MULT1015: Examining Cultural Competency & Ethics in BLM Protests

This report examines the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, highlighting the background of the conflict, perceptions of participants, and the influence of culture. It discusses the importance of cultural competency in understanding and working with protesters, emphasizing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness. The report also addresses the American Psychological Association (APA) code of ethics, focusing on principles such as integrity, justice, and respect for people's rights and dignity, particularly in the context of psychologists working with protesters. It concludes that the BLM movement has become a global phenomenon, underscoring the need for cultural competency and ethical considerations in addressing issues of racial inequality and social justice.

MULT1015

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Background of the conflict and the perception of the participants..............................................1
Cultural influence and cultural competency................................................................................2
Profession and relevant code of conduct ....................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
This report will discuss about the conflict situation which is black lives matters protests which
has held during pandemic. Further it will discuss professional cultural competencies and also the
APA code of ethics.
MAIN BODY
Background of the conflict and the perception of the participants
Black lives matter conflicts is running from many years in the worldwide especially in US. In
this conflict there has been discrimination done between black and white (Jean, 2020.). Black
have not given rights which white people are enjoying. Black were also not treated equally when
compared with white. White people are considered as superior and black people are not given
any respect in the society. There were many time when the life of black ha kept on stake. So it
can be said that life of black do not matters. The level of racism which black people were facing
was not new as they are facing this thing from centuries. In the meanwhile of the covid
pandemic, George Floyd murder has been witnessed by everyone. That man who is murdered
has to face police brutality. After this murder has took place in the covid pandemic has attracted
the attention of people worldwide. People on various social media platforms have started
protesting against police and this incident.
There are many celebrities which came forward in the support of black people (Hargons and
et.al., 2017). Despite of the social distancing protocols it has seen that there were many people
which came on the street and protest for this thing. After the death of George the topic of racism
has spread in few hours. People have started taking it seriously and supported black people
because their lives matters. They also have the right to live because they are also human being.
Inequality for black people is their in every field whether it is healthcare, education, housing,
employment etc. there has been psychological stress which is causing stroke and ageing. Stress
is the severe thing and it also gives bad effect on the mental health of the people. Social change
is expanded beyond health care (Solomon and Martin, 2019).
Equality is the right of every people so that is why discrimination is very bad and must not be
tolerated. So government should have take strict action so that such discrimination should be
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removed from the society. If talking about the protest and the protesters then they have taken
precautions of covid 19 (Diverlus, 2018). they know the seriousness of this virus and while
doing protest all the protestors wore masks all the time and also they are using sanitizer time to
time. People while doing the protest are also advised to maintain social distancing so that people
can not get infection from other people. It is also advised that those people who are sick should
have stayed at home only and can participate in the protest virtually. Protesters are serious about
covid 19 and also sees that as a health problem but they also think that raising their voice against
covid 19 is equally important.
Cultural influence and cultural competency
when working with the protestor which belongs from the protesting group is something different
because you will get idea about the complete topic on which protest was started and will run
(Coombs and Cassilo, 2017). Cultural competency is the process through which an individual
interact, develop, work and also people build effective relations within the people which are
working who belongs from different backgrounds. People which belongs from different cultural
backgrounds have different values, beliefs, customers, traditions etc. four components of culture
competency are knowledge, skills, attitudes and awareness. There are many people which are
quite partial when it comes to their culture and beliefs. So that is why it is important that at the
workplace their should prevail diversity related values.
Culture related stereotypes should be broke so that all the people should be treated equally at
their workplace. Attitude of the people also impact this. Some people have attitude that they will
not maintain any relations with black people and such thinking increases the need of protest
(Clayton, 2018). The more knowledge people have about the culture of others the more they
gain knowledge of others culture. Culture have great impact on problem solving, leadership style
etc. having proper cultural knowledge will be helpful in communicating easily between cross
