Cultural Identity Worksheet

Objectives . To help clarify the definition of culture and let participants relate the concept to their own lives. . To provide a creative and fun way for participants to begin to define their own cultural identity. . To allow participants to learn about the differences and similarities of the people in the room.

Commentary This is a good activity to be done early in a workshop. It is valuable for participants to be able to see how the concept of culture is related to their own lives. For many people, especially of European descent, one's cultural identity is hard to define. This may be the first time many of your participants have ever thought in these terms.

Procedure

. Hand out the Cultural Identity Worksheet

. Explain to the participants that each of us belongs to many cultural groups and that together these cultural affiliations shape us into unique individuals. Many different factors influence our cultural identity. These factors include, but are not limited to, our race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, nation of origin, socioeconomic status, etc.

. Tell the participants that you are going to ask each of them to come up with four (4) descriptors that together play a major role in their cultural identity. Clarify that some individuals may feel that there are more than 4 factors which influence their identity, but for the purposes of this activity they should use the 4 most prominent descriptors. The descriptors should be as specific as possible, for example, female, Chinese American, Southern Baptist, etc.

. Explain that after they decide on the 4 descriptors, they should answer the other two questions on the worksheet. These questions are important because we all need to be able to recognize both the assets and the liabilities of our cultural affiliations.

. When they are finished they will form groups of three. Each person in the group will have four minutes of uninterrupted time to talk about what they wrote on their paper.

. You should have already filled out your worksheet ahead of time. Go ahead and model the activity by taking four minutes to talk about your sheet.

. Make sure everyone understands the directions as well as the definition of culture. Allow the group about 15 minutes to work independently on their own worksheets. Next, ask the groups to get together and begin. Time each of the four-minute periods, and remind them when it is time to change.

. When each person has had the chance to talk, bring the whole group back together and process the activity. Included on this page are a few suggested questions to guide your discussion.

Discussion Questions

1. Was the worksheet easy or difficult to fill out? Why? 2. Do you think this activity is easier for some people to do than for others? 3. Did you notice any similarities between group members? 4. Did you find out anything about yourself that you did not realize before? Cultural Identity Worksheet

Instructions Keeping in mind that cultural descriptors include, but are not limited to: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Socioeconomic Status, Age, Nation of Origin, Profession, etc., answer the following questions.

When listening to other group members be sure to listen quietly. Do not interrupt with questions or comments.

Descriptors The four dominant cultural descriptors that make up my cultural identity are:

1.______2.______

3.______4.______

Positives The most positive thing about each of these descriptors is:

Negatives The most negative or difficult thing about each of these descriptors is: 1.

Adapted from "Talking About Race Facilitation Guide" Sheri Lynn Schmidt, Texas A&M University