Based on the Central Coast of California we are in the business of Cultural Affairs rooted in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB). We have 20 years on the ground experience of working with organizations, businesses, communities, schools and artists!
Facilitation, Training and Consultation in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Justice and Belonging
If your organization/school/business is committed to creating environments of belonging, to build community, to tackle systems of ‘isms, to delve into DEI work that is meaningful and impactful, than you have come to the right place. Our work lies at the intersection of culture, art and justice. We are passionate about belonging and working with groups who are committed to taking the journey. We facilitate meetings to find common ground, develop workshops to learn, reflect and shift, we are strategic in community building, and effective in leading you to tangible outcomes. We lead the way to begin the process of cultural shifts that lead to cultural responsiveness, inclusion and belonging.
Culturally Responsive Events and Project Management
We love to organize events, support development and implementation of projects. If your organization is in need of support to curate events that represent, reflect or showcase diversity, we got you! Oftentimes our intentions are good but we may not have the training and tools to be culturally responsive. At Cultural Creations we offer support at any point of the process whether it is curating an event, reviewing content, supporting project development and implementation or consulting on best practices. We want to build community with you in your respective areas to develop a culture of inclusion and belonging. See our events page.
Communicating for Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
We are here to help your communications resonate with a diverse audience, ensuring that everyone who encounters your words and images feels welcomed, seen, and included. Drawing on years of experience writing and editing for publications dedicated to diversity, equity, and justice, we will work with you to translate your big ideas into clear, accessible, and inviting expressions that appeal to diverse communities. Let us collaborate with you to make sure your next outreach promotes inclusion and belonging. We are available to consult with you at any stage of a project.
Youth and Adult Programming in Cultural Affairs and DEIJB
Cultural Creations has worked with schools, organizations and individuals to bring in programming for youth that is grounded in diversity and belonging. Incorporating principles of diversity, equity and inclusion programs offer cross cultural learnings so students embrace differences while understanding similarities. We all participate in and create culture, we just may do it in different ways. Programs centered in principles of inclusion teach students that we can all connect and find common ground often through our differences.
“If we all look, think, and act alike then we risk complacency and stagnation while perpetuating systems of inequity. Diversity of thought, diversity of people, and multiple perspectives lead to more creative problem solving, innovation, connection, and efficacy.” - Sandra Sarrouf
Meet
Sandra Sarrouf
Sandra Sarrouf, M.A. is an educator, facilitator, cultural worker, and traditional artist committed to building environments of belonging through a lens of cultural sustainability. She offers 20 years of experience in community education, multicultural programming, business administration, cultural production and meaningful cross-cultural connections. Weaving together years of professional experience in the non-profit, public, and private sectors and drawing on her lived experiences; she founded Cultural Creations to assist others in building inclusion and cultural responsiveness into their practices.
What Our Clients Say
“I am so grateful for the customized DEIJB workshop they developed for our multidisciplinary collaborative. Cultural Creations took the time to learn about our work and created a detailed and custom training specific to our organization’s main goals. It was incredibly interactive, and the facilitators are superlative at creating a space where everyone from all backgrounds feel safe, included, and that their voices are heard. I believe this workshop was the foundation our organization needed to build upon in a meaningful way in order to be more culturally competent and responsive. I recommend their workshops to everyone interested in more DEIJB training.”
“The workshop was so informative for our families! I appreciate the way she built such a warm, inviting environment where parents could be vulnerable and feel comfortable sharing. We all walked away with helpful knowledge about how to help our kids and tools to support them with difficult topics. ”
“Sandra expertly guided our company through sensitive discussions on a complex subject. Her command of the material was clear while her compassion for all the differing viewpoints created a safe and productive space for us all to engage. Facilitation was great, command of knowledge was great, compassion was great.”
“Sandra has so much wisdom to share around anti-racism, anti-bias education and does so in an informative, eloquent way. When working with Sandra I felt encouraged to meet my edges but safe and empowered in exploring them. I would highly recommend Sandra’s workshops to anyone or any group serious about diving into the work of DEIJB. ”
“I cannot express fully the appreciation we feel for the opportunity to learn from Sandra and Lata. Our staff was able to grow both individually and collectively, and to vision new ways to hold space for empathic and meaningful cultural connection. The conversations we had with Sandra and Lata will continue to inform all of the work that we do, and to help us continue to pursue understanding and collective ideation with the communities we serve in the future.”
“ In Sandra’s workshops we learned how to respond to children’s statements and questions about differences with ease and give them context for understanding and appreciating how we are different, and what that means. I left the workshop with confidence that I would be able to handle awkward situations, turn them into teaching moments, and set up conversations with kids about diversity that are simple and age-appropriate. Highly recommended! ”