2. Define health justice and disability justice in your own words. What would it mean to implement health and disability justice on a global scale? Provide at least three specific strategies for doing so. 

3. What are cultural competence and cultural humility? Why are these concepts needed and important? Why do Greene-Morton and Minkler argue for a both/and approach to these concepts? How can we ensure people in the Global North practice cultural competence and cultural humility?

4. Describe the challenges disabled people around the world face in terms of climate change. How can we a disability justice framework address these issues? Provide specific examples from the Engelman, Craig, and Iles reading. After completing this course, what other ideas or recommendations do you have for how to better supported disabled people around the world experiencing climate disasters?

Cultural competence and cultural humility are essential skills for effective communication and teamwork across diverse cultures. These skills are becoming more important in our connected world, where people from diverse backgrounds interact in daily social contexts. Cultural competence involves understanding different cultural norms and customs, which helps foster mutual respect, prevent misunderstandings, and create inclusive environments (Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility, 2019). For example, healthcare workers with cultural competence can provide more respectful care tailored to patients from diverse backgrounds, resulting in improved health outcomes and fewer inequalities. Cultural humility, on the other hand, is a continuous, reflective process that focuses on understanding oneself, addressing power imbalances, and building respectful and equitable relationships with diverse communities (Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility, 2019). Healthcare providers practicing cultural humility listen to patients' beliefs about medicine, incorporate those beliefs into their treatment, encourage feedback, and involve patients in the decision-making process. This ongoing approach helps improve cultural competence and fosters trust and understanding. Both concepts are closely related and useful in various areas, including personal relationships, community work, healthcare, and education (Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility, 2019). For instance, empathy and clear communication are key in counseling to build trust. By practicing cultural humility and competence, individuals and organizations can foster fair relationships, gain confidence, and cultivate environments that appreciate cultural differences. Greene-Morton and Minkler support a both/and approach, stating that cultural humility encourages openness and respect for others’ differences, thereby creating genuine connections. Cultural competence equips individuals with the practical skills to navigate diverse cultural settings effectively. Together, they promote respectful and informed interactions that foster meaningful cross-cultural relationships (Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility, 2019). Both ideas also emphasize the importance of challenging systems and institutions that often perpetuate injustices and biases. Society benefits from environments that celebrate diversity and promote understanding, helping to reduce biases and strengthen social bonds (Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility, 2019). Working together across differences is crucial to achieving racial, social, and health equity. Ultimately, developing cultural competence and humility fosters social justice, equality, and inclusive communities where everyone feels valued. Schools can play a crucial role by integrating cultural awareness into lessons, hiring a more diverse faculty and staff, and encouraging open discussions about cultural differences among students and staff. Ongoing training and community involvement are essential for continuous skill improvement, particularly as cultures evolve and change. Regular learning and adaptation are necessary in a fast-changing society, where cultural identities and conflicts can grow quickly (Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility, 2019). Embracing both cultural humility and competence benefits personal relationships and helps society move toward fairness, understanding, and peace, creating a more inclusive world for future generations (Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility, 2019). To foster cultural competence and humility in the Global North, provide education on diversity and biases, promote self-reflection and open discussions, and integrate inclusive practices into policies and everyday interactions. 

4. Describe the challenges disabled people around the world face in terms of climate change. How can we a disability justice framework address these issues? Provide specific examples from the Engelman, Craig, and Iles reading. After completing this course, what other ideas or recommendations do you have for how to better supported disabled people around the world experiencing climate disasters?

People with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and related disasters, yet they often go unnoticed or are marginalized in many communities. This is discussed in the reading by Engleman, Graig, and Iles. Disability justice is a framework that values access, self-determination, and diversity among individuals. It recognizes that individuals often struggle to assert their rights due to physical, financial, and structural barriers that are frequently overlooked (Global Disability Justice In Climate Disaster, 2022). Similarly, it rejects a hierarchy of disability and promotes an intersectional movement that connects disabled individuals with other groups affected by organized oppression and discrimination. A comprehensive disability justice framework addresses these issues by removing barriers to health, including poverty and discrimination, which are deeply interconnected. It also emphasizes the lack of access to good jobs, fair pay, quality education, healthcare, and adequate housing, all of which are essential for full participation and well-being (Global Disability Justice In Climate Disaster, 2022). For example, disabled individuals, especially women, face high levels of poverty that can worsen their vulnerabilities. This increased poverty can lead to additional health problems because of limited access to healthcare, rehabilitation, and assistive devices that are often costly or unavailable. Most notably, individuals with disabilities are more vulnerable to climate change and disasters because of their limited access to information, support, and services (Global Disability Justice In Climate Disaster, 2022). They often remain overlooked or encounter additional obstacles, such as limited access to emergency information, mobility challenges during evacuations, and insufficient support services tailored to their needs. For instance, individuals with mobility impairments may struggle to evacuate quickly during floods, and those with sensory or cognitive disabilities might not receive easily accessible warning alerts that are crucial during emergencies. Some individuals with disabilities are more prone to experiencing adverse effects from extreme heat, smoke caused by pollution, and other environmental hazards. They may also face economic exclusion from areas with lower climate risks, such as rural or marginalized regions lacking adequate infrastructure (Global Disability Justice in Climate Disaster, 2022). People with disabilities need timely, accessible information to understand whether dangerous conditions and risks could affect them and how they should prepare for these situations. Unfortunately, information about bushfires, heatwaves, and sea surges is often not available in accessible formats, such as captions, sign language interpretation, or audio descriptions, making it harder for people with disabilities to stay informed (Global Disability Justice in Climate Disaster, 2022).

