Building Relationships - Three Multicultural Resources from Eclipse Ambassadors
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Abstract
Eclipse Ambassadors was an extremely ambitious project. Planning to connect and train hundreds of people across the country, the project team knew that the Ambassadors themselves and the people they engaged with would all be from diverse backgrounds. How can people from various cultures and perspectives understand and respect each other? Three resources were created to address this issue: a Moon Celebrations Calendar poster, a multilingual welcoming video, and a collection of cards sharing cultural eclipse tellings. These are discussed in turn, sharing tips along the way.
1. Introduction
One of the issues that consistently comes up when sharing science with others is how to be welcoming when doing it. Individuals have distinct attitudes and knowledge about science. If one is just meeting someone for the first time, how does one know what these feelings are? And how does one encourage respect among individuals with their own unique backgrounds? How can one welcome everyone to NASA science and the magic of eclipses?
The project team thought a lot about these questions during the development of the Eclipse Ambassadors program. ASP staff had questions on the application asking each candidate what experience they had working with underserved populations. Rather than focusing solely on eclipse science, the training also included material about seeing others’ perspectives and listening to the people with whom you are engaging. The training is detailed in the main program paper: Eclipse Ambassadors - Nationwide Partnerships Reaching Underserved Audiences. In addition, materials that featured diverse cultures were created and shared with the hopes that using these materials would amplify the voices of those often excluded from standard science outreach. Project staff were dedicated to reaching underserved audiences with compelling and relevant eclipse engagements.
2. Moon Calendar Poster
Figure 1
Celebrate Our Marvelous Moon poster
In the period between the annular eclipse in October 2023 and the total solar eclipse in April 2024, there were several Moon cycles and holidays based on the Moon. Focusing on these events would highlight the Moon’s importance to humanity.
Project staff created a poster entitled “Celebrate Our Marvelous Moon” (Figure 1) which included religious and cultural holidays that occurred within this time, as well as NASA’s own International Observe the Moon Night. Some events such as Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Easter are already well known, but their connection to the Moon might not be as explored. The dates of Diwali and the Lunar New Year, which occurred within this time window, were also shared.
One of the celebrations included was from the Indigenous tribe, the Miami, welcoming the Young Bear Moon, known as Weehri-Kihkatwe in February. Although project staff had some existing relationships with people in the tribe, a few conversations needed to happen about what was going to be done with the information before permission could be given to share it. What was the team doing it for? Was it for profit? Education? It was agreed upon to share information about the Miami calendar system on the poster, which can be viewed by going to bit.ly/miamimoon.
The takeaway from making this poster was that tying engagement activities to special holidays can deepen the impact of both. And that connecting with others on this spiritual level highlighted how celebrating the sky is part of what makes us human. This deepening connection showed that science is for everyone, not just the elite who were able to study it.
3. Multilingual Videos
Are YOU ready for Monday, April 8th's Total Solar Eclipse?!
Outside of the scope of the original project, this video came about because the Eclipse Ambassadors were excited about sharing the eclipse in their communities, in their native tongue. A video was created that spoke about the eclipse, told in 12 languages in addition to English.
The script in each language said: “On April 8th the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, creating a solar eclipse. In fifteen states, observers will see a total solar eclipse, while the rest of the country will see a partial eclipse. This is one of the most exciting astronomical events to observe and is a wonderful event to experience with family and friends. If you are going to watch the event, please remember to use approved solar glasses.”
This video was viewed over sixty thousand times! The lesson learned was to listen to the people participating in a training course because they have a lot to offer. If one is too invested in being the expert dispensing training and science knowledge, these valuable opportunities can be missed. Everyone is an expert at something and expending the extra effort for participants to share their expertise can make science engagement more widespread than thought possible. Thanks to Katherine Troche and Shanil Virani for pulling this video together.
4. Ways of Knowing – Solar Eclipses Around the World
Figure 2
Ways of Knowing connections card
Knowing that eclipses have been notable events for millennia, each culture that has witnessed one has its own knowledge about these eclipses.
When this project started, the project team wanted to elevate the contributions of those whose work has been undervalued. Indigenous people have been oppressed by Western science for so long, that it seemed a natural fit to highlight their eclipse learning.
The “Ways of Knowing” cards series shares the traditional eclipse knowledge of thirteen cultures' including that of Western science. Project staff wanted to use simple artwork to convey information created by artists from that culture, and use the voices of the Indigenous people themselves, rather than project staff re-telling. Project staff tried to include at least one card from each continent.
Some of the cards are dedicated to respecting cultural differences, including those cultures that do not view eclipses. Other cards are dedicated to questions that engage people about eclipses. Another way to connect is to take time to share an experience of an eclipse that inspired you (Figure 2). Everyone is encouraged to use the cards to share the wonders of eclipses from cultures around the world!
One of the most meaningful and challenging aspects of creating these cards was developing relationships with the various communities. Each group was different, but the main lesson learned was to be persistent. Time zone differences, personal matters, and busy schedules can get in the way of reaching people, but if you keep trying you can often find the connections you seek.
5. Conclusion
Having a rare window of time with two solar eclipses so close together allowed ambitious projects like Eclipse Ambassadors the chance to reach so many communities. Providing the Ambassadors with multicultural materials was a chance to connect with people who have been distanced from science, due to exclusion, lack of opportunities, or other reasons.
The most important lesson learned in the creation of these materials was to listen and be respectful. Be as patient as you can and allow for a lot of time - more than you may think you need. Building relationships takes time. Try not to insert your version of the words told by the cultures themselves. Leave your perspective out of the telling. In addition, treat the work of other cultures with the same reverence you treat your own.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the many partners around the world who helped develop this work and the support received from the Science Activation group at NASA.
Program funded by NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Activation Program under Cooperative Agreement # 80NSS22M0007 and administered by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)
