Mohan Dutta: Culture-Centered Approach

When we began the partnership between the Indiana Minority Health Coalition, Lake County Minority Health Coalition, Minority Health Coalition of Marion County and Purdue University, we had two broad pictures in mind: (a) our partnership was focused on building health information capacities among African Americans in Lake and Marion Counties of Indiana, so that community members would have access to the health information they needed in addressing their heart health issues; and (b) our partnership began with the understanding that local community values, beliefs, and understandings ought to be centered in how problems and solutions came to be understood, implemented and evaluated. Now, as our culturally-centered heart health campaign wraps up the initial phase, I am struck by some key lessons regarding culturally-centered processes of social change, both in terms of research methodology as well as in terms of the development and evaluation of the campaign. The first lesson I have lea...

I sit here head sunk in shame in the knowing that my Hindu soul stands a silent witness In the murder of a muslim brother. You say he was a terrorist one that deserves to die So I should celebrate so you don't count me as a traitor to my Hindu state of birth. I sit here unable to argue unable to have a conversation with you Because I too am the majority that takes for granted my body my privilege my identity Like you, I am complicit in murder. I sit here and write a poem in my pain as I witness a muslim brother led to the gallows. Without evidence Without due process With questions left unanswered. I sit here because I know that's what happens when you are muslim in Hindu India. I sit here and hold my child in pain As I know somewhere in Kashmir A child, the child of a terrorist has no father to hug him and to protect. A child left by his father to be cared for by God.