Local Leaders in Diversity: Culture C.O.-O.P.

Ever hear of the Culture C.O.-O.P.? If not, it’s about time! The Culture C.O.-O.P. (Caring, Optimistic, Open-minded, People) is a (soon to be) non-profit organization started right here in Davis.

“The Culture C.O.-O.P. is dedicated to providing services and products which increase human effectiveness in a variety of settings. We especially take pride in our commitment to increasing awareness and knowledge in the area of diversity and cultural competency. The Culture C.O.-O.P. provides services for both adults and youth.”

Sandy Holman, a UC Davis graduate, founded the C.C. in 1992 to assist individuals and organizations in working with and/or addressing diversity in education, business and the community. She said,

“It was often painful to observe and many young people suffered due to a lack of cultural competence among the adults working with them. I wanted to do something that encouraged individuals to see our diversity as an important and critical asset, and to embrace healthy differences. Overcoming our fears of ‘others,’ is critical if we want to overcome discrimination, oppression, and a culture of inequity which is prevalent in our country and around the world.”

Mrs. Holman is the author of several children’s books and the creator of several educational programs that increase cultural competency. She was motivated to start the C.C. because she saw “individuals and organizations struggling to serve youth and adults from diverse backgrounds effectively”. Mrs. Holman considers the greatest accomplishment of the C.C. the fact that it has touched the lives of youth and adults alike across the country through its products and services. The C.C. and Mrs. Holman were recognized by the book industry at the Book Expo for their first book, “Grandpa, Is Everything Black Bad?”.

The C.C. is starting the “We All Have a Heritage, Many Cultures, One World” campaign “which will promote respect for diversity/equity, cultural competence, reading, and a quality education for all. It will also address the critical issue of bullying.” The C.C. is also in the beginning stages of writing a documentary about racial inequality in the United States which Mrs. Holman says, will be “a useful tool to motivate change and action.”

The C.C. currently has 13 interns some of whom work at the C.C. office and some of whom work independently. The interns are all students whose interests are principal in their duties. Interns range from artists to public relations specialists and the C.C. gives them many opportunities to learn about improving the world and for future job prospects post-graduation. Interns can apply throughout the year, but the best times to apply are in the summer and at the beginning of each new quarter. If you are interested in applying for an internship you can apply through the UC Davis Job Link or call the C.C. directly at 530-792-1334.