Furthermore, individuals with lower incomes may struggle to afford climate risk adaptations, such as backup generators, water supplies, air conditioning, cooling pads, and other essential resources that can make health impacts less severe during extreme weather events (Global Disability Justice in Climate Disaster, 2022). Addressing these disparities requires concentrated policy efforts and community engagement to ensure inclusive resilience and climate justice for all. After completing this course, I have several ideas and recommendations for better supporting people with disabilities worldwide who are affected by climate disasters. This involves enhancing accessibility in emergency response plans, offering customized resources and communication methods, and securing their participation in disaster preparedness planning.

Health justice is the ability to have equal opportunity to gain access to healthcare and to be treated equally with fair opportunities. With a lot of disabled people being under the poverty line, it limits the ability for them to gain access to healthcare and be provided the same health opportunities as non-disabled people. One example of having a strategy to implement heath and disability justice is being able to provide access to healthcare. In Global Health Justice: Now Is the Time, this article states that disabled people had “limited access to health care, particularly COVID-19 vaccines. At present, more than 3 billion people have yet to receive their first vaccine dose, most of them living outside of high-income countries. In the poorest group of countries, only around 4 percent are fully vaccinated” (Venkatapuram, 2022). By doing so, people would get equal opportunities to receive healthcare and keep the health of the country in better standing than what it is. Another strategy is being able to support disabled people during disasters and provide information or help when these occur. With the majority of disabled people being below the poverty line, it leads to disabled people being “highly vulnerable to climate change impacts and disasters” (Engelman, et. al ,2022 pg.1496). Being able to implement safety systems or plans to have information in crisis events to disabled people would help ease the stress and provide the equality of providing healthcare to disabled people during crisis. In addition, disabled people would have a hard time adjusting to the needs of climate change, as they may not be able to afford the supplies needed. As said in Global Disability Justice In Climate Disasters: Mobilizing People With Disabilities As Change Agents, “lower-income disabled people may struggle to afford adaptations to climate risk, such as backup generators to power ventilators. They also may confront extra barriers to obtaining technological solutions (for example, mobile phones, computers, and internet access). In addition, they may face the “digital divide” and illiteracy, both of which are more widespread in developing countries”(Engelman, et. al ,2022 pg.1498). In order to help solve the problem of unequal healthcare, information, and resources to disabled people, the country could help supply disabled people with supplies or money that is needed so they can afford them and be informed by any important information during a disaster.

3. What are cultural competence and cultural humility? Why are these concepts needed and important? Why do Greene-Morton and Minkler argue for a both/and approach to these concepts? How can we ensure people in the Global North practice cultural competence and cultural humility? 

Cultural competence is explained as “behaviors, attitudes, and policies that can come together on a continuum that will ensure that a system, agency, program, or individual can function effectively and appropriately in diverse cultural interaction and settings”(Greene-Morton & Minkler, 2019 pg. 1). Cultural humility is defined as “a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and critique, to redressing power imbalances…and to developing mutually beneficial and non-paternalistic partnerships with communities on behalf of individuals and defined populations”(). These concepts are needed to help understand how people work, judge, and influence how people see others. It helps create a building block for character and how society interacts with others on a daily basis. By knowing what cultural competence and humility is, it can help keep people in line when it comes to different races, ethnicities, and sexes. Greene-Morton explains that cultural humility is the “ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented (or open to others) while accepting cultural competence as the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures—more of a learned/taught condition”(Greene-Morton & Minkler, 2019 pg. 3). This explains that the interactions between people are subject to change based on the person and that cultural competence is about being able to interact with people despite their backgrounds. Whereas Minkler describes cultural competence and humility based on biases and stereotypes based on their beliefs. They don’t believe in change or that people of color or other ethnicities are “equal” as they hold stereotypes and act on prejudice before meeting someone. These authors have different views on cultural competence and humility, which creates the debate of what is right. To ensure that the Global North implements cultural competence and cultural humility, we have to show others that people don’t fit into stereotypes and that every person and personality is different. We’re should implement getting to know the person first before making any assumptions about them based on looks or actions. This will ultimately help limit prejudice in the Global North and help jumpstart equality throughout the world.

Health justice means that all people, regardless of their status, disability, gender, race, should have equal opportunities to get proper healthcare and be healthy. This challenges the global system that focuses on allowing some to get the care they need, and others fail to do so. The pandemic showed us how millions of older people and the most vulnerable in the world were not as important to us in giving care due to unjust policies and practices that did not help people equitably (Nations, 2021, p.2). Disability justice is centered round the connection with others and community access as this is beyond an individual right at this point and is driven through community support as disabled people are not all the same in their disability identity and cultures. This justice requires covering poverty, racism, ableism, and exclusion (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 2). To implement both types of justices we must include disabled peoples in policy planning as they are experts in the subject and are often not seen when it comes to planning. (Engelman et al., 2022, p.1). we also must address structural barriers as many disabled peoples get hit with a lot of problems due to poverty, no access to technology, and not being included on public health messaging. Governments should invest in proper housing, universal health care, and preparing for disasters with inclusion in mind (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 5). Building systems that ensure policies are enforced and monitored. Disability justice should be inspected to make sure and evaluate if the program is inclusive (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 6) 

3. What are cultural competence and cultural humility? Why are these concepts needed and important? Why do Greene-Morton and Minkler argue for a both/and approach to these concepts? How can we ensure people in the Global North practice cultural competence and humility? 

