Equality Diversity And Rights In Health Care Social Work Essay Essays

Equality Diversity And Rights In Health Care Social Work Essay Essays Equality Diversity And Rights In Health Care Social Work Essay Essay Equality Diversity And Rights In Health Care Social Work Essay Essay What is equality and diverseness? Although sometimes used interchangeably, the footings equality and diversity are non the same. Equality is about creating a fairer society, where everyone can take part and has the chance to carry through their possible ( DH, 2004 ) . It is about placing forms of experience based on group individuality, and the challenging processes that limit single s potential wellness and life opportunities. For illustration, occupational segregation. Womans make up about 75 % of the NHS work force but are concentrated in the lower-paid occupational countries: nursing, allied wellness professionals ( AHPs ) , administrative workers and accessory workers ( DH, 2005 ) . Peoples from black and minority cultural groups comprise 39.1 % of hospital medical staff yet they comprise merely 22.1 % of all infirmary medical advisers ( DH, 2005 ) . An equalities approach understands that our societal individuality in footings of gender, race, disablement, age, societal category, gender and faith will impact on our life experiences. Diversity literally means difference. When it is used as a contrast or add-on to equality, it is about recognizing single every bit good as group differences, handling people as persons, and puting positive value on diverseness in the community and in the work force. Historically, employers and services have ignored certain differences. However, single and group diverseness needs to be considered in order to guarantee that everybody s demands and demands are understood and responded to within employment pattern and service design and bringing. One manner in which administrations have responded to the issue of diverseness in recent old ages has been the development of flexibleness in working patterns and services. For illustration, an employer may let an employee to work a flexible working form to suit kid attention agreements, or a GP surgery may offer surgeries at the weekends in accommodate those who work full clip during the hebdomad. These attacks recognise that in order to be inclusive and equal to all, administrations may necessitate to react otherwise to individuals/groups. Therefore, a committedness to equality in add-on to acknowledgment of diverseness means that different can be equal. Learning results Understand constructs of equality, diverseness A ; rights in relation to Health and Social Care. Equality and diverseness is going more of import in all facets of our lives and work for a figure of grounds. We live in an progressively diverse society and demand to be able to react suitably and sensitively to this diverseness. Learners in the health care puting will reflect this diverseness around gender, race and ethnicity, disablement, faith, gender, category and age. Your administration believes that successful execution of equality and diverseness in all facets of work ensures that co-workers, staff and pupils are valued, motivated and treated reasonably. Every member of society is likely, at some point, to be a receiver of wellness and societal attention. The Department of Health can merely accomplish its purpose of better wellness, attention and wellbeing for all, by constructing an expressed committedness to equality, diverseness and human rights throughout the wellness and societal attention system. All public administrations including the Department of Health and public suppliers and commissioners of wellness and societal attention services have a responsibility to advance equality. Successfully presenting these responsibilities is a core portion of the wellness and societal attention system s nonsubjective to offer services that deliver high quality attention for all. To make this, the diverseness of the population has to be recognised, in policy development through to serve bringing and patient attention, admiting the diverse experiences, aspirations and demands of staff, patients and service. The Department of Health and local wellness and societal attention administrations continue to take proactive stairss to turn to unequal entree and results experienced by some subdivisions of the community. DH is working to guarantee the rules and practicalities of equity, equality, diverseness and human rights are a cardinal to the work of the Department. In 2007 the UK established a new individual equalities organic structure, to convey together the bing equality Committees covering with gender, disablement, and race and ethnicity into a Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The publicity and enforcement of equality and diverseness is one of the three responsibilities of the new organic structure. This paper briefly explores diverseness in relation to the theory of gender equality and besides examines developments in policy at the EU degree, which has provided much of the drift for alteration. Our focal point is on the policy attack and the tensenesss that the policy paperss reveal about the accent on equality and diverseness attack, in peculiar the extent to which attending to gender issues may acquire lost in the diverseness package, and the extent to which a focal point on the person may be strengthened over the group. This page lists some of the counsel stuffs produced by the former equality committees and counsel produced b y external administrations, who have given us permission to reproduce their stuffs on our site. Guidance from ACAS Age, Religion or Belief, Sexual orientation There are no statutory Codes in force covering sexual orientation, faith or belief, or age favoritism. However, ACAS has published counsel paperss covering each of these countries. The undermentioned ushers are besides available on the ACAS web