cultural interactions. In the healthy workplace environment it is important that every individual
communicate with each other. If employees in the organisation have proper and complete
knowledge of the culture also but then also that will not be helpful if they do not have skills to
manage it effectively. In order to avoid cultural competency there is possibility that skills related
to cultural competency should have develop (Cole, 2020). Cultural competency is required
because in the daily life people work with people which belongs to different culture. So in order
to avoid cultural differences and maintain harmony it is important to know each other's culture.
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Culture competence plays important role in building healthy relationships. By developing
cultural competency helps in building respect, empathy, behaviour etc.
in order to work with the people who are protesters it is important to increase self awareness. In
order to gain awareness it is important to increase self awareness and along with that self
critique must also be done. Opportunities will be recognised only if people or employees will
start respecting diverse groups. Company can able to attain objectives only if they will work
with the diverse group in the company. Although to come out from set bias is not easy and to
remove the lens of culture, race, belief, caste, gender etc is also not easy. Professional education
will be helpful to know about the cultural sensitivity.
There are many information and resources are available in regards of diversity which can
provide culture knowledge. An individual can read different books or listen to podcasts and also
motivate them so that cultural awareness can be enhanced with the help of education.
Companies which support diversity and increase cultural competency then they tend to attract
more people or talent candidates towards their organisation (Kowalewski, 2020). People will
attract towards the organisation because every employee wanted to work in such company which
focus on equality and diversity.
Profession and relevant code of conduct
APA (American psychological association) code of ethics if given to the psychologist which
should be used by them to carry their practice, education and research. The principles are revised
as per apa. If APA guidelines and rules are violated by any psychologist can their license can get
cancelled and they will get terminated from the APA membership. This ethical code of conduct
contains five principle which are integrity, this principle motivates all the psychologist to carry
their practice in honest and transparent manner. Dishonesty and discrimination is not allowed.
The work of psychologist is to prevail justice so that is why they should not have engage in any
of the injustice. The principle of APA is generally related to to the rights and dignity of the
people. They focus on maintaining confidentiality and privacy. Psychologist should have
respect to the right of the people and should have never indulge in any of the personal bias.
Respect and dignity is the right of everyone so that is why it would not get violated in any
manner. As a psychologist working with protesters are not easy because you have to understand
their view point (Matter, 2020). They should have not feel that they are not treated equally. If
talking about black lives matter then this protest is not limited to any specific country but this
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have became the protest of entire world. As the number of protesters in this protest is increasing
continuously.
CONCLUSION
Through this report it can be concluded that the protect black lives matter has became the global
protest and this thing have started after a person who is black is murdered by police brutally.
People have came on street despite on coronavirus. They have also get support from worldwide
and big celebrities have also started supporting protesters. While doing protests at the time of
pandemic protesters has kept in mind about all the covid 19 protocols. Cultural competency is
also important to maintain because it encourages workforce diversity. If company will equally
treat everyone then it attract lost of new talent. Report has also discussed about the APA code of
ethics. It is the guideline which is laid for psychologist and they have to follow it while doing
their practice etc.
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REFERENCE
Books and Journals
Clayton, D.M., 2018. Black lives matter and the civil rights movement: A comparative analysis
of two social movements in the United States. Journal of Black Studies, 49(5), pp.448-
480.
Cole, G., 2020. Types of white identification and attitudes about Black lives matter. Social
Science Quarterly, 101(4), pp.1627-1633.
Coombs, D.S. and Cassilo, D., 2017. Athletes and/or activists: LeBron James and Black lives
matter. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 41(5), pp.425-444.
Diverlus, R., 2018. Black Lives Matter Toronto: Urgency as Choreographic Necessity. Canadian
Theatre Review, 176, pp.62-68.
Hargons and et.al., 2017. Black lives matter: A call to action for counseling psychology
leaders. The Counseling Psychologist, 45(6), pp.873-901.
Jean, T., 2020. Black lives matter: police brutality in the era of COVID-19. NC Med J, 81,
pp.137-140.
Kowalewski, M., 2020. Street protests in times of COVID-19: adjusting tactics and marching ‘as
usual’. Social Movement Studies, pp.1-8.
Matter, B.L., 2020. About black lives matter. Retrieved June, 11, p.2020.
Solomon, J. and Martin, A., 2019. Competitive victimhood as a lens to reconciliation: An
analysis of the black lives matter and blue lives matter movements. Conflict Resolution
Quarterly, 37(1), pp.7-31.
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