People with Lived Experience

It would be ideal to live in a world where everyone understands the history and culture of all populations, but we are not there right now. Start by learning about the populations with whom you will be building a relationship. Include current and historic values and beliefs. Discover what the relationship has been between your agency and different communities. Think about connecting with local historians or librarians to learn more. Or, if a relationship already exists, chat with the community’s leaders to learn more.

Reflect on your agency’s culture. Talk with people who have been at the agency a long time to learn about past dynamics. Keep in mind when working with government agencies that they have a culture all their own. That culture is influenced by politics, the current administration, and has a historical approach to solving problems can be transactional rather than focusing on transformation. You carry the history of that government everywhere you go.

Creating trusting relationships may be driven by taking the time to learn about and understand others' cultures. If you want to shift from mere engagement to equitable engagement, this may be where there is really an opportunity for you to grow. Find ways to create dialog with people from cultures other than your own. You can do this at social events, community circles, and community cultural events. Likewise, you can invite people from another culture to an event you are hosting and spend time talking, and more importantly, listening to them.

Dates to consider and acknowledge

January

• The 3 Kings Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• International Holocaust
• Remembrance Day

February

• Black History Month
• National Freedom Day
• International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
• World Day of Social Justice
• International Mother Language Day

March

• Women’s History Month
• Nat'l. Developmental Disabilities Awareness  Month
• Zero Discrimination Day
• International Women’s Day
• Remembrance Day of the Victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• Int. Day of Trans Visibility
• Persian New Year
• Passover (or early April)

April

• Celebrate Diversity Month
• World Autism Awareness Day
• World Health Day
• Day of Silence

May

• Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• Cinco de Mayo
• World Press Freedom Day
• Vesak or Buddha Day
• Int. Day of Families
• International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOTB)

June

• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month
• World Environment Day
• Pulse Night of Remembrance
• Juneteenth
• Stonewall Riots Anniversary

July

• International Non-Binary Day
• Nelson Mandela International Day
• Disability Independence Day

August

• International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
• World Humanitarian Day
• International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade
• Women’s Equality Day

September

• Hispanic Heritage Month (Mid-Sept to Mid-Oct)
• International Day of Peace

October

• LGBT History Month
• National Indigenous People’s Day
• National Coming Out Day
• World Mental Health Day
• International Pronoun Day
• Intersex Awareness Day

November

• National Native American Heritage Month
• Trans Awareness Week
• Transgender Day of Remembrance
• The National Day of Mourning

December

• World AIDS Day
• International Day of Disabled Persons
• International Human Rights Day
• Yule
• Kwanzaa
• Christmas

Holidays that fall on different dates each year

• Ramadan Mardi Gras Hanukkah
• Ash Wednesday Diwali Passover
• Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Easter

Additional Cultural Considerations:

• Muslims pray five times a day, with their prayers being known as Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (after midday), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (after sunset), Isha (nighttime), facing towards Mecca.
• Consider the use of Land Acknowledgement and Honor. Jewish holidays start at sunset the evening before the date on the calendar. Some holidays are observed for more than one day.
• Ramadan lasts a full month. It wouldn't be a good idea to schedule a luncheon or event during that time if possible. Think about how you describe the community – do you use terms like "our" or "we" or "those people" or "these people" vs. "this community."

Cultural Considerations for Meetings:

“How to Run a Meeting of People from Different Cultures”

Key Take-aways:

• It can be helpful to develop norms and agreements to govern the meeting and share in advance so everyone knows the expectations.
• Communication styles vary from culture to culture as do notions of authority and hierarchy, which only heightens the potential for misunderstanding and hard feelings.”
  There are differences in terms of
  • How and where people sit (to convey authority/status);
  • The speed in which they get down to business (expectations of social engagement; value placed on punctuality);
  • Willingness to provide feedback or argue (disagreement can be perceived as disrespect; perceived power dynamics may inhibit honest feedback). Silence does not necessarily mean agreement.
• Research and share material on cultural differences.
• Think about how behavior is viewed by others and make adjustments.
• Solicit feedback from everyone (e.g. go around the room).
  Another method to hear from everyone is to ask team members to email their ideas and thoughts to you and then you can share once everyone is together.

Please note: the examples given are not necessarily relevant to everyone in the cultural group.

Linking to the MCH Leadership Competencies. Understanding the culture of PWLE is a key component of the skills section of the MCH Leadership Competencies. Click the links below to access trainings that support the related sub-competencies.

• 8S4: Assess and tailor recommendations to social, educational, and cultural issues affecting people with lived experience.
• 8S5: Celebrate individual and family diversity and provide an open and accepting environment.
• 8S8: Ensure that perspectives from people with lived experience are actively informing the development, implementation, and critical evaluation of MCH research, clinical practice, programs, and policies.

Implementation. Remember, the key to effective partnerships with PWLE:

• Shared decision making, involving self-advocates and/or the family, in planning and implementing activities.
• Addressing the priorities of people with lived experience using a strengths-based approach.
• Recognizing the agency of self-advocates in decision-making as they approach transition age, and across the lifespan.
• Connecting people with lived experience to needed services.
• Acknowledging that the effects of the SDOH, and broader systems of care, greatly impact individuals with special health care needs and developmental disabilities.

• Collaborating Across Cultures. Year Developed: 2017. Source: ASA Community of Applied Statisticians. Presenter(s): Charisse Kosova, M.Ad.Ed.. Type: Webinar Archive. Level: Intermediate Advanced. Length: 62 minutes.
• Culturally Responsive Engagement and Partnership. Year Developed: 2021. Source:  Administration for Children and Families. Presenter(s): Alan Rabideau, Madison Sandoval-Lunn, Krystal Seruya. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 32 minutes.
• Intercultural Communication. Year Developed: 2020. Source: University of Missouri. Presenter(s): Steve Klien. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 26 minutes.
• Cultural Distance and Societal Factors. Year Developed: 2023 Source: North Dakota Public Health Training Network. Presenter(s): Dr. Terry Dwelle. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 45 minutes.
• Culture, Language, and Health Literacy. Year Developed: 2020. Source: Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). Presenter(s): Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). Type: Video. Level: Introductory. Length: 5 minutes.
• Amplifying Lived Experiences and Frontline Findings to Foster an Inclusive Healthcare Environment. Year Developed: 2023. Source: Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services of the Health and Human Services Bureau (CMSHHS). Presenter(s): Denise Hoffman, Laura Erickson, Kentrell Liddell, Lindsey Galli, Naomi Williams, Hoangmai H. Pham, and Teal Benevides. Type: Conference Presentation. Level: Introductory. Length: 58 minutes.
• Intercultural Communication. Year Developed: 2020. Source: University of Missouri. Presenter: Steve Klien. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 26 minutes.
• Cultural Identity, Power, and Privilege. Year Developed: 2020. Source: University of Missouri. Presenter: Steve Klien. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 39 minutes.
• Leveraging Feedback in Community Engagement. Year Developed: 2019. Source: Switchboard TA. Presenter(s): Brianne Casey, and Rebecca Mulqueen. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 60 minutes.
• Intro to Continuous Quality Improvement. Year Developed: 2020. Source: Community Action Partnership. Presenter(s): Barbara Mooney, and Courtney Kohler. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 30 minutes.