When it comes to cultural competence, it is all about how we learn to understand, respect, and interact effectively with people from diverse cultures. It is about gaining knowledge, learning behaviors, and understanding attitudes. It is a system that ensures understanding, appreciation, and respect of cultural differences (Greene-Moton & Minkler, 2019, p. 2). Cultural humility is about a lifelong commitment to self-reflection and evaluation as focusing on building a partnership with communities as it can be beneficial for both sides (Greene-Moton & Minkler, 2019, p. 1). These concepts are not exclusive as they need a both/and approach because they cannot rely on the competence as that implies that you know everything about that culture already when we both know there is always something to be learned no matter what culture it is. On the other hand, humility without any competence can be seen as a surface level understanding. When used together, they provide the best tools that are used when working with people, groups, and communities with diverse backgrounds (Greene-Moton & Minkler, 2019, p. 3). Some things that could improve competence and humility with culture are to mandate training across the medical and health education fields. We can also create connections with the local and international communities that have been discriminated against to improve understanding and provide proper care. The most important thing in my eyes is the need for self-reflection and evaluation when helping these groups to make sure they get the care they need and how to improve next time and understand how to provide better care. 

In the video, Sridhar Venkatapuram discusses the fact that all humans should have access to proper health care. He said that having to explain why certain countries needed health care supplies diminished the people who needed the supplies and made them feel objectified, rather than places just having empathy and making sure that all countries, regardless of status, have the resources they need for people to be healthy.

A "human right to be healthy" is the idea that no matter where a person is at or what ability they have, they have a right (something that can't be taken away or diminished) to have access to resources to keep them as healthy as possible. In the video he argued for "the human right for the capability to be healthy" (14:41 Venkatapuram). This means that everyone should have access to the resources that would help allow them to stay healthy.

In his article Global Health Justice: Now Is the Time, Venkatapuram says that the way to fix most of the health injustices is by having political figures recognize that the global standard in which health care supplies is distributed is wrong. The people who are prioritized aren't the people who should be prioritized. The people who actually need access to these resources are being pushed aside.

"If a reasonable number of leaders recognized that every nation and the international community should work to create the circumstances that would enable everyone, not just the privileged few, to experience good health, this would be a remarkable outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic, and would help move us towards a more just world" (Venkatapuram 1). This is what he argues is best to help old and disabled people to be less marginalized in a global pandemic.

Alina Engelman says that one way to support old and disabled people is by "... instead of basing access to social supports on individualistic and independent assumptions, disability justice views access as calling for collective actions and interdependent relationships" (Engelman electronic page 2). This shows that the world needs to take more steps than they have been to get old and disabled people the support they need.

In places that don't have as much governmental support for old and disabled people, Alina Engelman states that "In developing regions, disabled people’s organizations are often critically important in the absence of economic or governmental support" (Engelman electronic page 5). This shows that one way we can support old and disabled people is by making sure their individual programs and communities stay open and available to them.

These are some of the ways that globally we can support old and disabled people in reaching their goal of physical and mental health well-being.

2. Define health justice and disability justice in your own words. What would it mean to implement health and disability justice on a global scale? Provide at least three specific strategies for doing so. 

Disability justice is the idea that disabled people should be able to get the support and resources they need without having to ask, and that their needs aren't seen as special privilege, but something that helps them live and function at their best. Health justice is the idea that health care is provided with equality, which is different than just equally.

if you wanted to implement health and disability justice on a global scale, here is what would need to happen.

"The current international order, which is made up of institutions, practices, norms and other elements, is simply not good for our health. The pandemic is a horrible illustration of how this order does not address the issue of health as a serious concern, or not as seriously as it deals with matters of security and finance" (Venkatapuram 1). This means that in order to have health and disability justice, the current international order would have to be restructured. There would need to be more practices that applied disability and health justice.

Another way to help implement health and disability justice is to implement higher administering of support to disabled people during climate change or natural disasters.

Engelman specifically says that,

"At this time, disability justice and climate change policy remain poorly integrated. Given that people with disabilities disproportionately experience the negative effects of climate change, disability justice movements argue that ignoring the requirements of international climate change treaties such as the 2015Paris Agreement (for example, for emission reductions) will threaten the rights protected by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" (Engelman electronic page 7).

In order to fix this, more countries would have to have plans in place to keep disabled people safe and healthy during natural disasters just as much as everyone else.

A final issue to fix to help implement health and disability justice is making sure disabled people are taken into account of statistics and numbers during natural disasters. No, this does not simplify disabled people to just a statistic but provides emergency personal the details they need to be able to best help disabled people during a natural disaster.

Engelman specifically says that, "In our case studies, disabled people were invisible, partly because government agencies did not compile statistics, map their presence, or identify whether they were being injured. 33 Emergency preparedness efforts to put disabled people on registries so that emergency responders may identify disabled people needing assistance have had mixed success, as some disabled people are reluctant to be forced to disclose their disability publicly" (Engelman electronic page 6).

So, while disabled people may not feel comfortable disclosing their disability, it would be helpful for the emergency personnel to be prepared to help areas with disabled people during natural disasters because often disabled people get forgotten about during natural disasters.

These are the three issues that would need to be addressed in order to properly implement globalized health and disability justice.

Cultural competence is the ability to interact respectfully with people from different cultures. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it means functioning “effectively and appropriately in diverse cultural interaction and settings” (Moton et al., 2019, p. 2). This includes gaining knowledge, skills, and awareness to serve others better, which is why universities like the University of Michigan-Flint require cultural competence training for public health students.

Cultural humility focuses more on self-reflection. It’s a lifelong process of being open, recognizing bias, and understanding how your identity may affect interactions. Tervalon and Murray-García (1998) define it as “a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and critique, to redressing power imbalances… and to developing mutually beneficial and non-paternalistic partnerships” (Moton et al., 2019, p. 1). Rather than becoming an “expert” in another culture, it’s about staying curious and humble.