site. Guidance from the EOC reding immature people The Equal Opportunities Commission produced counsel to assist advisors who work with immature people toA work outA whether they might hold experienced improper favoritism. The chief focal point was sex favoritism but other signifiers of favoritism are besides referred to. Young people need advice too.. Guidance from the TUC mental wellness issues TheA TUC produced counsel to aid merchandise brotherhood reps and functionaries provide a good service to members with mental wellness jobs. It aims to fit reps in workplaces with the information they need to cover every bit good with mental wellness issues as they do with the other issues that harvest up on day-to-day footing. Guidance from the Refugee Council employing refugees We have worked with theRefugee Council to bring forth counsel on using refugees. The counsel explains which paperss can supply grounds of entitlement to work. This counsel is aimed at employers but could be utile for advisors every bit good. Guidance from Advocacy Action Human rights toolkit for advocators Action for Advocacy, the independent protagonism administration has developed a toolkit based on an initial series of Commission-funded preparation yearss to advocators across England and Wales. The toolkit is a resource to advance farther thought and better usage of resources that can back up advocators to utilize human rights in their protagonism work. Understand discriminatory pattern in wellness and societal attention. Discrimination is less favourable or bad intervention of person because of one or more facets of their societal individuality. Understanding how favoritism can impact on persons lives is indispensable to forestall possible favoritism within in instruction and learning state of affairss and guarantee that you are confident in covering with favoritism issues if and when they arise. Our societal individuality comprises our: gender race or ethnicity gender faith or religion age category disablement. While we can confront favoritism because of any of these facets, it is of import that we besides identify the links between societal individualities and individualism and/or a province and state of affairs. Bad intervention can be multi-layered and occur because of: an facet of individualism, e.g. some facet of personal visual aspect, size, personal likes, etc. our state/situation, e.g. homelessness, being a lone parent, abuse of drugs or intoxicant, citizen position, wellness, etc. Valuing diverseness It is of import that you consider how an person s societal individuality may impact on their experience of the programme/teaching session of clinical activity in which the scholar is engaged. The ways in which favoritism works include pigeonholing, doing premises, patronizing, mortifying and disrespecting people, taking some people less earnestly. To guarantee that we value diverseness and see the person s individuality suitably in clinical instruction, the undermentioned rules may be utile: recognise that we need to handle all scholars as persons and respond to them, and their societal individuality, in an single mode understand that handling people reasonably does non intend handling people in the same manner we need to recognize difference and respond suitably regard all scholars irrespective of their societal individuality attempt to increase our cognition and apprehension of facets of societal individuality that may be different from our ain avoid stereotyping or doing premises about scholars based on their societal individuality recognise that some class content may impact on some scholars in a negative/difficult manner because of an facet of their societal individuality recognise that the class construction, e.g. timing of talks, unsociable hours, weekend working, and so on, may impact on some scholars more than others due to their societal individuality recognise that your ain societal individuality may impact on scholars in different ways avoid utilizing inappropriate and disrespectful linguistic communication associating to societal individuality Institutional favoritism Institutional favoritism is concerned with favoritism that has been incorporated into the constructions, procedures and processs of administrations, either because of bias or because of failure to take into history the peculiar demands of different societal individualities. Looking at the long historical position, there is a really cardinal development of how public establishments have dealt with the impression of anti-discrimination. Whereas the typical 19th century anti-discrimination agreements were developed for settling the instance of philosophical and spiritual minorities, modern-day statute law is confronting the challenge of turn toing new issues such as, for case, those raised by the monolithic in-migration of colonial and guest workers immigrants. If racial favoritism is among the most debatable signifiers of favoritism, it is far from being the lone 1. The battle against favoritism is an on-going procedure, which is now confronting the challenge of, non merely turn toing new societal worlds, but besides turn toing old 1s innovatively. The inclusion of disablement, sexual orientation and age as a footing for anti-discrimination battle reflects the experiencing that the jurisprudence must be adapted to procedures of societal alteration, which are marked today by an unprecedented diverseness in footings of life styles, cultural, cultural and spiritual backgrounds. Three characteristics distinguish institutional favoritism from other random single signifiers of bad intervention. Triggered by societal individuality the favoritism impacts on groups ( or persons because they are members of that group ) . Systematic it is built into: Torahs, regulations and ordinances. For illustration, choice standards for occupations or classs, Torahs such as the Minimum Wage, pension regularities, etc. the