“Cultural Competency: What is it and Why is it Necessary?” is a white paper defining “cultural competency” and explaining its importance and need in the alleviating issues of disparities within health care systems. Commonly used terms and concepts are explored in this paper. The “Cultural Competency Resource Guide” is a guide to resources, trainers, institutions, and publications about cultural and linguistic competency that we can share with our members, stakeholders and partners to help address cultural barriers with our health care systems.