While the two are sometimes seen as opposites, Greene-Moton and Minkler argue they should be practiced together. They write that “cultural humility/cultural competence is not an either/or but rather a both/and… recognizing both as a lifelong journey” (Moton et al., 2019, p. 3). Their experiences support this. Greene-Moton shares how academics may promote humility without taking time to learn about the communities they work with, creating mistrust. She explains, “Too often, academics… fail to take the time up front to learn about the cultural realities of groups with whom they will be working” (Moton et al., 2019, p. 3).

Minkler shares an example of kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. She assumed two nearby Black military officers would join her, but they didn’t. Later, she realized her assumptions were shaped by a lack of cultural humility and understanding of military culture. She reflects, “My lack of cultural competence… compounded my ignorance and prejudices” (Moton et al., 2019, p. 3). This shows how easily assumptions can be made without considering others’ values and identities.

To ensure professionals in the Global North apply both concepts, systemic change is needed. Training programs must integrate cultural competence and humility across sectors, not just healthcare. For example, “Think Cultural Health,” created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offers free online training for health professionals (Moton et al., 2019, p. 2). Partnerships with communities must prioritize listening and shared learning. Finally, both concepts must be used to challenge the systems that allow injustice. The authors note that “both concepts… have stressed the need to challenge the institutions and systems… that enable these injustices to remain” (Moton et al., 2019, p. 4).

In the end, cultural competence provides tools and knowledge for cross-cultural work, while cultural humility reminds us to stay reflective and open. Practicing one without the other can lead to mistrust, but together, they help build stronger, more respectful, and ethical relationships. Greene-Moton and Minkler’s message is clear: we need structure and accountability to move toward health equity and justice.

4. Climate change is not an equal-opportunity crisis. Disabled people around the world face greater harm during climate disasters, not due to the events themselves, but because of ableist policies, inaccessible infrastructure, and systemic neglect. “Disabled people are highly susceptible to climate change impacts and disasters, yet they often remain sidelined or largely invisible” (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1496). Even as global attention on climate change grows, the needs and leadership of disabled people are rarely prioritized in disaster planning.

One major issue is that governments and aid organizations fail to include disabled people in emergency planning from the start. According to the reading, “During events like the 2019–2020 Australian bushfires and the 2022 floods, shelters lacked accommodations, and vital information was inaccessible” (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1498). These experiences show a reactive, not proactive approach to inclusion. “Disabled people’s homelessness escalated even more as a result of living in disaster-prone areas” (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1498), revealing how poverty, ableism, and climate risk combine to worsen inequality.

Another key barrier is access to information and technology before and during emergencies. Alerts about floods, fires, or heatwaves are often unavailable in accessible formats, such as captions or audible messages (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1497). These gaps are even more severe in low-income or rural areas, where many lack internet, devices, or assistive technology. These aren’t just minor issues, they can be life-threatening when people can’t receive warnings or get help in time.

Slow-moving disasters like heat waves and droughts also pose long-term health risks. For example, during the 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave, some people with spinal cord injuries couldn’t sweat, and others experienced severe allergic reactions (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1499). Cooling centers were rare, lacked medical equipment, and often banned service animals. This shows how solutions like cooling centers may not fully consider the needs of disabled people—especially those who can’t afford air conditioning, which can cost up to 100% of their monthly income (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1499).

To address these failures, Engelman, Craig, and Iles propose a disability justice approach. It’s not just about checking boxes, it values access, leadership, and collective care. Disability justice must be intersectional and linked with racial, economic, and environmental justice (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1496). It empowers disabled people as active leaders, not passive victims.

In the Philippines, the “Lahat Handa” (“Everybody Ready”) program trains disabled people to teach government agencies about inclusive disaster planning. This flipped approach lets disabled leaders shape the response themselves (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1499). In Puerto Rico, after hurricanes and COVID-19, disabled-led groups provided home care, food, and support services. In California, mutual aid groups shared supplies and checked on each other during wildfires (p. 1499). These communities are already doing the work governments fail to do.

The authors argue that climate policy must be created with disabled people, not just for them. “Governments, nongovernmental organizations, and international institutions must consult with, and include, disabled-led organizations and disabled people on the ground both before and after climate disasters” (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1502). They also recommend policies like the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act, which would ensure people don’t lose services when evacuating across state lines (Engelman et al., 2022, p. 1501).

Overall, I would suggest that policymakers conduct disability justice audits of emergency plans, improve evacuation systems from the start, and track data on how climate events affect disabled people. Funding should go directly to disabled-led groups, especially in the Global South, who are already leading without enough resources.

Engelman, Craig, and Iles deliver a powerful message: climate change is a disability justice issue. According to the reading, “Disabled people have much more knowledge about how they are being affected by disasters or climate impacts than they are usually acknowledged to have” (Engleman, et al., 2022, p. 1501). To build a just and effective climate policy, we must center their voices, not only because it’s right, but because they’re already showing us what inclusive resilience looks like.