manner we do things round here , including the usage of authorization and discretion, e.g. how training chances are allocated, how flexibleness in larning patterns is authorised the popular civilization and ways of depicting normality , e.g. long on the job hours culture/expectations. Consequences in forms incidents of favoritism may look stray or random but where institutional favoritism occurs they are portion of a wider form of events which frequently may be hidden. Forms of favoritism can frequently be surfaced by effectual organisational information associating to societal individuality. For illustration: aˆ? which groups of people get promoted in an organisation? aˆ? which groups of people get accepted onto a preparation class? aˆ? which groups of people leave an organisation after six months of employment? Questions such as this may indicate to some people sing the organisation in a different/more negative manner than others. Understand how National initiatives promotes anti-discriminatory practise in Health instruction and Social attention. The construct of favoritism adopted in the statute law derived from Article 13 is inspired by the EU statute law on the equality of intervention between work forces and women.5 Equality of intervention is defined as the absence of any direct or indirect favoritism. By direct favoritism, The same papers defines indirect favoritism as follows: indirect favoritism shall be taken to happen where an seemingly impersonal proviso, standard or pattern is apt to impact adversely a individual or individuals to whom any of the evidences referred to in Article 17 applies, unless that proviso, standard or pattern is objectively justified by a legitimate purpose and the agencies of accomplishing it are appropriate and necessary Harassment is besides considered a favoritism in its ain right. Harassment is any signifier of action that creates a disturbing, intimidating, violative or hostile working environment, such as verbal maltreatments and gestures. As in the equality of intervention between work forces and adult females statute law, the two anti-discrimination directives following Article 13 topographic point the load of cogent evidence on the suspect in instance of legal action. Discrimination can go on in many different ways but you have rights to protect you By jurisprudence people are protected from favoritism on the evidences of: race sex sexual orientation disablement ( or because of something connected with your disablement ) faith or belief being a transsexual individual holding merely had a babe or being pregnantA being married or in a civil partnership ( this applies merely at work or if person is being trained for work ) age ( this applies merely at work or if person is being trained for work ) These are known as protected features . Race favoritism Wherever you were born, wherever your parents came from, whatever the coloring material of your tegument, you have a right to be treated reasonably. Gender equality sex favoritism Womans and work forces should non be treated below the belt because of their gender, because they are married or because they are raising a household. Sexual orientation Whether you are cheery, sapphic, bisexual or consecutive should non set you at a disadvantage. Disability favoritism If you have a physical or mental damage you have specific rights that protect you against favoritism. Religion and belief Your faith or belief, or those of person else, should non impact your right to be treated reasonably. This could be at work, school, in stores or while utilizing public services like wellness attention. Transgender favoritism Trans people should be able to populate with self-respect. There are protections for some of the signifiers of favoritism that trans people experience. Age equality By jurisprudence you can non be treated less favorably in your workplace or in preparation for work because of your age. For illustration, it would be improper to non use person because of their age. The EU impression of anti-discrimination offers a minimum criterion of legal protection, non an extended and unvarying 1. This means that some states will stay more advanced than others in their battle against favoritism even after the execution of the two directives. The statute law besides suggests that equality of intervention is expected to ensue from battling discrimination.8 It does non ordain a positive responsibility on public and private governments to advance positive action or equal chances policies. In this regard, one suspects that this absence will in the long tally be felt as a major defect. Lessons from both the position of gender surveies and from cultural and racial surveies have taught that a thin impression of equality of intervention is far from being a promise of equality. Human rights Human rights are the basic rights and rules that belong to every individual in the universe. They are based on the nucleus rules of self-respect, equity, equality, regard and liberty ( E and HRC, 2008 ) . Human rights protect an person s freedom to command their daily life, and efficaciously take part in all facets of public life in a just and equal manner. Human rights aid persons to boom and accomplish possible through: being safe and protected from injury being treated reasonably and with self-respect being able to populate the life you choose taking an active portion in your community and wider society ( E and HRC, 2008 ) . Intrinsic to these statements should be the rules of equality and diverseness. Since 1998 the UK has besides included human rights within its legal model. The Human Rights Act applies to all public governments and organic structures executing a public map. The Human Rights Acts places the undermentioned duty on your administration. Administrations must advance and protect persons homo rights. This means handling people reasonably, with self-respect and regard while safeguarding the