Microaggression

Describe at least one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from another time. In what context did the microaggression happen? What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggression?

I was trying to go back in my mind to forms of microaggression that I have witnessed. I was having a hard time recalling any.  I remember going out with a group of people in college. We were all discussing where we should go to dinner; someone suggested that we go to a fried chicken joint. My girlfriend said I do not like fried chicken. A friend of ours said, I thought all your people like fried chicken and watermelon.  We all laughed including my friend. Now I realize now that it was a microinsult.  My friend never mentioned it to me, but now I wonder what my friend really felt.  Looking back, I feel sad that she could have been hurt.

In what ways did, your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people.

This week my family and I drove 2000 miles to our new home in Florida. Along the way, I encountered many different people and often people watched. I paid attention to some of my thinking and some of my thinking saddened me.  I always strive not to be judgmental; however, I realized this week that I do make judgments on the inside. I was sitting in a play area in a shopping center. A family walked up. The husband was dressed in shorts, t-shirt, and sandals. The little girl was dressed in a fashionable summer dress. The mother was covered from the top of her head to her ankles.  Being new to this climate, I thought, man, she must be hot. I immediately thought, her husband must be cool, must be nice. I gasped inside knowing that I had assumed the woman was uncomfortable and I have no knowledge of the woman’s thinking or culture.  This week’s studies have made me aware of how I think and view the world around me. I am working on changing it and having less discriminatory, prejudice, and discriminatory thinking. 

I heard this poem many years ago (before 2006) and I loved it and wanted to share it.

And you call me coloured..??

Written by an African child and nominated by The United Nations
as the Best Poem of 2006.

And you calling me colored??

When I born, I black.
When I grow up, I black.
When I go in sun, I black.
When I scared, I black.
When I sick, I black.
And when I die, I still black.

And you white people.
When you born, you pink.
When you grow up, you white.
When you go in sun, you red.
When you cold, you blue.
When you scared, you yellow.
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you grey…

And you calling me colored??

Culture definitions

I was not surprised by the answers I received from the three individuals I spoke with about culture and diversity.  All of their definitions contained predominantly surface culture. Traits that can be physically seen such as skin color, where a person is from, the kinds of food they eat, and religion. All three seemed stumped, just as I have in the past. It was almost as though it took them much thought to come up with the answers they provided.     It is unfortunate, that many do not realize or understand the depth of culture and diversity.

Omitted from the definitions I was given that I had omitted as well was, language, beliefs, and the basic how others live and think differently. I never thought of culture and diversity being personal to each individual despite the surface culture.

I too, before this class was stuck at the top of the iceberg, only seeing what was visible. The adventure and reward is looking deeper underneath the water line of an iceberg. 


Here are some quotes on culture and diversity from many famous diverse people . You may enjoy them.  

https://www.ufic.ufl.edu/Documents/20%20Quotes%20Praising%20Cultural%20Diversity.pdf

My Culture and Diversity items

Imagine the following:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

A description of the three items you would choose:

As I reflected on this assignment, I realized that as long as I had my family with me, I would not need anything materialistic. We create our culture by being together. A tradition that we have is to at least have Sunday dinner together.

However, if I had to choose something to bring I would bring the following.

1.       My camera

2.       Zoey’s baby scrapbook

3.       Easton’s Baby scrapbook

I take a lot of pictures, in fact I am known as the photographer in my family there isn’t a family function without the presence of my camera. I feel that pictures are important to keep memories a live for generations.

How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you:

The baby books are important because I wanted my kids to know a lot their development their first year, in case I am not around. My mother passed away before I had kids, so I wasn’t able to ask her if I did particular things by children did, and I don’t remember ever hearing about my birth story because when I was young it didn't matter to me.  I also treasure hand written notes from my mom; therefore, I did the entire book by hand not digitally. I hope they one day treasure those books.

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you:

If I could only have one item, I would choose the camera to continue keeping memories through picture. I would feel very sad and angry about leaving the scrapbooks, but I know that having my family really is all that matter, and I would hope to one day be reunited with the scrap books.

Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise:

I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of need for material things to keep my culture and diversity.  Family is the most important thing in my life and defines who I am as a person.   You could say that All I need is love.