Cultural Connection
African Diaspora
Presenter
Demetrius Brown Sr.
Youth Development Associate Professor
University of Wisconsin-Extension
“To Be African or Not to Be?
Students taking the challenge to make
things go right for themselves their family,
and their community”
Culture
• Sum total of ways of living, including:
– Values
– Beliefs
– Aesthetic standards
– Linguistic expression
– Patterns of thinking
– Behavioral norms
– Styles of communication
(Visions Inc. 2000)
Culture
• For African Americans and “other culture”
takes on the added dimension of
established guidelines for interacting with
a society which does not value either their
ethnicity, their history and heritage, or their
language.
Shade (1974)
CULTUAL CONCERNS
• Historically, Africa has often served as a
prime target for Western experimentation,
intervention and exploitation.
• Early missionaries saw the people of
Africa as in need of redemption, devoid of
civilization and religious faith.
Racial Oppression
“Race”
• A color prejudice associated with
organized hegemony or domination
• A social construct that divide humans into
varies degrees, distinguished by physical
traits (skin color, hair type, body shape…)
• The concept of “race” is the product of
Europe’s colonization of Africa and other
parts of the world
Naming Process
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Colored
Negro
Black
African American
African
Preoccupied with aspects of our phenotype,
mainly our skin color, hair texture and facial
features.
African Descriptions
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Minority
Disadvantaged
Inner-city
At-risk
Culturally deprived
Culturally disadvantaged
Identities that detach Africans from time, space
and the flow of human history…
“Mainstream” Western Culture
• Emplasizes:
– The role of the individual rather than the
collective
– The idea that nature must be controlled and
harness for man’s advantage
– The ultimate successful personality as one
which is self reliant, industrious, thrifty, highly
motivated, and competitive.
(McClelland and Mason 1961)
Culture in Education
• THE PRIMARY VICTIMS OF BIASED
EDUCATION ARE THOSE WHO ARE
INVISIBLE IN THE CURRICULUM.
• PERSONS OF COLOR, WOMEN, AND
POOR, WORKING CLASS ALL ARE
ABSENT FROM THE CURRICULUM.
10
Multicultural Education
• Some say that the primary objective of
multicultural education is to address the
needs of students who historically had
been most neglected and mis-educated by
the schools.
STUDENT’S SAY
Twenty-three percent more Black youth
than Whites believe that Black youth
receive a poorer education on average
than do White youth
Research Says
• Orfield (2004) report states that graduation
discrepancy rates between Whites and Blacks in
Wisconsin is 43 percent, the highest discrepancy
in the country.
• According to the Civic Report (2002), Wisconsin
had the lowest graduation rate in the country
among African-American public school students,
with only 41 percent graduating in 2000.
Statistics Say
• Black youth constitute 6 percent of the
population, 10 percent of homicide victims, and
18 percent of homicide offenders.
• Twenty percent of Black youth 18 years and
older had not completed high school.
• Black youth ages 16 to 19 suffered an
unemployment rate of 30 percent.
• Twenty-one of one thousand Black males are in
US prisons.
According to US census bureau 2006, US Department of Labor 2005 and
Department of Justice 2003
History
• Slavery
• Colonization
• Apartheid
Have all made a contribute to African
American culture and the education
process.
African Survival
• The development of separate communities
both in the slave quarters and in cities and
the need to join forces against the colorcaste system, provided the impetus and
the opportunity for remnants of the African
culture and education to take place.
(Shade 1980)
Remnants of African Culture
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Musical Rhythms / Scales
Art
Instruments / Dances
Folk tales / Story Telling
Myths
Riddles and Rhymes
Religion
(Nobles, 1980)
The Intent of the Program
Multicultural Education
• Is a structured process designed to foster
understanding, acceptance, and
constructive relations among students of
many difference cultures.
(Visions Inc. 2000)
The African Diaspora Project
TO PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS
TO LEARN AFRICAN CULTURE,
AND HISTORY IN ORDER TO
FOSTER AN AWARENESS AND
JUDGEMENT OF ONE’S HERITAGE
Program Objectives
• To learn perceptions that shape and structure
the realities of African American culture.
• To develop a worldview and an interest in
educational achievement, career exploration and
family origin.
• To motivate participants to accept themselves,
become self-determined, and creative leaders of
their environment
Project Description: Phase I
Self-knowledge
– Who am I?
– What are the meaning of names /
descriptions?
Life Cycles
– 7 life stages
– Support
Re-Awakening
– Cultural Games
– Study
Circular Process
• Afro centric Ideology
African Vs Western
Africans conceptual system is holistic and
assumes the unity of spirit and matter,
their oneness. (Afro centric World View)
VS
Western conceptual system is fragmented
and assumes that Tran physical and
physical, or spirit and matter are separate.
(Western World View)
Problem Solving
• Recognizes common
interest
• Seeks to meet needs
• Separates people
from problem
• Values relationships
/ Adversarial
• Guarded
• Uses emotional
pressure
• Makes high initial
demands
• Conceals information
On Common Ground
Education in Action
Acknowledgement
Program Topics
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Literature
Language
Geography
Economics/Natural Resources
Art/Music
Health
Cuisine (FOODS)
Study and Research
African Scholar of Health
Project Description: Phase II
• African “Worldview”
• Problem Solving / Adversarial
• Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
Skills
• International Careers
Project Description: Phase III
• Leadership Activities
– Model United Nation
– Model African Unity
• Research Skills
– Career Exploration
– Cultural Grams
African Union Research Team
PROGRAM BARRIES
• THE PROGRAM IS
CONSIDERED A
SPECIALTY
• SCHOOL
SPECIALTY HAVE
LIMITED TIME
• TEACHERS DON’T
HAVE TO INCLUDE
IT IN THEIR
CURRICULUM.
• BEHAVIOR,
ATTENDENT AND
PARTICPATION CAN
BE SPARATIC.
Students Statements
“ I found out more about my heritage and
what goes on in Africa and other places on
the African continent”
“Participating in African music, dance and
spoken word has helped me relate better
to our culture, which now I want to study
more about it”
“The problem solving project…give me a
better idea of what I could change and
what would make a difference…”
continue
“ I learned more about my heritage, more
about diseases and poverty that affects
our community”
I learned about the good things in Africa;
first human being…, natural resources…
and the unity among the people”
“I think I’m going into journalism; so I can
write stories to help Americans think about
all the issues that happens in Africa…”
AU Negotiation in Action
Project Description: Phase IV
• Model Organization of African Unity
Simulation Conference
• Evaluation
• Documentation and Publication
African Union Conference
Accomplishments
of African Diaspora Project
• One hundred and ninety-Five Students
have participated the African Diaspora
Project
• Seventy-five students have participated in
and an Model African Unity and Model
United Nations Conferences
Response from School Partner
“The principal said: “students from
the project were exhibiting
leadership qualities and have taken
on new roles within the school
community”
Model African Union in Action
OAU Research in Action
Special Thanks:
• Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension Service
• Milwaukee Public Schools
• The Wisconsin Humanities Council
• The Milwaukee Foundation
• University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeContinuing Education
• African Scholar/Mentors/Educators