Cultural Immersion

Cultural Immersion
Kierra Cephas
Wilmington University

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Identification
For this assignment, I chose to do my research on the Guatemalan population. Often
times, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Latinos are portrayed to be the same race when in actuality
there are some slight differences. Most cultural groups base their name off of the country that
they are from. A person born in Latin American would not refer to themselves as Puerto Ricans
and so forth. The descendants of the original inhabitants still prefer to identify themselves by the
names of their specific language dialects, which reflect political divisions from the sixteenth
century. (Every Culture, 2015) During the second half of the 20th century, Guatemala experienced
a mixture of military and civilian governments along with a 36-year guerilla war. As a result, in
1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the internal conflict. This left
more than 200,000 people dead and created about one million refugees. (World Factbook, 2015)
Location and Demographics
Guatemala is located in Central America and borders the North Pacific Ocean. The
country is located between Mexico and El Salvador and also borders the Gulf of Honduras. This
country is fairly poor. This entails from a lack of health services and development which leads to
an extremely high infant, child and maternal mortality. There is also a high rate of malnutrition,
literacy and contraceptive education. With that being said, this is what led Guatemala to have the
biggest population in Latin America. There is an extremely high birth rate and about half of the
population is under the age of nineteen. Guatemalans have a history of migrating (illegally and
legally) to and from Mexico, Canada and the United States. This is caused by the lack of
economic opportunity, political stability and natural disasters. The primary natural disaster that
occurs in Guatemala is the presence of violent volcanoes because their plains are made up of
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateaus. (World Factbook,
2015)
Stereotypes

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With every cultural group, there are known stereotypes that people adhere to and form
their own biases. Here are some of the most common stereotypes amongst the Guatemalan
population:

Guatemalans are short Mexicans

They are ex-Mayans so they are Indian
They wear colorful clothes
Scapegoated as new immigrants who overwhelm American and economic resources

Guatemalans face a great amount of stereotypical behaviors from not only Americans, but
from other cultural groups within the similar descent. According to the program manager of the
La Casita program offered at my placement agency, many of the discrepancies come about from
people of the same cultural groups. (i.e., Puerto Ricans or Mexicans) She states that it appears to
be a hierarchy that they go by whereas Puerto Ricans are on top then Mexicans and then
Guatemalans are on the bottom of the food chain. Although there is great diversity within and
among the different Central American and Latino groups, the American populace tends to
perceive them as one entity, and subjects Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Honduran,
Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto Rican Americans to the same stereotypes. (National Stereotypes,
2015)

What is La Casita?
Since we will be addressing La Casita in many instances throughout this paper, I will
explain what the program is and the services that they offer. La Casita outreach Center opened its

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doors in March of 1995, bridging the cultural and linguistic gap between the Hispanic population
and local businesses, service agencies and residents. After more than 18 years of service, La
Casita has become an integral part of this diverse community. Their goal is to build a support
system for the clients and to ensure that they have access to the resources that they need in order
to live a productive life.
Through a combination of useful and educational services, individuals can also be wellinformed, successful Delaware residents. The various services offered include: helping clients
set-up appointments (doctor/lawyer/transportation), completing applications/forms
(work/passport/rental or housing), notary services, taxpayer assistance, bill payment and job
searching. All services are free of charge. Individuals just have to have a photo ID, family
income verification and social security cards for all family members. It is essentially a program
for low-income families and individuals. Therefore, income limits do apply and verification must
be presented in order to qualify. No appointment necessary.
Immersion Experiences
El Norte
For this portion of the assignment, I re-watched a film called El Norte. I happened to
watch the same movie in my Spanish class back in high school. I specifically remembered the
details of the movie and the main characters who were brother and sister. They had to escape
from their village because their village was destroyed by a Guatemalan army. The movie depicts
how the brother (Enrique) and his sister (Rosa) fled from their village and worked hard to
immigrate to California. There were many instances of stereotyping in this film. Rosa and
Enrique are Guatemalans and travel through Mexico and try to act like they are Mexicans. They
failed to convince the Mexican driver (who was taking people to the border) that they were in
fact Mexican but with help of a coyote, he showed them a tunnel that led straight to the U.S
border of California.