Health justice is the principle that every person, regardless of race, income, gender, or geography, deserves equal access to quality healthcare and the opportunity to achieve the best health available. It acknowledges the social, economic, and political inequalities create barriers to health and looks to those systems to ensure fairness and equity. “We believe it imperative to find a road around the false choice between cultural humility and cultural com- petence.” (Greene-Moton). Disability justice goes past basic accessibility to recognize the issues disabled people face, especially those from non excepting communities. It values interdependence, care, and the leadership of disabled people in shaping policies and systems that affect their lives. Implementing health and disability justice globally would mean creating a world where no one is denied healthcare because of where they live, how much money they have, or whether they are disabled or not. Three strategies to achieve this globally would be investing in community-based care systems that prioritize a supportive culture, disability-informed, and accessible healthcare, enforcing international human rights laws that protect disabled individuals from discrimination, including employment, education, and healthcare, centering leadership from discriminating communities into policy-making communities which would ensure that solutions are informed by lived experiences and prioritize justice. These approaches can help build a more inclusive and fairer world.

Cultural competence: Cultural competence is defined by the US Department of Health & Human Services Health Resources & Services Administration as “Cultural competence comprises behaviors. attitudes, and policies that can come together on a continuum that will ensure that a system, agency, program, or individual can function effectively and appropriately in diverse cultural interaction and set-tings. It ensures an understanding, appreciation, and respect of cultural differences and similarities within, among and between groups”. This term was coined in the early 1980s by social workers and counseling psychologists, and today has a larger following than cultural humility. The term gained mass attention soon after and was used in health care services literature, public health and medicine, and health promotion + health education practices. Manuals created by Kaiser Permanente's Institute for Culturally Competent Care were distributed and included five diverse ethnic groups alongside groups such as the LGBTQIA+ and disabled community. In 2002, the University of Michigan’s Flint’s Department of Public Health and Health Education became the first university to offer a course on this topic. The course later became required for all undergraduate and graduate students studying public health, premed, and health administration. The term has caught controversy over the years, “because of the growing understanding that we cannot ever be truly competent in another’s culture”. Additionally, the word “competence” itself is questioned because the “level of competence” is typically decided by one entity composed of more educated and privileged individuals. This does not give the opportunity for more disadvantaged and diverse individuals to have a say in what the “level of competence” is. Finally, Greene-Morton and Minkler agree with others and note that “cultural competence is not something we achieve or fail to achieve but rather a reminder to continue to strive to know more about communities of all types in which we work or interact”. 

Cultural Humility: Cultural Humility is defined by Melanie Tervalon and Jaan Murray- García as "a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and critique, to redressing power imbalances ... and to developing mutually beneficial and non-paternalistic partnerships with communities on behalf of individuals and defined populations". The two introduced the term to the fields of medicine & public health over twenty years ago. 

Both concepts: Both concepts touch upon the importance of immersing and dedicating oneself to be educated on how aspects of culture interact with fields such as public health, premed, health administration, etc. These terms are needed in order to balance systems that have put different groups of people and culture on a disadvantaged level, and to give them treatment that respects their personhood, livelihood, and culture. It invites these different workers in the medical field to have a wide-spread approach to how they take care of people and helps to reduce discrimination and bias. 

Both/and approach: In the reading, Greene-Morton and Minkler call and use a “both/and” approach for these terms. This means holding space and prioritizing the aspects of both terms instead of choosing one to follow. Greene-Morton, a black woman, highlights the spiritual attribute of cultural humility while speaking about “deliberate engagement” within cultural competence. Minkler, a white woman, speaks of an experience where she lacked crucial aspects of both terms: including the lack of  understanding of military culture and how that interacts with African American culture. In her experience, balancing the understanding of cultural competence and cultural humility would have let her handle that situation in a better way that limited her biases. 

Global North: To ensure people in the Global North practice cultural competence and cultural humility, there can be some notes taken from the University of Michigan who had the first class on cultural competence. While that was a good start, the reading emphasizes the “both/and” aspect of both terms. In order to rectify this balance, classes that teach about the term of cultural competence should also have this “both/and” approach. Additionally, the original class is now offered as an elective for those studying areas like biology/social work, but should be required (especially for those in social work). Finally, there should be basic courses in K-12 systems that highlight the importance of the two terms and how they intersect. 

Describe the challenges disabled people around the world face in terms of climate change. How can a disability justice framework address these issues? Provide specific examples from the Engelman, Craig, and Iles reading. After completing this course, what other ideas or recommendations do you have for how to better support disabled people around the world experiencing climate disasters?  

Challenges with climate change: Englemen et al (2022) note that “disabled people are vulnerable to climate change and disaster risks not necessarily because of their disabilities but, rather, their lack of effective access to information, support, and services”. This can look like people with mobility issues having trouble relocating quicker or even being abandoned in climate emergencies, or lack of accessible information about climate emergencies. Additionally, because “roughly 80 percent of disabled people live in resource-poor nations”, they are at an even further disadvantage when it comes to dealing with the impacts of climate change. For example, disabled people have a harder time affording living in areas with lower climate risk, inability to afford “adaptations to climate risk” (such as backup generators), and they have a lack of social and economic power to retain the resources they already have when prices go up due to climate change. Finally, there are also little to no laws protecting or putting into place proper precautions to help those with disabilities in case of a climate emergency. Combined with laws about how much they can earn and save, disabled people are disadvantaged when it comes to social services and being considered in the conversion about climate change. 

Disability justice framework: A disability justice framework addresses these issues by calling attention to how these problems are structuralized. For example, seeing how many disabled people don’t have the access to evacuate because of lack of monetary resources. This is an example on how society disabled people and not their disability themselves. An example of how a disability justice framework can be utilized can be seen from when disabled people formed a group during the 2016-2019 wildfires in California. They helped each other out with masks, air filters, and changing/recharging batteries. This shows how collective action with disabled people in mind can help them deal with the ramifications of climate change.

