Culture is often defined as the shared values, traditions, norms, customs, art, history, folklore, and institutions of a group of people. It is not limited to race or ethnic group, language, or nationality, although these characteristics are significant; it can also be influenced by age or generation, gender, profession, or sexual orientation.
As members of a cultural group, individuals’ thoughts, actions, and beliefs are often influenced by the norms of their culture. Individuals can be part of more than one cultural group, and they often view the world through several different cultural perspectives as a result. When you understand culturally diverse perspectives, you will be better able to develop messages that are likely to reach your audiences and get them to move toward a specific action. The action could be calling a tipline, attending a Weed and Seed meeting, participating in a neighborhood revitalization project, or ceasing to commit gun or drug crimes in your Weed and Seed community.
When delivering a message, it is important to be sensitive to the cultural context in which it will be received as well as cultural nuances that can affect the way in which it is received. For example, instructions to contact a police tipline may go unheeded by recently immigrated members of the Asian community, because of the social and political conditions in the places from which they came, where police have served to suppress political discontent and to protect their government power rather than to enforce social justice.
Communication strategies that reach culturally diverse populations, low-income communities, and individuals of limited English proficiency must address the subtle nuances that are known to facilitate successful outreach to these audiences. Cultural nuances or codes are those elements used in communication that are recognizable by the cultural group and are part of its traditions, values, beliefs, and norms. Cultural nuances might be depicted in the colors used to create a poster or brochure, the dialect used in a radio or television ad, or even the omission of certain words.
For example, a group working to produce victim outreach materials in Arabic learned from members of the Muslim community that the term "victim" should not be used because their culture assigns it a negative meaning. As a result, the organization resolved to use the phrase "those hurt by crime" instead.
If resources are available, secure the services of a graphic designer who has experience developing materials for your target audience. This person will be able to provide recommendations for a culturally appropriate design and layout.