Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

The term “microaggression” is defined as a “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color”(Negate 2013).

This week the microaggression I was faced with was being asked “What are you”?  I was at a childcare conference and I went to the restroom during a break.  One of the other participants said to me “your hair is so long and pretty. What are you?”  It took everything in me not to ask what she was.  I calmly smiled and stated “I am black”.  She then stared asking all sorts of questions about my parents and grandparents race.  She stated that “there is no way you’re all black with hair like that”.  Although people ask me this question all of the time, I had no idea that this was a of microagrression which is a form of racism.  

My experience this week affects my perception of the effect of discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes mostly from a standpoint of thinking about what I say before I say it.  So often we make comments to people without thinking them through.  Once its said it’s left up to the recipient of the message to determine whether there was an underlined message or not.

References

Heben Negate., 2013. 21 Racial Microaggressions You Hear On A Daily Basis

Retrieved from:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/racial-microagressions-you-hear-on-a-daily-basis July 23, 2014.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Husband

Culture:is those qualities with-in a person that has been influenced from their entire up-bringing, its the influences around you that effect decisions and your interactions with society.

Diversity: all those components that makes us different such as: race, ethnicity, sex, age, social status, education, and other economical and career differences.

Co-Worker

Culture: Culture can be defined as our everyday aspect of life. It has many characteristics that define us as humans such as our race, gender, religion, language and more. Culture can teach us many things about a person and also provide us with patterns of a person’s  behavior.

Diversity: Diversity can be defined as a social identity, which defines who a person is. Each person is made uniquely different. My social identities would include me being a Christian, a mother, a wife, an educator, and a small business owner.

Sister

Culture: the aspects of life that are determined based on our family beliefs, childhood  and social status.

Diversity:  The differences people have as it relates to things such as age, gender, and race.

     I really enjoyed this weeks assignment and getting to hear how my friends, family and co workers defined culture and diversity.  Prior to beginning this course my definition of culture and diversity had just changed.  I like many people only looked at culture from the aspect of surface culture.  I now now that there is so much more to an individuals culture. 

     The people I spoke with primarily associated diversity to the differences in people with regards to gender, ethnicity, race, and religious beliefs. In today’s society these individual differences create diversity throughout our world. As my coworker stated “Each person is made uniquely different”.  This course has helped me gain a better understanding about the children and families I currently work with by reminding me that we all have different cultures and are very diverse. I have also learned that our social identities plays a huge role in diversity.

My Family Culture

If my family and I were forced to move to another county and only have the choice of taking along three small things I believe they would be our Bible, my son’s basketball, and my daughters poetry journal.  These three things mean the world to me and my family. First our Bible because without our Faith in God we have nothing anyway.  Second, my sons basket ball because this is something that he loves.  I watch him give his all everyday to make straight A’s in school and although he may not be a super star he gives his all on the court.  Lastly, my daughters poetry journal.  This journal always my daughter to express herself through her writings.  She is very quiet and to herself so it helps her to be able to tell how she’s feeling.  If upon, arrival we were told we could only keep one thing it would definitely be our Bible.  Our Faith is strong enough that we know and understand that God can do all things and he will provide us with the things we need.  

After I completed the first part of this assignment I decided to ask my family what three things they would take and they choose the exact three things.  I then asked them which one would they choose to keep and they all said the Bible.  This assignment made me realize how alike my family and I really are and it made me feel even better to know that we all choose the same items.  It tells me that we all know each other very well.