R.E.A.C.H.: Addressing Disparities in Minority Communities

The Project

Living and working in a community that represents a rich tapestry of culture is part of what makes us proud to be from El Paso. As such, combatting social bias and helping to address disparities in minority communities is an initiative we take to heart. So when R.E.A.C.H. (Resilience, Education, Action, Commitment, and Humanity), a local non-profit funded by the Department of Homeland Security, contacted CultureSpan about help with messaging that would benefit our community, we were ready to assist.

The R.E.A.C.H. initiative’s focus is to foster a safer, more informed community. Their project revolves around raising awareness of educational disengagement, which is defined as disengagement from proactive classroom learning, often associated with situational threats to feelings of competence, self-determination, and self-worth. This can often manifest itself in minority communities where implicit bias and unconscious prejudice impacts minority students. Unfortunately, it can lead to acting out in class, dropping out of school, and in some extreme cases, running into trouble with law enforcement. Shining a light on this subject was very eye opening for our team, especially as we operate in a community that is well over 80% Hispanic.

The Approach

During discussions with our client, it became very clear to us that this concept merits a deeper explanation. Our proposal was to develop a video that showcased two timelines each with a different outcome. The first consisted of three students varying in age who are experiencing educational disengagement. Scenarios included a child acting out in class for attention to a young male being arrested by school campus police. Then to display how educational disengagement can be prevented with social awareness and systemic change, we presented an alternate timeline, showcasing engaged teachers, personalized attention and a community of care. This juxtaposition of outcomes helped to visually underscore how social issues like educational disengagement can negatively impact the future of our youth.

The Outcome

Our client was very appreciative of the way we handled this often sensitive subject, and found immediate use for the video in their presentations and event opportunities. Dealing with social causes and public well-being has been a focus of our work for years. If you’d like help creatively contextualizing the work of your initiative, we would be happy to help.

If you’d like help creatively contextualizing the work of your initiative, get in touch with us at info@CultureSpanMarketing.com to get started today.