This document is meant to inspire program innovation and a deeper commitment by service providers, policy makers and funders to building culturally proficient organizations capable of delivering quality services to diverse communities. "Through this publication, Alianza seeks to foster greater dialogue about the benefits of developing culturally proficient programs. Section One provides an overview of changing U.S. demographics, immigration trends and a snapshot of the many contributions of Latinas/os to the U.S. economy. Section Two examines the prerequisites to cross cultural understanding, exploring the concepts of culture, ethnocentrism, racism, cultural proficiency and human rights, among others." "Section Three provides a summary of Latino cultural values and the interplay of various forms of oppression in the lives of Latinos/as. In Section Four, the multiple, complex barriers to accessing services encountered by Latinas/os are examined, including those barriers specifically encountered by immigrant Latinas who are battered. Section Five highlights some of the promising practices for addressing domestic violence in a culturally proficient manner including innovative community based programs, batterers' programs and coalition models, among others." "Section Six provides recommendations for service providers, policy makers and funders about ways to build culturally proficient programs and organizations. Finally, an extensive listing of resources is offered in the Appendix Section of this document to help organizations build their cultural proficiency capacity."
General Material