rights of the wider community. Administrations should use core homo rights values, such as equality, self-respect, privateness, regard and engagement, to all organizational service planning and determination devising. The Human Rights Act provides a complementary legal model to the anti-discriminatory model and the public responsibilities. The legal context As a clinical instructor you will desire to guarantee that you understand the legal model sing equality, and that you can associate this model to your mundane function. The UK model has two elements to it: the anti- discriminatory model ( which gives persons a path to raise ailments of favoritism around employment and service bringing ) and the public responsibilities ( which place a proactive responsibility on administrations to turn to institutional favoritism ) . Overview of anti-discriminatory model Sex Discrimination Act 1975 Race Relations Act 1976 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Employment Equality ( Sexual Orientation ) and ( Religious Belief ) Regulations 2003 Employment Equality ( Age ) Regulations 2006 Equality Act 2006 ( screens service bringing in relation to sexual orientation and spiritual belief ) It is of import to observe that at the current clip, age statute law merely protects persons in the country of employment and non serve bringing. The SEN and Disability Act 2001 The SEN and Disability Act 2001 extended the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to education with consequence from September 2002. This act requires instructors to research the proviso of sensible accommodations for pupils who may hold disablements, including larning disablements, to enable them to take part efficaciously. The EU took great attention to avoid national and EU anti-discrimination commissariats going concurrent. The solution introduced for work outing this hard inquiry was to follow the most appropriate technique of statute law. By taking the directive, the EU has in consequence opted for flexibleness. The Directive, contrary to the ordinance, offers Member States general guidelines, which should be implemented within two old ages after the acceptance of the two directives. The anti-discrimination bundle proposed by the Commission and subsequently adopted by the Council of Ministers defines minimum common criterion of legal protection for victims of favoritism, without bias of what the Member States already have on offer in their internal legal order . It is peculiarly important for the success of the statute law that Member States take the EU enterprise as a motive for upgrading their internal criterion of protection and non as a justification for take downing them. This is why the two directives contain a non-regression clause which will in pattern lead to better statute law in all Member States. Another ground why EU statute law should be seen as complementing national enterprises is the stuff range of the Article 13. As indicated above, the domain of competency of the EU in the country of anti-discrimination is restrictively defined by the Treaty on the European Union. The chief country where it will be relevant to believe in footings of Article 13 is the labour market. Therefore, there is a whole scope of countries of possible favoritism where the function of the Member States will stay aboriginal. Know how anti-discriminatory pattern is promoted in Health A ; Social Care puting Active publicity of anti-discriminatory pattern: ethical rules ; seting the patient/service user at the bosom of service proviso, eg supplying active support consistent with the beliefs, civilization and penchants of the person, back uping persons to show their demands and penchants, authorising persons, advancing persons rights, picks and wellbeing ; equilibrating single rights with the rights of others ; covering with struggles ; placing and disputing favoritism Personal beliefs and value systems: influences on, eg civilization, beliefs, past events, socialization, environmental influences, wellness and well-being ; developing greater self-awareness and tolerance of differences ; perpetrating to the attention value base ; careful usage of linguistic communication ; working within legal, ethical and policy guidelines. Beliefs are the premises we make about ourselves, about others in the universe and about how we expect things to be. Beliefs are about how we think things truly are, what we think is truly true and what hence expect as likely effects that will follow from our behaviour. Since the last comprehensive reappraisal in 1974, the Health Belief Model ( HBM ) has continued to be the focal point of considerable theoretical and research attending. This article presents a critical reappraisal of 29 HBM-related probes published during the period 1974-1984, tabulates the findings from 17 surveies conducted prior to 1974, and provides a sum-up of the entire 46 HBM surveies ( 18 prospective, 28 retrospective ) . Twenty-four surveies examined preventive-health be haviors ( PHB ) , 19 explored sick-role behaviours ( SRB ) , and three addressed clinic use. A significance ratio was constructed which divides the figure of positive, statistically- important findings for an HBM dimension by the entire figure of surveies describing significance degrees for that dimension. Drumhead consequences provide significant empirical support for the HBM, with findings from prospective surveies at least every bit favourable as those obtained from retrospective research. Perceived barriers proved to be the most powerful of the HBM dimensions across the assorted survey designs and behaviours. While both were of import overall, perceived sus ceptibility was a stronger subscriber to understanding PHB than SRB, while the contrary was true for sensed benefits. Perceived badness produced the lowest overall significance ratios ; nevertheless, while merely weakly associated with PHB, this dimension was strongly related