Transcultural experience of growing up in Soweto: towards a positive autoethnography

This paper titled 'Transcultural Experience of Growing Up in Soweto: Towards a Positive Autoethnography' explores my lived experiences as a South African raised in Soweto, highlighting how cultural challenges shaped my personal growth, resilience, and professional identity. Growing up in a low-income household led by my single mother after my father's passing, have encountered numerous adversities, including food insecurity, limited family support, and disruptions in schooling. Despite these challenges, I have engaged in volunteer work and skills development opportunities, which widened my intercultural awareness and commitment to community empowerment. An important intercultural experience occurred during my time at a learning centre, where I faced cultural insensitivity and stereotypes related to my unshaved hair, an important practice in my culture. At first, the experience resulted in feelings of shame, exclusion, and self-doubt, but through reflection, I have reframed it as an opportunity for growth. Drawing on the concepts of positive autoethnography, positive psychology, and appreciative inquiry, I have interpreted the event as a catalyst for resilience, cultural awareness, and emotional intelligence. This process enabled me to transform a painful experience into a platform for learning, self-acceptance, and advocacy for inclusive workplace practices. The positive autoethnography highlights the importance of recognising cultural identity as deeply personal and highlights the role of industrial and organisational psychology and organisations in promoting diversity, inclusion, and respect. This positive autoethnography shows how negative encounters can be reframed into positive, strength-based experiences that promote well-being, growth, and social learning. Eventually, it shows how resilience and cultural understanding add to personal transformation and professional development.