Recommendations: Prioritizing research, data collection, and monitoring of disabled people during climate emergencies, including disabled people in who makes the decisions on what evacuation looks like/how it is announced, and

• Cultural competence is described as behaviors, actions, and policies that enable individuals or systems to function effectively and efficiently, appropriately handling and resolving differences across various cultures and environments (Green-Moton & Minkler, p. 1, 2019). Whereas cultural humility is described as “a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and critique, to redressing power imbalances . . . and to developing mutually beneficial and non-paternalistic partnerships with communities on behalf of individuals and defined populations,” as Trevalon and Murray-Garcia stated (Green-Moton & Minkler, p.1, 2019). This essentially addresses how humility isn’t just about race or ethnicity but also reveals how a system/government/individual needs to be self reflective and to see how there are still differences and sometimes imbalance of rights/power across different cultures that can place others as ‘lower’ or even be seen less than when compared to other cultures or races et, (Green-Moton & Minkler, p.1, 2019). The reasons why these terms and concepts are important and essential to people and societies alike is for multiple reasons. These concepts allow trust and positive relationships and environment to ensue in cities, amongst people,and to thrive and grow within different societies and settings alike (Green-Moton & Minkler, p.1, 2019). This allows anyone to come from a different culture and to allow them to enter a new city, country, etc., and not be judged, ostracized, etc., it would allow them to enter as an equal individual with the same rights and abilities as anyone else within that new country or city (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.3-4, 2019). Also by having these concepts present in each country and societies it allows those systems and people to challenge their biases, assumptions, and even privilege when approaching international issues, and when those who are from different cultures come to their countries and how they can still treat them as an equal and allow them (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.3-4, 2019). With all that benign said, it allows respect and equity to  take place in different societies and countries (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.3-4, 2019). They also argue the ‘both/and’ approach because they know one cannot exist without the other, or if so it neither would be effective without the other (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.3-4, 2019). They even state how cultural competence is more ‘knowledge-based’ as it focuses on comprehension and interactions with people of different cultures, whereas, cultural humility is more reflective, and being humble as it needs self-awareness and openness (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.3-4, 2019). Again, showcasing that both are needed to allow safe and successful environments to ensue for those of different cultures otherwise these concepts won’t work unless they are together (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.3-4, 2019). As Minkler’s personal story showcases how cultural competence and humility is needed to effectively and efficiently approach and resolve issues (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.3-4, 2019).Ensuring cultural competence and humidity is challenging, but in the Global North, and anywhere for that matter, is something that has to be engrained into their cultures, and I would also add that families or institutions need to also teach the youth various awareness and skills (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.1-4, 2019).  There is never an ‘end’ to competence and humility, as the systems and individuals need to be aware of cultural knowledge and have self-awareness to continue having humility and competence (Green-Moton & Minkler, p.3, 2019). Not to mention having education and institutional support to integrate cultural humility and competence into various policies, training, and overall education across ages and institutions (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.2-4, 2019). Then lastly it is mention that challenging power structures is also needed to overcome ignorance but to also to continue slowly gain and continue cultural humility and competence, which in turn help build positive relationships amongst people of various cultures across the globe to allow equity in all areas to thrive and take place  (Green-Moton & Minkler, pp.1-4, 2019).

4. Describe the challenges disabled people around the world face in terms of climate change. How can we a disability justice framework address these issues? Provide specific examples from the Engelman, Craig, and Iles reading. After completing this course, what other ideas or recommendations do you have for how to better supported disabled people around the world experiencing climate disasters?  

• Across the globe, those with disabilities face more vulnerabilities and a higher likelihood of systemic exclusion Engelman et al., pp. 1497-1501, 2022). There are a multitude of challenges that have arisen. Specifically, they have a lack of emergency information and infrastructure as regarding disasters or even global pandemics they aren’t displayed/released in formats that are accessible, i.e. sign language , captions, etc. (Engelman et al., p. 1497, 2022). Not to mention in most evacuation centers they aren’t always physically accessible and even with emergency services within an emergency typically don’t include plans/approaches for anyone with a disability which can cause injuries or even deaths to arise simply due to ineffective planning and inclusion (Engelman et al., pp. 1497-1498, 2022). They are also excluded specifically in decision making and disaster planning of those with disabilities and people with disabilities also are more likely to face economic hardships in disaster/emergencies, etc. (Engelman et al., pp. 1499-1501, 2022). These issues and challenges have been seen in numerous emergencies and disasters across the world. To list some examples would be Australia's 2019-2020 bushfires and 2022 floods, where emergency responses/information wasn’t formatted/included accessible formats and the evacuation center themselves were inaccessible and so those with disabilities experienced much more severe losses and disruptions (Engelman et al., p.1498, 2022). Or there was the Pacific Northwest heat wave in 2021 where people with disabilities had difficulties during the heatwave due to the air-conditioned shelters were also inaccessible and poorly publicized nor did it allow service animals (Engelman et al., p. 1499, 2022). Although it isn’t a result of climate change, another recent example of exclusion within emergency services was what had occurred during COVID-19 Pandemic. Yet, with disability justice and its framework it can allow more intersectionality and a more inclusive and collective approach to occur within emergency plans and services (Engelman et al., pp. 1496-1502, 2022). This framework would allow power to be given and distributed amongst disabled communities to allow self-determination, access, growth to occur so the ‘one-size fits all’ model can be rejected and allow everyone to be seen and the correct approach (Engelman et al., p. 1496, 2022). Within this framework approach it allso allow structural change to occur so inclusion for those with disabilities won’t stem from pity, and it would dismantle barriers of ableism, poverty, lack of care and education etc., (Engelman et al., pp. 1496-1502, 2022). After this course and my other classes I would recommend that on the boards that make emergency policies and protocol that there are multiple seats that are specifically reserved for individuals of various disabilities so policies and protocols include an approach that can also help and include those with disabilities; but, to also allow representation to occur as well. I would then also recommend if local and ‘federal’ (or that f the equivalent’ governments to fund local programs or organizations that assist and deserve people with disabilities, to allow them more of  their independence and tallow specific aid to ensue as well in case emergencies no matter what level can be addressed but to also allow more rights and equity to occur as well. Then last but not least, to do the most obvious thing. Which would be to redesign and rebuild urban, rural, and emergency shelters to include an universal design. I would also try and find a system to not penalize an individual financially for having a disability and try to find affordable care and even housing options in day-to-day life but also angst emergencies. Of course, I do not know the specific details or angles on how to go about those, but I think those would at least start off in the right direction, but there is always that risk like Uganda faces with the legislation being great, but in their society it was ignored, so I would also try to ensure an approach that would enforce this approach as well. 

