I came across this quote today, and it reminded me of the value of intercultural communications based on knowing and embracing one’s own identity, first voice, and respect for others. “I, with all my abilities, potentials and talents both physical and spiritual, am unique in the universe. Amongst all those alive today there is no other…
DetailsIn-Group vs Outsider Humor, Slang
Just when I thought I had covered all the angles of the “N” word, my son came back with another. I had only left the table at the restaurant for only five minutes, but when I came back, my son wanted to leave. “He said…wait” he stopped as someone walked in the door and…
DetailsOutside US No Hyphens, Just American
I never realized how “American” I was until I had to do business in Brazil a number of year’s ago. After sitting through a nearly two hour lunch and then retreating for a ‘cafezhinho’ (shot glass sized cup of delicious, syrupy sweet, strong coffee) with still no mention of the business about which we had…
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Kids Movies Still Carry Either/Or Message for Girls
Nancy Olson as Betsy Carlisle in 1961’s The Absent Minded Professor vs. Anna Faris as Sam Sparks in 2009’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs…We’ve come a long way, right? Not really. One of the joys of having kids (or borrowing other people’s kids) is for the excuse to indulge nostalgic yearnings by re-watching favorite childhood…
DetailsIranian-American Comedian Funny Take on Stereotypes in Media
As someone who can get a little too much caught up in a ‘true confessions’ trap when looking at unconscious bias, I always admire someone who can talk about stereotypes and prejudice in a way that is humorous, but makes a point. That would be Maz Jobrani, an Iranian-American stand-up comedian who “is breaking down…
DetailsHuckleberry Finn Good for Starting Positive Conversations about Race
My dad and I came to an impasse again recently. It happens whenever we get into a conversation about race. Or more specifically, a conversation about something that happened in the news or real life where people of different races were involved. As in “they believe this way” from him, and “you can’t call an…
DetailsYoung Man Plays Mom’s Role Well in Chevrolet Aveo Ad
I know I talk about about how important it is in advertising to have characters who reflect/look like your target market, but the young man in this ad for the Chevrolet Aveo captures me perfectly…Just ask any mother (parent) who has tried to get their child off to school on time in the morning! The young/hip guy having this…
DetailsI can’t be a male chauvanist…I’m a woman!
Dillon and I were driving home the other night and I was excitedly telling him about a band called “Sax in the City” of all sax players that would be playing at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival that took place on Saturday. Dillon had just started taking saxophone lessons last week. “It’s a group of like 8…
DetailsIntercultural Communications: Curiosity vs Empathy, Appreciation vs Anti-Racism
When I write about attending cultural events or ethnic restaurants with my son, I often hear Carmen Van Kerhove’s voice in my head (not literally, but from her blogs, anti-racist parent and racialicious) saying “Enough of the Celebrating, time to get down to business!” I believe that the appreciation or curiosity about other cultures (as opposed…
Details32 Adon Olams: Jewish Cultural Traditions Transcend Generations and National Borders
I’m used to the anthropological idea of cultural equivalence when talking about things like translation or kreplach versus tortellini, but I found the presumably viral listing of 32+ versions of the Jewish prayer song “Adon Olum” that showed up in my in-box today fascinating. For a ‘people’ who were almost eradicated by the Holocaust and who have only had a homeland for 60 years,…
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