[Music] [Applause]
when you see me on this stage who do you
when you see me on this stage who do you think I am why do you think that and
think I am why do you think that and
think I am why do you think that and what does this say about you I’m
what does this say about you I’m
what does this say about you I’m guessing that several ideas may have
guessing that several ideas may have
guessing that several ideas may have entered your consciousness when you
entered your consciousness when you
entered your consciousness when you gazed upon me let me play with a few of
gazed upon me let me play with a few of
gazed upon me let me play with a few of the concepts I have heard while I’ve
the concepts I have heard while I’ve
the concepts I have heard while I’ve talked to people while wearing this robe
talked to people while wearing this robe
talked to people while wearing this robe Muslim woman uneducated oppressed
Muslim woman uneducated oppressed
Muslim woman uneducated oppressed submissive scary threatening terrorist
submissive scary threatening terrorist
submissive scary threatening terrorist Isis non-english speaker foreigner
Isis non-english speaker foreigner
Isis non-english speaker foreigner sexual saber these for a moment while I
sexual saber these for a moment while I
sexual saber these for a moment while I tell you a story a tale really a tale of
tell you a story a tale really a tale of
tell you a story a tale really a tale of two robes this tale will illustrate the
two robes this tale will illustrate the
two robes this tale will illustrate the concept of cultural humility it was
concept of cultural humility it was
concept of cultural humility it was about three years ago today that my
about three years ago today that my
about three years ago today that my friend and I got dressed up in our
friend and I got dressed up in our
friend and I got dressed up in our burkas and veils and headed to a popular
burkas and veils and headed to a popular
burkas and veils and headed to a popular restaurant to the local shopping mall
restaurant to the local shopping mall
restaurant to the local shopping mall when we got out of the car and into the
when we got out of the car and into the
when we got out of the car and into the place the crowd parted like Moses parted
place the crowd parted like Moses parted
place the crowd parted like Moses parted the Red Sea I found myself in one of the
the Red Sea I found myself in one of the
the Red Sea I found myself in one of the most socially awkward and stressful
most socially awkward and stressful
most socially awkward and stressful situations of my personal life while we
situations of my personal life while we
situations of my personal life while we were waiting for the table we were a
were waiting for the table we were a
were waiting for the table we were a seated at that point the server
seated at that point the server
seated at that point the server approached us was visibly upset and
approached us was visibly upset and
approached us was visibly upset and began to cry
began to cry
began to cry I wondered how could I comfort her and
I wondered how could I comfort her and
I wondered how could I comfort her and why was she moved to tears I told her
why was she moved to tears I told her
why was she moved to tears I told her she would be okay I mean what could I
she would be okay I mean what could I
she would be okay I mean what could I say
say
say there’s not a bomb strapped to me we
there’s not a bomb strapped to me we
there’s not a bomb strapped to me we ordered during our lunch three pairs of
ordered during our lunch three pairs of
ordered during our lunch three pairs of white middle-class women refused the
white middle-class women refused the
white middle-class women refused the only open table next to us interesting I
only open table next to us interesting I
only open table next to us interesting I thought they won’t even sit by us after
thought they won’t even sit by us after
thought they won’t even sit by us after lunch we decided to take a stroll around
lunch we decided to take a stroll around
lunch we decided to take a stroll around the mall during this excursion a two to
the mall during this excursion a two to
the mall during this excursion a two to three year old child saws screamed and
three year old child saws screamed and
three year old child saws screamed and ran back to his mother’s loving arms a
ran back to his mother’s loving arms a
ran back to his mother’s loving arms a group of five people who were talking
group of five people who were talking
group of five people who were talking amongst themselves stopped turned toward
amongst themselves stopped turned toward
amongst themselves stopped turned toward us balled up their fists and stared us
us balled up their fists and stared us
us balled up their fists and stared us down I was scared but the most
down I was scared but the most
down I was scared but the most distressing thing of all was when two
distressing thing of all was when two
distressing thing of all was when two men gave us the most lurid sexual gaze I
men gave us the most lurid sexual gaze I
men gave us the most lurid sexual gaze I had ever seen in my life I was shocked I
had ever seen in my life I was shocked I
had ever seen in my life I was shocked I asked my friend what the hell was that
asked my friend what the hell was that
asked my friend what the hell was that she said ah they were just fantasizing
she said ah they were just fantasizing
she said ah they were just fantasizing I’m not kidding fantasizing the history
I’m not kidding fantasizing the history
I’m not kidding fantasizing the history of this robe goes back millennia and is
of this robe goes back millennia and is
of this robe goes back millennia and is worn as an act of pious modesty toward
worn as an act of pious modesty toward
worn as an act of pious modesty toward God in many countries around the world
God in many countries around the world
God in many countries around the world wearing the burka in veils is socially
wearing the burka in veils is socially
wearing the burka in veils is socially normative and the women I have met who
normative and the women I have met who
