Who We Are and Our Stories: Exploring Identity, Culture, and Narratives

In this episode of Bright Conversations, host Shontaye Glover-Jones sits down with Sarah Little, a bilingual speech-language pathologist and advocate for culturally responsive practice. Together, they explore how identity, culture, and personal narratives shape the ways we communicate, connect, and grow—both as professionals and as individuals.

Explore Conversation

Listeners will gain insight into the ways identity influences how we engage with the world, how cultural context informs language and learning, and how understanding narrative development can deepen our support for children’s communication and self-expression. The conversation also touches on self-reflection and cultural humility, encouraging SLPs and educators to examine their own biases and stories as part of building truly inclusive, affirming learning spaces.

🗣️ Topics We Cover in This Episode:

* Identity & intersectionality: how our lived experiences shape communication

* The Wheel of Power & Privilege: using frameworks to understand layered identity

* Culture as a core component of communication—not an add-on

* Narrative development through Erikson’s stages & how language disorders impact storytelling

* The importance of representation in books, media, and therapy materials

* Cultural sensitivity vs. cultural humility: moving from awareness to reflective action

* Diversity audits: how to evaluate materials, environments, and mindsets for inclusion

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Guests

Sarah Little
M.A., M.A., M.A., CCC-SLP, CTP
Sarah Little, M.S., CCC-SLP is a bilingual speech-language pathologist based in the Chicago area. With a background in linguistics and Spanish, she brings a deep appreciation for language diversity, advocacy, and the intersection of culture and communication. Sarah works in the public school system and also conducts bilingual evaluations throughout the Chicagoland area.

Learning Objectives

Describe how identity and culture influence communication and narrative development.
Recognize how personal and cultural narratives shape children’s self-perception and learning.
Identify strategies to incorporate cultural humility and inclusive representation into therapy and educational settings.

Agenda

10 minutes	Introduction and Defining Identity
10 minutes	Personal Narratives & Self Perception
20 minutes	Practical Applications for SLPs
10 minutes	Diversity Audits and Cultural Humility
10 minutes	Advocacy, final thoughts

Disclosures

Financial:	Sarah Little has no financial relationships to disclose.
Non-Financial:	Sarah has no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Content:	Sarah has no additional content information to disclose.

ASHA

This course is offered for .1 ASHA CEUs, Introductory Level, Professional Area

To earn ASHA CEUs you must complete the courses by viewing them, provide course feedback, pass the exams with a score of 80 or more, provide your ASHA credentials, and confirm submission.

Who We Are and Our Stories: Exploring Identity, Culture, and Narratives: $7.00
In this episode of Bright Conversations, host Shontaye Glover-Jones sits down with Sarah Little, a bilingual speech-language pathologist and advocate for culturally responsive practice. Together, they explore how identity, culture, and personal narratives shape the ways we communicate, connect, and grow—both as professionals and as individuals. Includes access to the recorded episode and optional ASHA reporting.

Add-ons

Effects of Diverse Cultural Experiences on Clinical Practices

$20.00

This presentation provides a framework for fostering culturally responsive clinical practices in speech-language pathology. Explore cultural competence, key features of culturally responsive services, the influence of personal experiences, and practical tips for building your cultural competence skills. Includes access to the recorded course and optional ASHA reporting.