It has been an unfortunately long time since I have last visited this blog. Lately I see the link on my bookmark bar and cringe, not wanting to acknowledge it or address how uncomfortable it is not knowing when I will make it back to Kenya. When I left last fall I thought for sure I would return this summer, continue my educational curriculum, work on setting up a more organized way to get new students tested for HIV/AIDS. But here we are in April, and I have no plans. Lots of dreams but no plans.
The unfortunate reality of this kind of work is there is just not enough money in the world. And it sucks that something financial could keep me from doing what I believe in, but you can only beg people for money so many times before it starts to be embarrassing... I'm finishing up classes and preparing to graduate, my thesis is done, my manuscript working it's way towards being published. In a perfect world the Gates Foundation would call me up and tell me that they like my project and want to give me a grant to continue, but so far that hasn't happened. Fields like Public Health bring very little fame, glory, or money to people who select them. But I promise to let you know if I get a call from Mr. Gates...
Anyway, I didn't mean to turn this into a Debbie Downer post. I was reading for one of my classes (Community Organizing andCommunity Building for Health, Minkler) and was really inspired but the authors discussion of "Cultural Humility". In my experiences over the past few years I have had a hard time explaining myself and why I want to do this. The reading described the process of working with communities that you are not a part of, and how often our effectiveness depends on the ability to toe the line between being a member and a visitor. Many companies have tried to institute a policy of "cultural competence", some ideal endpoint where we understand everything about each other. For me it has been this experience of "cultural humility", I just didn't know what to call it. Cultural humility is the commitment to self evaluation, understanding that we can never truly become competent in another's culture. We can "demonstrate humility in our outsider status" and be open to learning and trying our best in cross-race or cross-ethnic interactions.
For those of you who have followed this blog, you might remember a particularly cruel comment I got this summer about how my trip was promoting "white privilege". I think part of what made that so hurtful was that my entire experience in this work has been a lesson in humility, and I have never pretended that I belong to these cultures I have visited. But I have emphasized that my purpose in all of this is to ignore race when possible and respect it when necessary.
Social justice is the foundation of public health, and this often contrasts with the dominant American world view. There is an increasing need for professionals in all fields who believe in the benefit that society will gain from its increasing heterogeneity. I've said it before and I will say it again - find a cause that inspires you and work your ass off for it. It WILL change your life.
"The very least you can do with your life is to figure out what to hope for. And the most you can do is to live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." - Barbara Kingsolver (American Dreams)