normative and the women I have met who wear these veils are confident
wear these veils are confident
wear these veils are confident intelligent goal-oriented educating
intelligent goal-oriented educating
intelligent goal-oriented educating powerful engaging and funny this robe
powerful engaging and funny this robe
powerful engaging and funny this robe was a gift and one of the most
was a gift and one of the most
was a gift and one of the most significant gift of my lifetime it was
significant gift of my lifetime it was
significant gift of my lifetime it was given to me by my friend and mentor out
given to me by my friend and mentor out
given to me by my friend and mentor out of love and I wear it with the respect
of love and I wear it with the respect
of love and I wear it with the respect it deserves but I must say wearing this
it deserves but I must say wearing this
it deserves but I must say wearing this robe socially in America is extremely
robe socially in America is extremely
robe socially in America is extremely difficult the fabric is lightweight
difficult the fabric is lightweight
difficult the fabric is lightweight but the burden is heavy
I bet I know what you’re thinking now my
I bet I know what you’re thinking now my hair looks like look at me again
now when you see me on this stage who do
now when you see me on this stage who do you think I am I’m guessing that several
you think I am I’m guessing that several
you think I am I’m guessing that several ideas may have occurred to you when I
ideas may have occurred to you when I
ideas may have occurred to you when I took off my previous robe and presented
took off my previous robe and presented
took off my previous robe and presented myself in this one let me take a guess
myself in this one let me take a guess
myself in this one let me take a guess white blonde woman doctor professor
white blonde woman doctor professor
white blonde woman doctor professor educated employed determined and
educated employed determined and
educated employed determined and American this robe is my academic
American this robe is my academic
American this robe is my academic regalia that’s right I’m a professor of
regalia that’s right I’m a professor of
regalia that’s right I’m a professor of sociology and I work for the College of
sociology and I work for the College of
sociology and I work for the College of Business at the University of
Business at the University of
Business at the University of nevada-reno
nevada-reno
nevada-reno I graduated with my doctoral degree from
I graduated with my doctoral degree from
I graduated with my doctoral degree from the University of Las Vegas about 20
the University of Las Vegas about 20
the University of Las Vegas about 20 years ago this robe is heavy weight and
years ago this robe is heavy weight and
years ago this robe is heavy weight and is one I worked my butt off to earn it
is one I worked my butt off to earn it
is one I worked my butt off to earn it took me many years of hard work and
took me many years of hard work and
took me many years of hard work and determination to earn the privilege that
determination to earn the privilege that
determination to earn the privilege that comes with this robe when I wear this
comes with this robe when I wear this
comes with this robe when I wear this robe to commencement and other academic
robe to commencement and other academic
robe to commencement and other academic activities I am welcomed thanked and
activities I am welcomed thanked and
activities I am welcomed thanked and greeted I’m thanked for educating
greeted I’m thanked for educating
greeted I’m thanked for educating graduates the gazes I receive are
graduates the gazes I receive are
graduates the gazes I receive are accompanied with smiles and hands are
accompanied with smiles and hands are
accompanied with smiles and hands are outstretched in a gesture of kindness
outstretched in a gesture of kindness
outstretched in a gesture of kindness not balled up prepared to deliver a
not balled up prepared to deliver a
not balled up prepared to deliver a deathblow wearing this robe in American
deathblow wearing this robe in American
deathblow wearing this robe in American society is much much easier than wearing
society is much much easier than wearing
society is much much easier than wearing the previous robe of burkas and veils
the previous robe of burkas and veils
the previous robe of burkas and veils the history of this robe spans back to
the history of this robe spans back to
the history of this robe spans back to the 12th and 13th centuries and is
the 12th and 13th centuries and is
the 12th and 13th centuries and is evolved from a dress worn by religious
evolved from a dress worn by religious
evolved from a dress worn by religious clerics it is thought that the fabric is
clerics it is thought that the fabric is
clerics it is thought that the fabric is heavy weight to keep the clergy warm in
heavy weight to keep the clergy warm in
heavy weight to keep the clergy warm in cold dark buildings men historically
cold dark buildings men historically
cold dark buildings men historically wore these robes and still do but
wore these robes and still do but
wore these robes and still do but more and more women are earning doctoral
more and more women are earning doctoral
more and more women are earning doctoral degrees so wear these robes as well the
degrees so wear these robes as well the
degrees so wear these robes as well the robe is somewhat heavy and strangles my
robe is somewhat heavy and strangles my
robe is somewhat heavy and strangles my neck a bit but it’s much easier to wear
neck a bit but it’s much easier to wear
neck a bit but it’s much easier to wear and there is no burden the people I meet
and there is no burden the people I meet
and there is no burden the people I meet who wear this robe are also confident
who wear this robe are also confident
who wear this robe are also confident intelligent goal-oriented educated
intelligent goal-oriented educated
intelligent goal-oriented educated powerful engaging and funny
so my tale of two robes is really a
so my tale of two robes is really a story more about you than it is about me
