Cultural Brokers

To shop for a new home, you count on a knowledgeable real estate broker.  To increase your net worth, you consult with a certified financial planner.  And to whom do you turn to help you navigate in the brave new world of multiculturalism?  A cultural broker.

In the healthcare field, for example, a good cultural broker isn't knowledgeable only about the health, values, beliefs and practices of their own cultural group, but she's also knowledgeable about the healthcare system they have learned to effectively navigate.  For a nonprofit, a cultural broker can serve as a communicator or liaison between the patient/consumer and the service provider.

A competent cultural broker isn't necessarily expensive or even hard to find.  According to the National Center for Cultural Competence, there are many potential cultural brokers in your organization and community to whom you can turn to for free advice.  Some examples:

The University of Arizona's Linda Larkey recommends developing relationships with a few cultural brokers whom you can turn to for advice, such as before important meetings or presentations.  "Never hesitate to ask for feedback in a private situation or private context," she advises.  Even the savviest nonprofit manager can accidentally commit a cultural taboo.  Worse yet, they can commit it in front of a crowd.