  
  

A global “human right to be healthy” refers to the ideals within global health that, across the world, the human race should do their best to set up society to provide the best quality of care to all people. This requires for people to break down cultural barriers which cause variations in culture to impact quality of care for people, which is unfair and not ideal. This also includes people within the elder or disabled populations; to provide global healthcare, all cultures and people must come together to ensure no one’s needs are left unaccommodated for, even in the face of being perceived as “unhealthy”. To do so, we must educate ourselves on the barriers first in order to cut them away. The article states, “Cultural competence is not something we achieve or fail to achieve but rather a reminder to continue to strive to know more about communities of all types … Together with the concept and embodied practice of deep cultural humility, it provides health educators and other public health professionals with some of our most important tools in working with diverse individuals, groups and communities in today’s complex world” (Greene-Morton et. Al). This is the perfect example of how educating ourselves about cultural injustice can give us the intel we need to pinpoint what to advocate for then implement change. Only by reaching this leveled-out status may physical and mental health and well-being goals for disabled and old people be provided the opportunity to be met. Global health is unconditional, as quality healthcare should be.

2. Define health justice and disability justice in your own words. What would it mean to implement health and disability justice on a global scale? Provide at least three specific strategies for doing so. 

Health justice means that global health is met and that loose ethical ends are tied. Health justice stands for quality healthcare being served to all people who seek it, where no ethical principles may be violated. Disability justice is also met where global health is met, where none of the ethical principles are violated for disabled people. This means that all individuals with disabilities’ needs are met and accommodated for. Both of these can also only be met when people adopt the social model ideals in favor of the medical model’s, ensuring that lacking accommodations within society is understood to be the issue, not health problems or disabilities themselves. Take for instance, a UN Chronicle author’s analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic. The text states, “Nevertheless, various social actions and neglect have resulted in millions of deaths and increased mental and physical suffering; placed disproportionate burdens on the poorest, on social minorities and on girls and women; worsened social inequality and divisiveness; erased of decades of progress in social development; fuelled corruption at epic levels, and more” (Venkatapuram 2022). This example directly represents the understanding of the social model which calls out society’s failures to serve care to everyone equally. We as humans across the globe must meet all of these descriptions and tie up all loose ends of representation/advocacy in order for these justices to be served.

Health justice is the equal distribution of healthcare resources and access no matter the person's background. Disability justice is a social movement that studies the intersectionality between disability and things like race, gender, and/or class. The main issue is there is a lack of equal access when it comes to healthcare treatment. The biggest issue is whether you can afford it or not. The Covid pandemic showed a lot of holes in the access to healthcare resources for so many people, especially those that are high risk. The pandemic saw some of the richest countries hoarding supplies while the poorer countries suffered from lack of supplies. The younger and healthier patients received priority when it came to treatment, while older and/or disabled patients were often neglected and became sick (Venkatapuram, 2022). The main goal of implementing health and disability justice on a global scale would mean ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources while addressing ableism/ageism along with the other intersectionalities, such as racism, classism, etc. The first step would be to employ disabled leaders to give insight to how ableism can be avoided in lawmaking. Often programs and laws are made for the disabled but not by them, so by not including those that are affected, you aren't getting the whole story. The next thing would be having community-based healthcare rather than institutionalized healthcare. This would lead to more accessible care in rural neighborhoods, and this would ensure certain cultural aspects are being met since it would be more local. The last is to avoid allowing richer countries to hoard available medical resources. For example, "In such an environment of scarcity, in many countries, those who could use their personal connections or afford to pay exorbitant fees were able to procure what they needed, while others could not (Venkatapuram, 2022)." Every country should have access to health resources, and I believe having a board that decides how to distribute those resources may be beneficial. It can have multiple seats with representatives from across the globe to decide distribution.

Prompt four: Disabled people are disproportionately affected by natural disasters and often face displacement and are often not prioritized in aid responses. It is important to note that disabled people are at greater risk from climate change and natural disasters not because of their disability, but rather because of their lack of access to information, support, and services. To properly address disability justice, policymakers need to consider the multiple vulnerabilities that many disabled people manifest. The current framework fails to fully grasp the needs of disabled people and also fails to recognize the knowledge they have about how to prepare for disaster response (Engelman et. al, pg. 1498). The first change would be to make information related to oncoming disasters inclusive. This means making sure that everyone can clearly understand the risks they may face. One group is calling on the Australian government to have a local-level emergency response platform that is accessible and a monitoring agency to ensure that the needs of the disabled are being met in a timely manner depending on the natural disaster. This may look like people registering for someone to help relocate them to a shelter in case of an emergency or to have access to a generator for electricity and running water. The fact that this sort of issue is not on the government agenda is upsetting because it puts the disabled at a higher risk for harm because of the lack of framework for aid response and preventative measures.