story more about you than it is about me
story more about you than it is about me let me explain
let me explain
let me explain cultural humility requires all of us to
cultural humility requires all of us to
cultural humility requires all of us to become a student cultural humility is a
become a student cultural humility is a
become a student cultural humility is a process that is similar to the process
process that is similar to the process
process that is similar to the process that children incorporate when they
that children incorporate when they
that children incorporate when they learn something new in life it is open
learn something new in life it is open
learn something new in life it is open inquisitive and sincere to learning new
inquisitive and sincere to learning new
inquisitive and sincere to learning new knowledge that we didn’t have before it
knowledge that we didn’t have before it
knowledge that we didn’t have before it assumes little cultural competence on
assumes little cultural competence on
assumes little cultural competence on the other hand is the current prevailing
the other hand is the current prevailing
the other hand is the current prevailing paradigm when we engage one another
paradigm when we engage one another
paradigm when we engage one another through cultural competence we attend a
through cultural competence we attend a
through cultural competence we attend a workshop on culture so general it’s
workshop on culture so general it’s
workshop on culture so general it’s almost stereotypical and at the end we
almost stereotypical and at the end we
almost stereotypical and at the end we are given a certificate of completion
are given a certificate of completion
are given a certificate of completion and are deemed culturally competent I
and are deemed culturally competent I
and are deemed culturally competent I have taught hundreds of these workshops
have taught hundreds of these workshops
have taught hundreds of these workshops across our nation
across our nation
across our nation they include student learning objectives
they include student learning objectives
they include student learning objectives agendas case studies lectures and
agendas case studies lectures and
agendas case studies lectures and assessments this is a very white
assessments this is a very white
assessments this is a very white traditional American way of teaching
traditional American way of teaching
traditional American way of teaching people about culture cultural humility
people about culture cultural humility
people about culture cultural humility on the other hand is a richer more
on the other hand is a richer more
on the other hand is a richer more meaningful complex way to learn about
meaningful complex way to learn about
meaningful complex way to learn about culture it requires us to hold a humble
culture it requires us to hold a humble
culture it requires us to hold a humble posture to engage a mentor to have
posture to engage a mentor to have
posture to engage a mentor to have courageous conversations and to ask
courageous conversations and to ask
courageous conversations and to ask questions just like as child in my case
questions just like as child in my case
questions just like as child in my case cultural humility meant borrowing the
cultural humility meant borrowing the
cultural humility meant borrowing the robes of another a deeply stigmatized
robes of another a deeply stigmatized
robes of another a deeply stigmatized and misunderstood other in my very own
and misunderstood other in my very own
and misunderstood other in my very own culture the good old US of A and I must
culture the good old US of A and I must
culture the good old US of A and I must say I love this country so much but I
say I love this country so much but I
say I love this country so much but I really dislike the way we treat Muslim
really dislike the way we treat Muslim
really dislike the way we treat Muslim women
viewing my own culture beneath the robes
viewing my own culture beneath the robes of Islam has been a profound powerful in
of Islam has been a profound powerful in
of Islam has been a profound powerful in deeply insightful process that has not
deeply insightful process that has not
deeply insightful process that has not only taught me about Muslim women but it
only taught me about Muslim women but it
only taught me about Muslim women but it is taught me about Americans in social
is taught me about Americans in social
is taught me about Americans in social space so who you see on the stage now
space so who you see on the stage now
space so who you see on the stage now without either of my robes is really Who
without either of my robes is really Who
without either of my robes is really Who I am I’m just a white blond American
I am I’m just a white blond American
I am I’m just a white blond American woman with ancestors from Ireland the
woman with ancestors from Ireland the
woman with ancestors from Ireland the Czech Republic in Germany I am the
Czech Republic in Germany I am the
Czech Republic in Germany I am the mother of two beautiful girls aged 17
mother of two beautiful girls aged 17
mother of two beautiful girls aged 17 and 13 I am an author grant writer
and 13 I am an author grant writer
and 13 I am an author grant writer professor sociologist Catholic scuba
professor sociologist Catholic scuba
professor sociologist Catholic scuba diver scrapbooker friend sister and
diver scrapbooker friend sister and
diver scrapbooker friend sister and daughter and doing it all as a single
daughter and doing it all as a single
daughter and doing it all as a single woman
in my tale of two robes I hope you have
in my tale of two robes I hope you have discovered that my robes may or may not
discovered that my robes may or may not
discovered that my robes may or may not tell you who I really am more
tell you who I really am more
tell you who I really am more importantly they may tell you who you
importantly they may tell you who you
importantly they may tell you who you are and determine how you behave toward
are and determine how you behave toward
are and determine how you behave toward me
”
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