In the March 18 issue of The ASHA Leader, I was surprised to see a letter from Paul Imbert that perfectly demonstrated the need for enhanced multicultural education within our profession. Mr. Imbert claimed that ASHA's support of diversity in racial/cultural heritage and sexual orientation is divisive, inappropriate, and irrelevant to therapeutic practice.
It has been my experience that choosing functional goals and therapeutic tasks that are relevant to the patient's life experience, and which include the active participation of his/her partner, result in increased motivation, improved follow-through with home practice, and much more successful functional outcomes. To achieve this, the SLP must have at least a passing familiarity with and modicum of appreciation for the cultural heritage and affectional orientation of the patient. Lack of respect for these fundamental aspects of our patients' lives can only be counterproductive for anyone who claims to be committed to serving as an agent of change for people with communicative or cognitive impairments.
Multicultural competency is not about ignoring our differences. It is about recognizing those differences without fear, and appreciating them for the ways in which they enrich our shared human experience. And for those of us who wish to be ethical, effective speech-language pathologists, it is absolutely essential. I urge ASHA to continue its support for multicultural education.
Brian E. Petty
Madison, WI
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