Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

I was very alert this week as I worked hard to detect examples of microaggression.  I purposely walked isles of stores in hopes to hear or see examples.  My favorite example came as I was standing in line to check out, behind a woman who I presumed to be African American, another lane opened up and the gentleman said to me, “Ma’am, I can help you on the next lane.”  I turned to the woman in front of me and told her she could go first, as she was there before I was.  The gentleman looked very surprised that I had told the woman to go first.  His facial expression was almost a look of disgust.  I immediately recognized the woman’s body language and facial expression in response to the gentleman’s demeanor. 

 

This is an example of a white person being given preferential treatment over a person of color.  The message I perceived was that the African American woman was of a lesser that I was, so I should have been helped first.  I found myself feeling very uncomfortable in this situation.  I didn’t know whether to say something or if my courtesy of allowing her to go first was enough.  She smiled at me and told me thank you, but again I could sense her feeling of the microaggression that was occurring.

The observations that I made this week have certainly opened up my eyes to how often microaggressions occur.  Countless times they occur without one’s knowledge.  The readings and media this week have contributed to my awareness of how others are affected and to be very careful in the words we chose during conversations.  Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes can be very harmful and have long lasting effects on one’s self-esteem.  Overall this week has been very educational for me. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I was very specific in whom I chose to speak to in regards to culture and diversity.  I really wanted to try to see if through specific selection, I would get different definitions.  I found that each of the people I had a conversation with about culture and diversity has similar definitions. 

The first person I chose was my mother, Teresa.  I wanted to see if and how her definition was the same or different than mine.  I found that her definition is very text book.  She refers to how culture can constantly change over time and how it can be a learned behavior from one’s surroundings.  This is similar to that of what we have learned through our text readings.  I do not feel that anything was omitted through her definition. 

The second person I chose was Joy.  Joy is a co-worker of mine who I believed in some ways would be culturally different from me due to our races.  Joy is African American, but was born and raised in the United States.  Joy’s definition of culture and diversity was not far off from how I defined both. 

With that said, I reached further into my contacts and selected an international contact from Peru, Odaer.  Odaer’s definition of culture and diversity was intriguing.  Although very similar in definition, she shared a more in-depth conversation with me and provided examples and pictures of how the community in which she lives preserves  ancestral knowledge, and as the knowledge is transmitted and this ensures the identity of cultures in Iso people against the threat of Westernization.  I found our conversation very interesting and it helped to paint a picture of her definition. 

Teresa – Roosevelt, MN

Culture constantly changes and sometimes exists in one’s mind.
It is a learned behavior as in traditions that have been passed on through
family members, ancestral backgrounds or perceptions that are shared
by universal traits. Culture is also through our own identities that set us
apart from others as in foods, language and experience.

Diversity involves the acceptance and respect that all individuals
and acknowledging our individual differences.

Joy - W. St. Paul, MN

Diversity- I define diversity as the integration of races and cultures to provide a variety of perspectives.

Culture- I define culture as racial, social and family economics that influence a person’s individual perspective.

Odaer  - Moyobamba-Peru

The culture as a general concept is any manifestation what man has created in its historical development in all corners of our planet

Diverse development emerges from there that from these various forms and manifestations of how they express themselves 

Children learn to weave through guidance of elders.

Gastronomy in Amazonian peoples.

My Family Culture

If a major catastrophe completely devastated the infrastructure of my country and I was told I could bring three small items that represent my family culture, I would bring my wedding ring, a family photo album, and an American flag.

The reason I would want to bring my wedding ring because it is a symbol of my promise to love and my commitment to my spouse for life.  A family photo album it important for me to bring because it is a clear representation of my family’s culture and celebrations.  The photo album would be a great way to reminisce and continue to pass on traditions from generation to generation.  The last item that I chose to bring was an American flag.  The American flag represents our freedom, bravery, and the American dream.          

If upon arrival I was told that I could only keep one personal item, I would be OK with that.  The memories, identities, and ‘who I am’ will still be ‘who I am’, with or without items to represent my culture.    Who I am lives within me and can be represented in my daily interactions.

In preparation of this exercise, I spoke with my husband about items that he would bring and why.  Two of our choses were the same, which spoke deeply that my choices were right on.  In the end, having to give up items, made me have a more profound idea of who I am and what it means to carry on traditions and cultures.   Objects are just objects.  It is what is inside a person that counts and makes a difference.