The vast majority of youth development research takes place in minority world cultural contexts. To understand and nurture the optimal development of young people living in majority world countries, cross-cultural research teams are uniquely suited to conduct careful and culturally sensitive research in these settings. However, this is difficult.…

As teachers in the US context, we have spent precious little time considering what it would mean to be prepared and ready for Black children. In such readiness, (re)cognition of the spirit and spirituality of Black people would be central in understanding and preparing for our children and families. This article asks the question: What would it…

Given the clarion call for culturally relevant and sustaining practices, it is often assumed that Black women have a deep well of knowledge about Black history and culture to draw from. However, given that today's Black teachers were mostly educated post-integration, they were rarely afforded accurate representations and cultural knowledge of…

The purpose of this study is to examine the lived experiences of 18 African American women who went to Kenya, East Africa as part of a Cultural Reconnection delegation. A qualitative narrative inquiry method was used for data collection. This was an optimal approach to honoring the authentic voices of African American women. Eighteen African…

This study presents findings from a case study of 18 second- and 1.5-generation West African immigrants. We draw upon notions of elusive culture and indigenous knowledges to highlight participants' complex cultural identities and respond to anti-immigration discourses through positioning West African immigrant students as assets in American…

As Professor Michael Bamidele Adeyemi of the University of Botswana suggests, "Americans believe that Africa is a country, that Africa is "still uncivilized," that the average African is polygamous, and that Africa is not urbanized." In fact, the African continent encompasses a diverse set of more than 50 nations, each made up…

This study examines the reflections of preservice teachers in relation to their experiential knowledge gained through active learning of African American culture and their perceptions and beliefs concerning the home life of these students and their lives in the community. This action research study presents the results of a qualitative analysis of…

In U.S. schools, African American students are typically fed steady diets of stereotypical and culturally invasive literature and often do not see themselves positively and consistently represented in books. The crisis is fueled, in part, by teachers who (for various reasons) do not include and draw upon counter-narratives in their classrooms.…

The Kaffa ceremony is a unique, culturally appropriate, group counseling intervention for female East African refugees. A counseling group is described in which the Kaffa ceremony was instrumental in helping to bridge the gap between Western counseling and East African culture, providing a context for the group members to resolve long-held trauma.…

Presents an exploratory examination of the causes of social distance characterizing the association between Africans and African Americans. African American's perceptions about Africa and Africans are assessed through anecdotes and impressions, and thoughts and criticisms of Africans about African Americans are considered. A social science…

American culture stems from a multitude of the diverse perspectives, customs, and habits of the vast groups that have made the United States their home. This nation's complexity of diverse cultures and its ability to strive for common values seem almost over-whelming. Nonetheless, from the cultures of many, one culture can emerge. Through sharing…