Do You Speak African? Teaching for Diversity Awareness in an Era of Globalization

Africa is a continent, not a country. Yet, a monolithic misunderstanding of Africa as a country is prevalent especially in the United States. Thus, Africans in the diaspora who speak heritage languages other than English are asked frequently if they speak African. This study countered existing misunderstandings through cultural immersion in Kenya, Africa. A comparison of pre- and post-visit data showed that participants (n = 140) developed critical cultural understanding, and became less ethnocentric. This was an essential transformation especially in the context of contemporary globalization.