African American Culture

When beginning work with the client, there were a number of apparent differences between her and myself, including age, race, and social class. As previously stated I had to become more culturally competent about working with African American clients before I started seeing the client. Furthermore, I had to become aware of the difficulties that would be present due to our age difference. I made sure to give Betty the opportunity to tell me how situations made her feel, and empathized with her, making sure to help her feel as though I understood even though I was much younger and had not experienced what she had. Additionally, the client and I come from different social classes. I had to make certain that she did not feel judged during our sessions, and provided her with the resources necessary to assist her in overcoming barriers. Sands and Gellis (2011) indicate that African American cultural values and norms derive from a number of situations, which include responses and adaptations to the oppression, poverty, and racism, which made them victims. Knowing and understanding the various differences that I would face working with the client helped to better prepare me for sessions.

The American culture is define to everyone in their own way. Everyone grows up differently in a particular community that shares the same languages, values, rules, and customs. The American Culture on that is consider to be a “melting pot”, because of all the different cultures that reside inside of it making it so diverse. Race in this country has never been a great topic throughout history. African Americans play a huge role into defining what our culture is as a whole, as well as being a part of racism for the past 250 years.

When I was young I didn’t really realize the impact of being African-American until high school. I went to a predominately white school for elementary and middle school. I was just like any other youth. I had my group of friends who were white; I was active in school activities and clubs. I was a student athlete and I got along well with my teachers. Everyone saw me as an upbeat person with a bubbly personality. Surprisingly, race was never brought up it wasn’t an issue for me during that period of my life. However, as I got older I realize there was a difference. As an adult I could really see the prejudice in others. I recall working a on a special project for the

Music is a creative art form that allows the artist to construct something that expresses a purpose. It evolves over time and changes as the world changes, taking on many different motivations behind the melody and lyrics. In today’s society, anger, oppression, racism, and negative opinions rule the media and popular culture. I believe that African Americans need to show their self worth and not let white people hold them back. With the music in white culture often mocking African American culture and portraying negative stereotypes, African Americans have to find ways to gain respect. In acknowledgement of the negative portrayal of their culture, African Americans respond by creating songs and videos that express their pride in their culture and heritage, react to white oppression, and communicate their independence.

“Cooning” was a TV show or Film usually they act like idiot behavior that misrepresents African American culture. I think idiot because that shows a deliberate act. Many people called “coons.” Yes, I saw some examples today’s culture some white people still discriminate black people. Some white people were enjoying it, and that seems to some people they insulted African- American behaves. African-American got angry. It was not fair at all that behavior. All are good examples.

Africans have, since the early settlement of America, has had a great influence in the nation’s growth. These contributions to the United States from enslaved Africans have been greatly portrayed in American culture. Varying from cuisine, to song and dance are not only portrayed today but it has a deep-rooted impact throughout the United States. During the middle passage, enslaved Africans were forced to abandon their everyday lives, their families and their homes and forced to adapt to a new lifestyle they knew nothing of. However, upon arrival into the New World, due to their prior knowledge and wisdom from back home, they were able to quickly adapt and custom themselves to this new lifestyle in order to survive with the hope of potentially one day returning back to Africa. Unfortunately, African contributions to the culture of the United States has received little to no recognition and it has been taken credit for by Europeans and Whites since the early establishment of the United States.

The African American Culture and Traditions A Research Study and Facts That Will Take Us Into What Makes This Culture So Unique.

There is no doubt that African Americans have a rich cultural background and history like the many different ethnic groups who settled in the New World, whose origins lie in another country. For this reason, America was known as the melting pot. However, the backgrounds of each of these cultures were not always understood or, in the case of African Americans, accepted among the New World society and culture. Americans were ignorant to the possibility of differences among groups of people until information and ideas started to emerge, particularly, the African retention theories. This sparked an interest in the field of African culture and retention in African Americans. However, the study of African American culture truly emerged as a result of increased awareness in America, specifically through the publication and findings of scholarly research and cultural events like the Harlem Renaissance where all ethnicities were able to see this rich historical culture of African Americans.

This event forever changed the face of the Modern World. The Atlantic Slave Trade was

The service learning project was created for the students to interact with individuals from a culture different than our own. The exposure to an individual from a different cluture promotes cultural awareness and sensitivity. Cultural awareness enables an individual to acknowledlge differences among people and also to show respect for practices and traditions that one is unfamiliar. In short, cultural awareness assists in teaching the individual to think broadly and not be narrow minded. Healthcare providers often interact with individuals from varied ethnicities, religions and cultures. In order to effectively practice the Hippocratic oath, healthcare providers should have the skill to treat patients using a world view perspective.

I am an Indian who was born and raised in America. This means that I have been affected by both American and Indian cultures. One of the biggest lesson imparted on me from Indian culture was about language. In Indian culture, a person shows respect to everyone. We call adults not related to us uncle and auntie as a sign of respect towards our elders. We even call kids older than us Chetan and Chachi in the part of India that my family comes from since they are technically our elders as well. Since the use of expletives would be considered disrespectful, it was forbidden in my family.

Growing up I always felt the need to hide my true feelings about certain topics and ideas. I never truly got to express what I was really interested in, in fear of being outcast from everyone else. Even in the comfort of my own home, where the household culture was one that followed the ‘stereotypical’ African American culture that listened to hip hop and R&B and didn't like to associate themselves with anything that didn't fit into their box of what a black girl should and should not like. I sincerely felt alone. This lasted through much of my childhood and got progressively worse once I entered my preteen years. Once I started middle school,I felt the need to suppress who I was as a person and mindlessly follow trends and fads that I wasn't

Heritage can be defined as the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation. (Merriam Webster) One of the main ideals of heritage is the interconnection of the past and the present because that is what it is all about. It is about taking the traditions, ideals and beliefs of the people who came before us and using them in the present. African American heritage, specifically, happens to be one of the hottest topics in America today. Even though it is one of the most popular and trending topics, it is also one of the most controversial and intriguing subjects. Why is it intriguing and controversial? Perhaps because people have not learned the whole story or because people have never learned about

In most cases of cultural appropriation, it is seen in a negative light because of the context it is shown it. The first image I will be looking at is Karlie Kloss wearing a war bonnet that is characteristic of the native Americans, at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. The part where Karlie walked down the runway in this ‘costume’ was edited out of the VS Fashion Show footage, as many native Americans found it to be insulting and insensitive.

I have traveled all over the world but I have never been down South. Being from New York has also given me a very narrow perspective of African American culture. The purpose of this research project is to gain some understanding of Black culture specifically in the South. College has exposed me to a lot of people who were born and raised in the South and some of my closest friends are southerners. By researching the history, culture, and demographic information of the South, I plan on becoming a more well-informed American.