• A global "human right to be healthy" means everyone should have a fair chance at a good life, no matter their age or ability. To include older and disabled people, we need to see health as more than being disease-free; it’s about well-being and support. The article shows that disabled people are often left out of disaster plans. To fix this, we must listen to them, include them in decisions, and make sure they have access to the care and resources they need.

2. Define health justice and disability justice in your own words. What would it mean to implement health and disability justice on a global scale? Could you provide at least three specific strategies for doing so?

• Health justice means everyone should have a fair chance to live a healthy life, and disability justice means making sure disabled people are included, respected, and given equal access to care and support. To bring these ideas to a global level, we need to make health services and information easy to access for everyone, include disabled people in decisions that affect them, and support disabled-led groups that understand their communities best. These steps help create a world where health and safety are truly for all

Health justice in my own words is defined would mean practicing equality throughout the verse of medicine. No matter what background individuals come from they are treated with respect and the care that is of the utmost respect and attention. Disability justice in my own words would be something I would define as creating a more equally and accepting society for individuals who have disabilities by creating more accessible environments to cater to their needs. Institutionalized healthcare and privately owned healthcare facilities have shown us time and time again many of its practices are for profit. Reviewing the global health justice article- I found that it pointed out the pandemic in unique perspectives. It uses it as an example on how these forms of hospitalized care creates interesting challenges when it comes to justice. "The pandemic is a horrible illustration of how this order does not address the issue of health as a serious concern, or not as seriously as it deals with matters of security and finance. It is stuck with the nation State as the primary actor, with unequal power relations embedded in international organizations, while some non-State actors have become more powerful and have a greater influence on the health of populations than States." It became a business and it is clear that the health of many was never prioritized.

Prompt 4:

Disabled people around the world face so many risks from climate change because they’re often left out of emergency plans, can’t always access safe housing or shelters, and are struggle with poverty. A disability justice approach, as described by Engelman, Craig, and Iles, focused on including disabled people’s voices, supporting community care, and fixing deeper inequalities issues that individuals with disabilities face. For example, during Australia’s bushfires and the heat wave, many disabled people didn’t have accessible shelters or affordable ways to stay cool. In the Philippines, disabled groups created training to help make disaster plans more inclusive.Supporting disabled people in climate disasters , we need to listen to their voices, make sure information and spaces are accessible, fund their organizations, and build systems that are fair and truly inclusive.

A global “human right to be healthy” means that every person, regardless of class, race, disability, or residence, has the right to access necessities for their well-being of health. In order to do so, people across the world would need to work together as one to identify needs, weaknesses, and where everyone can support each other to prioritize justice of health.  

We can define global health in a way that does not further marginalize old and disabled people by recognizing and promoting differences rather than approaching different abilities and disabilities with ableism.  

We can better support old and disabled people around the world in achieving their goals of physical and mental health and well-being by listening to their needs and includig them directly as apart of policy changes. “It embraces the strengths that disabled people of color, particularly from resource-limited settings, can bring to climate movements, such as their knowledge of injustice and their ability to organize effective collective aid efforts” (Engelman, p. 1497) 

2. Define health justice and disability justice in your own words. What would it mean to implement health and disability justice on a global scale? Provide at least three specific strategies for doing so.  

Health justice is the right of each individual, regardless of race, income, ability, or location having a fair chance to be healthy. It means “ensuring that people have the ability and freedom to be healthy by understanding their vulnerabilities and living in supportive environments”(Venkatapuram, 2014). Health justice is the awareness and knowledge of what goes on in your environment to best support you and your health decisions.  

Disability justice is the right to bodily autonomy, support, access, and different expectations for all people with disabilities. The main goal of disability justice is to overcome barriers of poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to essential services and opportunities. Every patient deserves equitable treatment shaped best for their individual needs. 

To implement disability and health justice on a global scale would mean ensuring every person worldwide has access to appropriate resources to care. Globally implementing disability and health justice would mean adjusting policies to be inclusive and affective. An example of this is resources during pandemics.  

During the spread of HIV, without a cure, the “only and most effective way preventing infections. Was to take every individual one at a tie and help them understand their genetic makeup” (Venkataparam) Although this is a thorough process which was ultimately effective, the greatest contributor was the shift of social conditions through community by everyone beig on the same page working on fostering a supportive enironment for individuals. This shows that medical interventions are more effective and capable when community engagement and healthcare intersect. 

Addressing socioeconomic inequities that lead to climate change is a second way to implement health and disability justice on a global scale. “Disabled people, particularly women, are disproportionately poor, and higher rates of poverty among disabled people can lead to further adverse health impacts due to a lack of access to routine medical care, rehabilitative services, or assistive devices. Importantly, disabled people are vulnerable to climate change and disaster risks not necessarily because of their disabilities but, rather, their lack of effective access to information, support, and services.” (Engelman, 1497). Climate changes and disasters are not only environmental threats, yet they also become social and disability justice issues when in pressing times, individuals aren’t accounted for because of location or physical conditions.  

“To improve outcomes in terms of disability justice, policymakers, organizations, and on-the-ground practitioners should consider the multiple vulnerabilities that disabled people may manifest. Worldwide, disabled people are often among the most economically and socially marginalized in their communities, partly because they have less access to education and employment.” (Engelman, p. 1497)

The 3rd way to implement health and disability justice on a global scale is by including people in policy decision making. The best way to directly improve the quality of involvement and outcomes is by going directly to the source and those in need of support. By including people with disabilities when making policies, reaching out to the community for their perspective is the best approach.