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The microsystem is the immediate environment that influences the culturally responsive counseling leader. This could include an already diverse environment of individuals closest to the counseling leader or may include individuals who share identities with the leader. It encompasses the counseling leader’s worldview in relation to age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status/partnership, language preference, socioeconomic status, immigration status (ACA, 2014, Standard 5.c.), and all other dimensions of identity. It is important to note that culturally responsive leaders intentionally include individuals who are different from them (and safe for them) to be a part of their microsystem. This inclusion enables safety for diversity of thought and background. Furthermore, this broader understanding can challenge leaders’ thinking while maintaining a consistent focus on inclusive practices in their personal and professional lives. Culturally responsive counseling leaders are reflexive and reflective and are open to growth and to expanding their perspective.

Figure 2.2 The Culturally Responsive Counseling Leader and the Black Lives Matter Movement

BLM advocacy step. Culturally responsive counseling leaders can advocate for and with the BLM movement by taking two steps within this microsystem. First, leaders can actively familiarize themselves with the foundation and ongoing activities of the BLM movement. This can take the form of reading and watching information sources supportive of the movement and taking time to critically think about ways the movement can be constructively criticized for its benefit and success. Second, leaders can invite and engage members of the movement into their microsystem for meaningful relationships. This step has the potential to further humanize and affirm the critical importance of the fight against and resistance to all forms of white supremacy.

Evaluating the effectiveness of this advocacy step. Culturally responsive counseling leaders can evaluate their effectiveness in this advocacy step by simply assessing their microsystem. Leaders can ask themselves, “With whom do I most frequently and intimately engage? How do those forms of engagement support or impede my ideas and sensibilities about the BLM movement?”