College Connection | Summer 2025
Overcoming barriers when building cultural competency
College Connection | Summer 2025
Overcoming barriers when building cultural competency
Let’ s be real: Starting your career is filled with ups and downs. You’ re trying to prove you’ ve got what it takes, you’ re navigating the rules, you’ re meeting people who are already established, and you’ re influencing workplace culture.
Now imagine the extra layer of trying to show up authentically in places that do not always respect you or see you for who you are. That is a real experience for many people from historically excluded communities. Racialized people, and others often have the additional burden of navigating the consequences of workplaces that lack cultural competency.
Cultural humility and cultural competency are intricately connected. Think of cultural humility as knowing every road is different and staying alert behind the wheel. Cultural competency is then learning the rules of the road, traffic signs and how to navigate in different conditions. One keeps you aware and open; the other gives you the skills to approach with confidence.
Limited exposure to other lived realities
Even if you have experienced what it means to move in the world differently, you don’ t always know what that experience may feel like for someone else. You may have lived in communities with people who looked like you, and shared your beliefs or struggles, but this did not reflect the spectrum of people and identities in our world. This can make it hard to understand and make space for perspectives that differ from our own.
How to move through it
• Participate in discussions that centre historically excluded people.
• Respect and believe the experiences that people share.
Nobody taught you
Many folks did not grow up learning about cultural humility, cultural competency, identity, discrimination, or power dynamics.
How to move through it:
• Be intentional in learning about other cultures and communities.
• Do your research to learn more about cultures and communities that you are not familiar with.
Avoiding discomfort or guilt
Conversations about race, culture or identity can feel uncomfortable, which can lead you to avoid engaging with issues of discrimination.
How to move through it:
• Learn to tolerate tension. Growth doesn’ t always feel comfy.
• Get honest about your reactions. When you feel yourself shutting down or getting defensive, ask: What am I protecting right now? My ego? My comfort?
Unchecked unconscious bias
Unconscious bias shows up in subtle, sneaky ways: it impacts who you see as reliable, competent, honest, trustworthy, and who you are comfortable mentoring and being mentored by. Unconscious bias can impact who you hire, which colleagues you build a connection with, how you treat clients, and even whose concerns you take seriously.
How to move through it:
• Ignoring bias is harmful. Tools like the Harvard Implicit Association Test can help you uncover your bias, but deep and consistent reflection is where work happens.
• Interrupt habits as they happen. Did you just talk over someone? Did you ignore someone? Ask yourself why.
Confusing diversity with cultural competency
Having a diverse workforce or clientele doesn’ t tell us if it is an inclusive, equitable or culturally competent workplace. Representation alone should not be mistaken for progress.
How to move through it:
• Build habits now. Early career is the best time to build anti-racism practices in your everyday actions.
• Don’ t let visible diversity trick you into thinking the work is done.
Overall, cultural competency isn’ t a destination; it is a daily practice and way of life. The systems you are stepping into weren’ t likely built with equity and cultural competency in mind. You can either follow the status quo or be a part of the shift. Start with small steps, but start authentically. Don’ t wait for a title or someone else to be a part of the change.
Article prepared by Malissa Bryan, M. A, PhD student, of Rainbow Diversity Institute. RDI develops comprehensive diversity training strategies.
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