to SRB. On the footing of the grounds compiled, it is recommended that consideration of HBM dimensions be a portion of wellness instruction scheduling. Suggestions are offered for farther research. It is of import for attention workers to advance equality, value diverseness and esteem the rights of service users. There are assorted ways of how they can dispute prejudiced issues and patterns in wellness and societal attention. One of the ways in which attention worker can advance equality, value diverseness and esteem the rights of service users is to ever set the patient/service user at the bosom of the service proviso. This means that the patients single demands will be met and achieved Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every individual in the universe. Ideas about human rights have evolved over many centuries. But they achieved strong international support following the Holocaust and World War II. To protect future coevalss from a repetition of these horrors, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. For the first clip, the Universal Declaration set out the cardinal rights and freedoms shared by all human existences. These rights and freedoms based on nucleus rules like self-respect, equality and regard inspired a scope of international and regional human rights pacts. For illustration, they formed the footing for the European Convention on Human Rights in 1950. The European Convention protects the human rights of people in states that belong to the Council of Europe. This includes the United Kingdom. Until late, people in the United Kingdom had to kick to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if they felt their rights under the European Convention had been breached. for illustration ; a personal feeding program to a specific person. Puting the service user at the Centre of the proviso by and large makes a happier and healthier patient in all countries. Care workers can assist accomplish this by: * Understanding what it is like to utilize those services * Involving those who use the services Another illustration can be quoted as, Rights of one patient will collide with the rights of another A patient has the right to watch Television or listen to the wireless, while the patient in the following bed has the right the right to an undisturbed sleep the rights of these two patients clash. By supplying earpieces could assist decide this. If patients portion a room one wants the door propped unfastened and the other 1 does nt although this is a clang of rights the rights of the patient who wanted the door closed would outweigh the other as shore uping unfastened doors is a fire hazard Care scenes must supply services in such a manner that all service users get equal benefit for them. For illustration a individual who does non hold English as their first linguistic communication may necessitate a transcriber in order to understand the services available and to show a pick about them. One of the most good ways in which a societal attention puting can dispute anti discriminatory is through staff development and preparation this may be done officially through supervising Sessionss or more informally in the class of twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours working. The director should oversee the work of their staff, offer advice and counsel in hard state of affairss and assist the workers identify developing chances to better their practise.A

A Guide to the Origins and Celebration of Kwanzaa

A Guide to the Origins and Celebration of Kwanzaa Unlike Christmas, Ramadan, or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa is unaffiliated with a major religion. One of the newer American holidays, Kwanzaa originated in the turbulent 1960s to instill racial pride and unity in the black community. Now, fully recognized in mainstream America, Kwanzaa is widely celebrated. The U.S. Postal Service debuted its first Kwanzaa stamp in 1997, releasing a second commemorative stamp in 2004. In addition, former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush recognized the day while in office. But Kwanzaa has its share of critics, despite its mainstream status. Are you considering celebrating Kwanzaa this year? Discover the arguments for and against it, whether all blacks (and any non-blacks) celebrate it and the impact of Kwanzaa on American culture. What Is Kwanzaa? Established in 1966 by the African-American professor, activist and author Ron Karenga (or Maulana Karenga), Kwanzaa aims to reconnect black Americans to their African roots and recognize their struggles as a people by building community. It is observed every year between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. Derived from the Swahili term, â€Å"matunda ya kwanza,† which means â€Å"first-fruits,† Kwanzaa is based on African harvest celebrations such as the seven-day Umkhost of Zululand. According to the official Kwanzaa website, â€Å"Kwanzaa was created out of the philosophy of Kawaida, which is a cultural nationalist philosophy that argues that the key challenge in black people’s [lives] is the challenge of culture, and that what Africans must do is to discover and bring forth the best of their culture, both ancient and current, and use it as a foundation to bring into being models of human excellence and possibilities to enrich and expand our lives.