Running head: CULTURAL BIOGRAPHY

Cultural Biography
Sydney A. Frost
Georgia State University

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Abstract

A cultural biography is an ever changing story that is shaped by the constant process of
understanding ones self in the past, present, and future. Ones cultural biography is written by
analyzing his or her multiple identities, Americanization, awareness of others, personal family
culture, and ones intersectionality. Although a cultural biography serves to explain the story of
an individual, it can also serve to highlight the individuals level of interaction and understanding
of diverse groups and cultures.

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Cultural Biography
Introduction

A cultural biography is an ever changing story that is shaped by the constant process of
understanding ones self in the past, present, and future. Ones cultural biography is written by
analyzing his or her multiple identities, Americanization, awareness of others, personal family
culture, and ones intersectionality. Although a cultural biography serves to explain the story of
an individual, it can also serve to highlight the individuals level of interaction and understanding
of diverse groups and cultures.
Positionality & Multiple Identities
According to Lum (2011), positionality can be defined as self-reflection on who you are,
where you have come from, and where you are heading as a diverse person, (p. 139). In order to
be self-aware, one must be able to reflect on his or her own multiple identities and understand
how they are all interrelated. Additionally, ones identities can take the form of either internal
identities or external identities. External identities are those that are physically visible, while
internal identities can be invisible. The context in which ones identities exist influences the way
each piece of ones self comes together. Therefore, each individual truly has multiple identities
that each build upon each other to make up the entire self. Through analyzing these multiple
identities, one can begin to reflect on his or her positionality which includes ones location in the
present, past, and future.
Being a White, Southern female who comes from a middle class background affects my
life experiences and opportunities. A conservative Christian lifestyle was valued through
development, and socialization reflects those values. Various identities work together to shape
the way all of ones life events play out. Being White determines privileges only allotted to the
dominant group, which affects opportunities such as education and career. These identities
further influence residency and bring one access to recreational activities and vacations. Having
the privilege of choosing where to live allows one to live in areas with diverse populations,
creating the privilege of having exposure and interaction with diverse individuals. Every aspect
of ones life is tied together by the different identities he or she possesses and how they interact
with ones environment. Ones understanding of the world begins by looking inward and
constantly seeking to learn where one fits in the world. As the cultural competency journey
continues, one seeks to further the learning process by using prior knowledge regarding diverse
populations as a foundation to build new skills which enhance culturally competent practice.
Dilemmas of Americanization
Americanization refers to the assimilation of U.S. customs, language, and characteristics
in favor of ones culture of their country of origin, sometimes to the point where one loses touch
with the original culture (Lum 2011). For White individuals, one may struggle to identify
ethnically. Lum (2011) posists the groups dominance affects their perspective on ethnicity,
which is perceived as existing only in surface features, (p.142). Ones family may have first
immigrated to the United States many generations ago, with European identification slowly
degrading over those generations in favor of a geographical location. Individuals may no longer

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be familiar with their familys ethnic European traditions or culture that the first generation of
immigrants carried to America. These values have since been lost through the Americanization,
in which family members slowly assimilate into American ways of life, often eroding any
identification to their ethnic group. Assimilation into American identity results in future
generations of a family being socialized directly into assimilated American culture as well,
without the ethnic influences of the culture of previous generations. It is important to analyze and
understand the role Americanization plays in both ones family culture and ones own identities.
Family Culture
According to Lum (2011), a first step in developing culturally competent practice is to
be aware of ones own racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, and how these have influenced
ones life experiences and outlooks, (p. 143). Though the individuals family does have an Irish
background, the family no longer identifies with this background. Instead the family culture is
very Americanized, identifying as Southern American. Regional influences such as Christianity
and hospitality are very important to the familys values and norms. Identities such as race
strongly influence family culture and the way one is socialized. In an almost entirely White
family, most members may not understand how they contribute to continued oppression of many
populations in the United States today. This lack of understanding leads to the narrowing of the
ones socialization, and prevents analyzing history and current events from different
perspectives.
Cultural Awareness of Other Inventory
In order to understand diverse clients experiences, social workers must be aware and
knowledgeable about other cultures. Knowledge acquisition regarding diverse groups starts at
birth and is built through an individuals socialization. In order to understand the impact
socialization has on ones practice as a social worker, it is imperative to analyze past experiences
with diverse cultures. I was raised in a North Atlanta suburb, living there for the duration of early
and middle childhood. The town was moderately diverse, with approximately equal numbers of
White residents and Latino residents, along with smaller African American and Asian American
populations. The elementary school was diverse which provided early exposure to children of
many different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Since childhood, exposure to individuals who
spoke English as a second language, immigrants, and individuals of diverse faiths and ethnicities
was the norm. Opinions about these groups were formulated mostly from personal experience
with the diverse individuals themselves, and parental attitudes were fairly accepting and open
about diverse populations. Regular exposure to diverse groups in childhood set the foundation
for blank in the future.
As an adolescent, I moved to another suburban town, however, this town was
predominately White. Although there was a moderate African American population, there were
far fewer Latino Americans and Asian Americans residing there. Due to the move, the middle
and high schools I attended were not as diverse as the elementary school. This demographic
change occurred in a developmental stage in which peers begin to become centrally important in
an adolescents life. Since the exposure to diverse groups decreased during this time, close
friendships and romantic interests tended to be made with members of the same race. Opinions

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about diverse groups continued to be favorable during this time, but I did not understand how
diverse identities affect ones life experiences. As a young adult, I moved to Athens, Georgia and
again continued to work, live, and study with predominately Caucasians. However, during this
time awareness of the impact ones social location has on his or her experiences began to grow.
Intersectionality (Internal and External)
Intersectionality refers to the crossing paths of our interconnected group memberships
(Lum, 2011). These intersections can take the form of either internal or external crossroads.
Racial identity is a major external identity which intersects with every other aspect of life. For
example, being white automatically comes with privileges that individuals of other races may not
experience. For example, these privileges may increase the familys social class, which affects
other external characteristics such as personal appearance. In addition, internal intersections are
largely shaped by external intersections such as race. Examples of internal intersections include
family background, education, faith, and residency. For example, residency is affected by how
much money a family has, which is affected by what job one holds or even how much education
one has. Education and career are two internal intersections that are affected by race. If one is a
member of a dominant racial group, he or she will have more privileges that make obtaining
things like high levels of education and professional careers easier, which in turn affects income
and social class. The interactions of internal and external intersections trickle down from
generation to generation.
Conclusion
Many factors make up ones cultural biography. Individuals do not simply walk down
their own personal paths, but instead are shaped by a larger system of socialization. This system
shapes ones beliefs, attitudes and actions towards people from different racial and ethnic
backgrounds, starting from birth. Family, environment, and personal experiences all interact to
form the ideas one holds today.

References

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Lum, D. (2011) Culturally competent practice (4th ed.). Belmont, Ca: Cengage Learning.