Cultural appropriation baffles me sometimes. I completely understand when it comes to sacred things like the Native American war bonnet and religious relics of the sort, but the only way to learn about other cultures is to dive in and be hands on. Learning is doing. Does it help to have someone of that culture, of course it does, but learning any way is wonderful.
Bottom line, be smart about things and soak it all in.
So you can only become educated about a culture if your dress up as that culture? Or you could try reading written works by people of that culture, listen to the music of that culture, research the history of that culture, etc.. etc.. Empathy is not about being able to take something from a culture.