Cultural awareness is derived from the knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of diverse cultural views. It is informed by (a) a critical awareness of one's own cultural worldview, (b) an attitude of openness towards cultural differences, (c) an ongoing appreciation of different cultural practices and worldviews, and (d) the development of cross-cultural skills to address the challenges faced by those whose perspectives may have been underappreciated or unrecognized.

Cultural competency is cultural awareness in action, and results in an ability to fashion mission-critical strategies incorporating information gained by listening, understanding, communicating with, and effectively interacting among, stakeholders across cultures and interests. It is the means by which we develop and nurture the relationships needed for success based on authentic dialogue and meaningful interactions.

In the pursuit of the mission of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, we will solicit, acknowledge, and incorporate the views and aspirations of members of diverse groups, including those that historically have been marginalized and underrepresented in our communities and in the legal system. In order to effectively advance the mission of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, we acknowledge and affirm that cultural awareness and cultural competency foster the value of inclusiveness that is critical to an understanding of the needs and competencies of our staff, interns, fellows, trustees, grantees, and the clients they serve.

We commit to making cultural awareness and cultural competency integral, permanent, and evolving components of our values and practices in achieving the Massachusetts Bar Foundation’s goals of equity, diversity, and inclusion and in our efforts to support the administration of fair and equal justice throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Approved: 9/21/21