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The worst scene of the movie is that Rosa and her brother travelled through this dark
tunnel and were attacked by rats. They were profusely bit up but made it through the tunnel. The
young siblings learned the struggles of living in the U.S. with no valid I.Ds or immigration
paperwork to avoid deportation. The siblings are able to find work but Rosa almost gets caught
by immigration she had to quit. In the end, Rosa dies because of a disease that she contracted
from the rat bites. Rosas final words basically summed up what a great deal of immigrants face
today. She states that in their own country, they want to kill them, in Mexico, only poverty exists
and in the United States, they are not accepted and she wonders when they will find home.
A Culture-Specific Event
On Sunday August 9, 2015, I was able to attend the annual Hispanic festival in Millsboro,
DE. Not only was I able to observe my surroundings but I was able to volunteer and be a part of
handing out First State brochures and watch them interact with people who approached the table.
When I arrived, the event had just begun an hour before and it was extremely busy and very
difficult to find parking. There were Mexican flags hanging, tons of vendors selling all types of
Mexican food, bounce houses, SO many different vendors including banks and non-profits,
music and lots of dancing. I observed a lot of things such as the way that people dress and
interact with one another. One thing that I noticed is that this culture really likes to dress up.
There were people walking around in suits, high heels and many of the children were dressed in
fancy dresses.
This culture really express themselves through music and dance. There were multiple
bands playing banjos and women and men dancing to the music. They were dressed in traditional
clothing and crowds gathered to watch. I really enjoyed myself at the festival and made sure to
eat at a vendor that was not from my own culture. The vendor I settled for was selling some
authentic Hispanic food and they were very pleasant. Overall, I enjoyed the festival and the
dancing.

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Accessing the Field Work Agency

The name of my placement agency is First State Community Action located at 308 N
Railroad Dr. Georgetown, DE 19947. First State is a large organization made up of all races,
backgrounds and cultures. A particular segment of First State is the La Casita program which is
what we will be focusing on for this assessment. The reason for that is because the agency serves
a multitude of their Guatemalan/Hispanics through that specific program. The La Casita
Outreach Center is located right around the corner from the main office of operations. La Casita
is located at 107 N. King St Georgetown, DE 19947.
Agencys Community
Simply walking around the agencys neighborhood, you can observe that there is a large
population of Hispanics. The agency is in the heart of an abundance of this population. For this
particular area, people used to say that this area of Georgetown is like riding through Mexico
(another stereotype). There are several homes and rustic buildings that have apartment numbers
on them. They are mainly occupied by this population. You observe Guatemalan children playing
in the street all day and parents walking to and from their destinations. There are even several
Hispanic stores on various street corners that are primarily used by this group of individuals. All
of these locations are within walking distance of both the main agency and the outreach center.
Access
Clients typically walk to get to the outreach center. There is really no need to use public
transportation or a vehicle because the proximity of the outreach center and agency are again
within walking distance. If you were to drive from the main office to the outreach center, you
would literally be in your vehicle for 1-2 minutes. If there are members of the program who do
not live within walking distance, they usually use the DART bus (public transportation). About
100 feet from the agency there is a bus stop; so clients can get right off the bus and walk to the
outreach center. The location of this agency could not have been more perfect to serve this
population because it is in the heart of the community.

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Receptivity
What I love most about this organization and the shaping of the La Casita program is that
in order for them to make their clients feel more comfortable, they placed this entire program in a
different facility. It is still all a part of First State but if you are dealing with certain cultural
groups, they may feel intimidated walking into a big building with lots of people. It would all be
new to them so they would be too scared to go in. So a small building was donated to the
organization by the town of Georgetown where they service these clients.
The La Casita Outreach center is much more relaxing than the actual First State agency. It
is small house that consists of two desks when you walk in (the receptionists are both bi-lingual)
and two separate offices off to the side for the program managers. On the walls there are world
maps and cultural themes. The agency felt that if they did not create a separate space to provide
services to this group of individuals, then they would not come in for help. The outreach center is
a much better approach and gives them a sense of feeling at home. All brochures and pamphlets
are translated in the Spanish language which is the primary language of this population. The
program manager indicated that about 80% of her clients are in fact Guatemalan.
Staff Sensitivity
For this section, I directed my questions to both the Human Resource director and the
program manager for the La Casita program. It is important to gain cultural sensitivity when
dealing with any culture separate from your own. In this line of work, remaining sensitive to all
clients regardless of their creed, color, background and/or culture is part of the job title. In my
observation over the past couple of months, I have never seen a member of the organization say
anything discriminatory towards each other or about a client. It is a very energetic and positive
atmosphere. Outlined in the employee handbook is a non-discrimination policy so it is
mandatory that all staff members abide by these policies and procedures. If violated, the

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employee could be terminated. Due to the nature of the work that the agency does, all staff
members are sensitive and respectful to all populations.
Administration and Staff Training
Many agencies vary in the provision of training in cultural sensitivity. At First State, all
populations are considered and treated equally. Staff members have developed the skills and
knowledge to be able to work with a diverse population. I have had the opportunity to meet
several people from different cultures, including some of the janitorial staff. There are a total of
five Hispanic speaking staff members who work in the main building. They are from different
programs but when presented with clients from the same culture, they are able to translate if
necessary. The agency also hires diversified populations through their various programs such as
La Casita and the Senior Employment program. Several members (4) of the janitorial and
maintenance staff are Hispanic or Guatemalan.
Members of the organization have to participate in mandatory webinars that address the
various ethics of cultural differences in the workplace. I had the chance to review a webinar that
was titled Cultural Diversity, and in that presentation it talked about working with people of
diverse populations in the workplace. So diversely speaking, yes the agency does employ
members of the various cultures including Guatemalans. As far as training courses and retreats, it
is presently not within the agencys budget.
Funding
With any non-profit organization, funding is an important aspect of being able to operate
programs. The funding for La Casita does allow for cultural variations even though it is not
necessarily needed. There are more than enough qualified individuals (including the program
manager who is Caucasian but speaks fluent Spanish) to complete different types of literature for
the agency. Therefore, all translations are done internally leaving no need for funds to be spent
on translating literature. All brochures, forms, signs and pamphlets are available in both English
and Spanish.

