In Defense of Culturally-Specific Organizations: Understanding the Rationale and the Evidence

Abstract

Racial disparities abound in human services, with communities of color facing grave impediments to positive progress. Mainstream institutions move painstakingly slowly on reforms-movement too slow to offer this generation prospects for real hope in equity. This paper builds the rationale for expanding funding for culturally-specific organizations, detailing the ways that the literature and the tacit knowledge of culturally-specific organizations improve outcomes for clients and communities of color. The article identifies the service benefits in terms of client outcomes, accountability practices, community benefits, cultural affirmation and inclusion, building community and political capital, and lessening investments in white-centric services. We also identify methods for funding bodies to invest in culturally-specific organizations, and consider the accountability practices that might stimulate mainstream organizations to make gains in racial equity. KeywordsCulturally-Specific Organizations, Ethnic Agencies, Racial Disparities, Racial Equity, Dangerous Allies Setting the ContextAs institutions consider how to move forward with the eradication of institutional racism and racial disparities, communities of color and minority ethnic groups are waiting-sometimes patiently and sometimes not. In Multnomah County (in Oregon, USA), the Coalition of Communities of Color, an alliance of over 25 culturallyspecific community based organizations, is pressing for an alternative: equitable funding for culturally-specific organizations in order to improve the service outcomes for communities of color who have been waiting for A. Curry-Stevens, J. S. Muthanna 68 racial equity for generations.In this region, communities of color have spent the last ten years building an advocacy-based, multi-sector, multi-racial coalition to identify and advance collective interests. In 2003, their organizing and collective voice led to the redirection of approximately 25% of the County's anti-poverty funds to culturally-specific organizations to meet the needs of children of color. The effort was successful in reaching children of color-as 66% of the service users within these anti-poverty programs were children of color, compared to less than 20% before this effort, when outreach had primarily reached white families (Curry-Stevens, Cross-Hemmer, & Coalition of Communities of Color, 2010). And still, rising poverty and rising disparities within poverty cause grave challenges for the region. In response, the Coalition of Communities of Color has added research to their organizing efforts, and expanded their policy advocacy practices, including creating a policy agenda that has been effectively gaining attention. One of these efforts is to build more support for the provision of culturally specific organizations to deliver services to communities of color.Data from the Coalition of Communities of Color reports show that, today, the stakes are high. In almost all areas of life, communities of color face deep and, in numerous instances, w...

Racial Equity for Culturally Specific Organizations: An Assets-Based Evidentiary Assessment

“…While there is much to be learned from the research, we can definitively state that clients highly value the full range of organizational and staffing assets, with an average rating of 92.7% achieved in the top two ratings of a five-point Likert scale. Our best efforts to discern an industry standard came in at approximately 77% (Curry-Stevens et al, 2018a).…”

Characterizing Organizational Health Equity Capacity Assessments for Public Health Organizations: A Scoping Review

“…Six OCAs were intended for any public health organization. 30,33 ,35,38,46 Three OCAs were intended for LHDs 32,36,44 ; 3 for any type of public health department but with implementation information only at the county level 31,40,41 ; 1 for state health departments 37 ; 2 for faith-based organizations, specifically churches 39,45 ; 1 for the US Department of Veterans Affairs service networks 43 ; and 1 for public health coalitions. 42…”

“…We could not identify capacity assessment results or implementation information for the following OCAs: the Health Department Self-Assessment Questions, 41 the Equity and Empowerment Lens, 31 the Protocol for Culturally Responsive Organizations, 38 the Learning and Action Tool for Public Health Organizations, 37 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Building Organizational Capacity to Advance Health Equity self-assessment module, 34 and the Organizational Health Equity Checklist. 46…”

Advancing Theory, Methods, and Dissemination in Sexual Violence Research to Build a More Equitable Future: An Intersectional, Community-Engaged Approach

“…A culturally responsive, intersectional approach to survivor mental health services requires that we engage community members and the unique context, sociocultural history, and contemporary realities of that community (Curry-Stevens & Muthanna, 2016; Gillum, 2008). Such interventions build upon the cultural traditions of the community; use language that is culturally syntonic, familiar, and accessible; create interventions with community members; create safe spaces for survivors to talk freely; employ personnel that reflect the population served; and disseminate information in ways that are accessible and relevant for the community (Gillum, 2008).…”