The Ties That Bind : Effective Racial/Ethnic Minority Communities as Models of Peaceful Coexistence / Robbie J. Steward.

Although counseling literature addresses within-group diversity among racial/ethnic groups in this country, seldom do studies examine the interpersonal dynamics within communities where minorities have fostered interdependence, cooperation, and acceptance of diversity among themselves. This paper presents an overview of some critical factors which contribute to within-group diversity among racial/ethnic minorities and then discusses the means through which individuals facilitate and maintain peace within these communities. Some of the critical factors assessed here include external factors, such as social attitudes, and internal factors, like racial identity, world views, and the locus of responsibility. While the media highlight the social ills in some racial/ethnic communities, group members in many more communities maintain the tradition of "transcultural caring" in which members work together to provide various means of support for the community. Active measures such as sports contests, pageants, and talent shows in conjunction with an emphasis on the ties that bind the community together iterate the three primary components of the transcultural caring model: (1) preservation of others; (2) accommodation of others; and (3) open exchange of ideas, opinions, and attitudes as an avenue toward increasing awareness of self and others. All of these components facilitate peaceful coexistence. (RJM)

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