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Applause to ASHA President Dolores Battle for writing such a bold and thoughtful piece about what it means to be culturally diverse in our world.
Dr. Battle's words give us all the permission, and the pride, to proclaim and celebrate our individual differences, lifestyles, upbringings, and life experiences. For example, I am a male speech-language pathologist working in a New Hampshire high school-who received speech therapy in kindergarten and first grade; whose caseload consists of students who are challenged by drug addiction, eroding levels of self-confidence, and significant language disabilities; whose daughter received early intervention services for motoric and sensory integration issues; whose great-grandparents hail from Ireland, Syria, and Sweden; who used to get teased on the school bus in middle and high school; who knows what it's like to grow up with an alcoholic parent; who loves to write and read the works of Barbara Kingsolver, Richard Wright, and, heaven forbid, John Steinbeck; and who loves to watch "The Simpsons," Italian cooking shows, and figure skating.
This article by Dr. Battle should encourage us all to treat our clients as individuals with unique life stories, varied interests, personal triumphs, and, in some cases, innumerable hardships.
And to think the U.S. Census simply thinks of me as a middle-class white male.
Jon Clancy
Henniker, NH
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