Mike Anderson provided some important insights into both black culture and his personal
growth as a counselor within the African American community. Mike grew up in a one-parent
family because of his dad’s suicide. Formal counseling services are not considered the norm in
his cultural background and most members are unaware of any counseling resources other than
church ministry (Garzon Presentation A).
Mark Myers provided observations from the white experience, growing up in a singleparent home and joining the navy right out of high school. Both men were able to get a college
education-Mark from military benefits and Mike from athletic scholarships. Both men rose from
a lower socioeconomic status with women as heads of household and were poorer as a result
(Hays & Erford, 2010). . Mark did indicate that his grandfather who lived next door had a
crucial influence on his life (Garzon Presentation B).
Another important similarity between their personal histories was the fact that both men
lived in an integrated community where Mike grew up and interacted with Caucasian neighbors
with whom he played sports while Mark considered his best friends those of the Latino
community. They had very different understandings of how racism was viewed and
experienced. Mike recalled an early incident of a much-admired teacher engaging in very
derogative talk concerning African American students (Garzon Presentation A). On the other
hand, Mark recalled few instances of reverse discrimination such as a minority clerk in a
convenience market waiting on minority customers ahead of him though he was clearly first in
line. Mark resented the stereotypes of white men as privileged oppressors and bigots because he
had earned everything that he had achieved (Garzon Presentation B).
I was encouraged that Mike testified to the great need for Christianity in the AfricanAmerican community explaining that youth desperately needed the LORD as a model father for
their fatherless community (Garzon Presentation A). Likewise, I appreciated how Mark realized
that a holy God was not a respecter of persons and He therefore practiced a posture of
forgiveness in race relations (Garzon Presentation B).
The Interpreting Culture Presentation provides three perspectives on culture: the emic
perspective which exhibits an awareness of empathy, the etic perspective which identifies
common experiences in all ethnic groups but, in a negative sense, can create an “us versus them”
mentality, and the biblical perspective which views culture through the lens of what Jesus sees
(Garzon Lecture A). The children’s song best describes this: “Jesus loves the little children, all
the children of the world; Red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in his sight.” I
pray that as competent Christian counselors we grow in loving understanding and appreciation
for all cultures.
Reference
Garzon, F.with Mike Anderson. (2010). Presentation: A Black Experience. Liberty University.
Garzon, F.with Mark Myers. (2010B). Presentation: A White Experience. Liberty University.
Garzon, F. (2010). Interpreting Culture Lecture. Liberty University.
Hays, D. G., & Erford, B. T. (2010). Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems
approach. Boston: Pearson