School Culture & Climate | Education & Resources

As the Tempe community becomes increasingly diverse the school community will be impacted. This will result in diverse cultures coming together and necessitating a mutual understanding of unique cultural characteristics. From time to time educators will require the expertise of “cultural brokers” in helping them, parents/guardians, students, and residents build a sense of community.

Cultural brokering is defined as the act of bridging, linking, or mediating between groups or persons of different cultural backgrounds for the purpose of reducing conflict and producing both beneficial and effective change. A cultural broker, with knowledge of a specific culture, acts as a go-between or liaison, or someone who advocates on behalf of another individual or group.

Cultural brokers facilitate cultural competency by facilitating an awareness of one's own cultural worldview, promoting positive attitudes towards cultural differences, creating forums to increase knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews, and fostering cross-cultural skills. These individuals help the district in recognizing that “all people are of worth and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.” (Tempe Union High School District, Core Values.)

• Pakistan Information and Cultural Organization, INC.
  http://www.pakistaninformation.org/?page_id=13
• OCA Asian Pacific Americans greater Phoenix Chapter
  http://www.ocaphoenix.org/
• Somali American United Council of Arizona
  http://www.somaliunitedcouncil.org/
• Iraqi American Society
  http://iaspf.org
• American Muslim Women’s Association
  http://www.amwaaz.org/
• Welcome to America Project
  https://www.wtap.org/
• Arizona Immigrant and Refugee Services
  http://airsaz.org/
• Arizona State University - Immigration Clinic
  http://www.law.asu.edu
• Catholic Charities Community Services of Phoenix - Familias Unidas
  https://www.catholiccharitiesaz.org
• International Rescue Committee
  https://www.rescue.org/united-states/phoenix-az
• Matthew House: https://matthewhouseaz.org/contact
• Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program | Arizona Department of Economic Security - website
• Refugee Children in U.S. Schools: A Toolkit for Teachers and School Personnel
  https://brycs.org/toolkit/refugee-children-in-u-s-schools-a-toolkit-for-teachers-and-school-personnel/
• Resources for Supporting and Educating Migrant Refugee Children
  http://www.nea.org/home/61723.htm
• Guidance for Teachers and Educators
  http://nctsn.org/trauma.../refugee-trauma/guidance-teachers
• Immigrant and Refugee Children: A Guide for Educators and School Support Staff
  https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2017/immigrant-and-refugee-children-a-guide-for-educators-and-school-support-staff
• Educational Resources for Immigrants, Refugees, Asylees and other New Americans
  https://www.ed.gov/teaching-and-administration/supporting-students/educational-resources-for-immigrants-refugees-asylees-and-other-new-americans
• Immigrant and Refugee Information/Resources - webpage

• National Education Association: http://www.nea.org/ 
• The National Association for Multicultural Education. Advancing and Advocating for Social Justice & Equity: https://nameorg.org/ 
• Anti-Defamation League: https://www.adl.org/
• ED Change:  http://www.edchange.org/
• Engaging Schools:  http://engagingschools.org/
• The Equity Alliance at Arizona State University: http://www.equityallianceatasu.org/
• Gay Lesbian Education Network (GLSEN): https://www.glsen.org/ 
• National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE): http://www.nabe.org/
• National Association for Ethnic Studies: http://ethnicstudies.org/
• National Coalition For Women and Girls in Education: http://www.ncwge.org/
• International Multicultural Institute: http://imciglobal.org/
• Rethinking Schools: https://www.rethinkingschools.org/
• Southern Poverty Law Center: Teaching Tolerance: https://www.tolerance.org/ 
• Teaching for Change: http://www.teachingforchange.org/
• American School Counselor Association: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/
• National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE): http://www.nabse.org/
• National Hispanic Education Coalition: http://www.maldef.org/education/public_policy/hec/index.html
• National Indian Education Association: http://www.niea.org/   TUHSD's Indian Education Program
• Asian American Coalition for Education: http://asianamericanforeducation.org/en/home/