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Agency Programs and Services

Effort:
First State is a community action organization which means that they work closely with
all members of the community. They are actively involved in getting their community advocated
involved in their many functions that coincide with their mission and vision. As far as the La
Casita program, every three to five years the agency conducts a needs assessment for their
programs. Due to the fact that a needs assessment for a program can take years to conduct, the
agency conducts one and involves the community. Their last needs assessment for La Casita
involved a focus group of clients and all materials for the focus group was available in English
and Spanish. I was also advised that one the Board members is Guatemalan and is a Pastor who
serves actively in the community.
Quality:
Members of the community are involved in accessing the quality of the services that they
receive by filling out feedback surveys. The services offered do take into consideration the
cultural variations and barriers that this population faces which is why this service of offered
separate from the main office. It makes them feel more comfortable and its less intimidating.
The eligibility criterion is very sensitive because emergency services are offered and they do not
have to have an appointment to receive help. Most importantly, they do not have to provide proof
of citizenship. The agency enhances their services to this population by feeding them into any
other services that this program may not offer meaning La Casita is also seen as a referral
service. If the clients need is not offered by La Casita, they can be referred to case management
at First State or the food pantry and again all these services are available in their language.
Effectiveness:
Overall, we can say that this program is quite effective. Some clients come in every
single day and they constantly get new clients by word of mouth. The program has been around
since 1994 and it continues to grow each day. The clients are appreciative that they can receive

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services and assistance with things they do not understand and it is all free. Clients leave
donations themselves on a regular basis just to show their appreciation. At this present time,
there has been no instance where we can identify that there are unmet needs that members of the
population can identify.
Efficiency:
The agency coordinates very well and has built a name and rapport that everyone in the
community knows about First State. The agency partners with the school system, court and legal
police, medical systems, local businesses and La Esperanza. La Esperanza is a common referral
service utilized by La Casita and they provide more specific services such as immigration law,
prenatal education and victim services. This agency is also located in the heart of the community
and is a few blocks away from the outreach center.
NASW Standards for Cultural Competence
Of the ten cultural competencies outline in the NASW Standards for Cultural
Competence, I would say that the majors two that pertain to this population is: Standard 3 and
Standard 5. Standard 3 states that professionals shall have and continue to develop specialized
knowledge and understanding about the history, traditions, values, family systems, and artistic
expressions of major client groups that they serve and Standard 5 states that professionals shall
be knowledgeable about and skillful in the use of services available in the community and
broader society and be able to make appropriate referrals for their diverse clients. (NASW
Standards, 2001) The standards of knowing about the populations that you serve are vital to the
construction of your organization. Staff members should be knowledgeable about the history and
practices of the populations they are serving and First State has that competence. Furthermore, I
would say that they also are aware of the appropriate referrals that can be offered to their diverse
clients.
Personal Competencies

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Cultural competence is passed down from generation to generation. Children develop

their own identities but they are influenced by their family and their family values. I was raised
to accept people for who they are regardless of any aspect (of that person) that I do not agree
with. I now have a young child who is becoming aware of her surroundings and she is taught that
we are all the same regardless of our skin color or religious beliefs. In the Human Service field,
Standards 1 and 2 are very important. You have to understand that your ethical beliefs and
personal beliefs should not interfere with your profession.
Remaining unbiased and open-minded to all situations will help you along the way. You
can easily identify with your own customs and beliefs and get offended if someone says or does
something that you dont believe in. Well, flip that around and always put yourself in the other
persons shoes before judging or criticizing. Growing up in church and being taught to believe
one thing and seeing people doing the very things that you are taught not to do can be
overwhelming but we have to realize that society is constantly changing. The world around us is
constantly changing so we have to embrace it and learn to deal with those differences that we
will be in contact with, especially in Human Services.

References
Guatemala. (n.d.). Retrieved August 1, 2015, from http://www.everyculture.com/GeIt/Guatemala.html

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Guatemalan Stereotypes. (n.d.). Retrieved July 6, 2015, from

http://www.nationalstereotype.com/guatemalan-stereotypes/
NASW Standards for Cultural Competence. (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2015, from
https://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/NASWCulturalStandards.pdf
(n.d.). Retrieved August 6, 2015, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/gt.html

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