I, Adriel A. Hilton, a young Black professional at Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), wrote an op-ed in Diverse Issues in Higher Education, entitled “Are career paths of young Black professionals in higher education being impeded by implicit racism?” I concluded that the answer is yes.
Dr. Adriel A. Hilton
Referencing Professor Pearn Kandola’s article, How Micro-incivilities Can Impact Wellbeing, I outlined the various ways in which young Black professionals in higher education are affected. These include depression, burnout, poor work performance, and work-related stress.
I also asserted that I only see the problem of micro-civilities directed toward young Black professionals in higher education as a vicious cycle, with no one offering a clear solution—until now. My cowriter, Peter St. Jean, Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences & Professor of Sociology at North Park University, and I are suggesting training in High Impact Cultural Competency (HICC) (Vaughn, 2007) as a potential solution.
“We are under no illusion that micro-civility related problems will suddenly disappear with implementation of HICC,” states St. Jean. “We are, however, hopeful this recommendation is a positive step in the right direction toward some sort of awareness, understanding and resolution.”
Although a full discussion of HICC is beyond the scope of this opinion editorial, we begin with the working definition proposed by Billy Vaughn and the Diversity Officer Magazine: “…an ability to successfully negotiate cross-cultural differences in order to accomplish practical goals.” Vaughn and his colleagues identify HICC as having four major intertwined pillars: awareness, attitudes, knowledge, and skills. St. Jean adds, “What we like most about this model of cultural competence is that it departs from other approaches that seem to focus on awareness as the end goal.”