† Just as many African harvest celebrations run for seven days, Kwanzaa has seven principles known as the Nguzo Saba. They are: umoja (unity); kujichagulia (self-determination); ujima (collective work and responsibility); ujamaa (cooperative economics); nia (purpose); kuumba (creativity); and imani (faith). Celebrating Kwanzaa During Kwanzaa celebrations, a mkeka (straw mat) rests on a table covered by kente cloth, or another African fabric. On top of the mkeka sits a kinara (candleholder) in which the mishumaa saba (seven candles) go. The colors of Kwanzaa are black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle, according to the official Kwanzaa website. Mazao (crops) and the kikombe cha umoja (the unity cup) also sit on the mkeka. The unity cup is used to pour tambiko (libation) in remembrance of ancestors. Lastly, African art objects and books about the life and culture of African people sit on the mat to symbolize commitment to heritage and learning. Do All Blacks Observe Kwanzaa? Although Kwanzaa celebrates African roots and culture, the National Retail Foundation found that just 13 percent of African Americans observe the holiday, or approximately 4.7 million. Some blacks have made a conscious decision to avoid the day because of religious beliefs, the origins of the day and the history of Kwanzaa’s founder (all of which will be covered later). If you’re curious about whether a black person in your life observes Kwanzaa because you want to get him or her a related card, gift, or another item, simply ask. Don’t make assumptions. Can Non-Blacks Celebrate Kwanzaa? While Kwanzaa focuses on the black community and African Diaspora, people from other racial groups may join in the celebration. Just as people from a range of backgrounds partake in cultural celebrations such as Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year or Native American powwows, those who aren’t of African descent may celebrate Kwanzaa. As the Kwanzaa Web site explains, â€Å"The principles of Kwanzaa and the message of Kwanzaa has a universal message for all people of good will. It is rooted in African culture, and we speak as Africans must speak, not just to ourselves, but to the world.† New York Times  reporter Sewell Chan grew up celebrating the day. â€Å"As a child growing up in Queens, I remember attending Kwanzaa celebrations at the American Museum of Natural History with relatives and friends who, like me, were Chinese-American,† he  said. â€Å"The holiday seemed fun and inclusive (and, I admit, a bit exotic), and I eagerly committed to memory the Nguzo Saba, or seven principles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Check local newspaper listings, black churches, cultural centers or museums to find out where to celebrate Kwanzaa in your community. If an acquaintance of yours celebrates Kwanzaa, ask for permission to attend a celebration with her. However, it would be offensive to go as a voyeur who doesn’t care about the day itself but is curious to see what it’s about. Go because you agree with the principles of the day and are committed to implementing them in your own life and community. After all, Kwanzaa is a day of tremendous significance for millions of people. Objections to Kwanzaa Who opposes Kwanzaa? Certain Christian groups who regard the holiday as pagan, individuals who question its authenticity and those who object to founder Ron Karenga’s personal history. A group called the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (BOND), for one, labeled the holiday as racist and anti-Christian. In an article in the self-avowed right-wing anti-muslim magazine FrontPage, BOND founder the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson takes issue with the trend of preachers incorporating Kwanzaa into their messages, calling the move â€Å"a horrible mistake† which distances blacks from Christmas. â€Å"First of all, as we’ve seen, the whole holiday is made up,† Peterson argues. â€Å"Christians who celebrate or incorporate Kwanzaa are moving their attention away from Christmas, the birth of our Savior, and the simple message of salvation: love for God through his Son.† The Kwanzaa Web site explains that Kwanzaa isn’t religious or designed to replace religious holidays. â€Å"Africans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa, i.e., Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists†¦,† the site says. â€Å"For what Kwanzaa offers is not an alternative to their religion or faith but a common ground of African culture which they all share and cherish.† African Roots? and a Troubled Founder Even those who don’t oppose Kwanzaa on religious grounds may take issue with it because Kwanzaa is not an actual holiday in Africa and, furthermore, the customs founder Ron Karenga based the holiday on roots in Eastern Africa. During the  transatlantic slave trade, however, blacks were taken from Western Africa, meaning that Kwanzaa and its  Swahili  terminology aren’t part of most African Americans’ heritage. Another reason people choose not to observe Kwanzaa is the background of Ron Karenga. In the 1970s, Karenga was  convicted  of felony assault and false imprisonment. Two black women from the Organization Us, a black nationalist group with which he’s still affiliated, were reportedly victimized during the attack. Critics question how Karenga can be an advocate for unity within the black community when he himself was allegedly involved in an attack on black women. Wrapping Up While Kwanzaa and its founder are sometimes subject to criticism, journalists such as Afi-Odelia E. Scruggs celebrate the holiday because they believe in the principles it espouses. In particular, the values Kwanzaa gives to children and to the black community at large are why Scruggs observes the day. Initially, Scruggs thought Kwanzaa was contrived, but seeing its principles at work changed her mind. In a  Washington Post  column, she wrote, â€Å"I’ve seen Kwanzaa’s ethical principles work in many little ways. When I remind the fifth-graders I teach that they aren’t practicing ‘umoja’ when they disturb their friends, they quiet down. †¦When I see neighbors turning vacant lots into community gardens, I’m watching a practical application of both ‘nia’ and ‘kuumba.’† In short, while Kwanzaa has inconsistencies and its founder a troubled history, the holiday aims to unify and uplift those who observe it. Like other holidays, Kwanzaa can be used as a positive force in the community. Some believe this outweighs any concerns about authenticity.