Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

I was very surprised to have actually witnessed a microagression this week. It was during lunch time and the students were coming in for lunch. One of the students is from Africa. This particular student was misbehaving in the line and one of my co-workers said he’s been misbehaving every day this week.  One of the students, who is an African American, said that’s the African in him. I was in awe. I could not believe he said that. This was a micro insult. This child does not know the extent of what he said. I told him not to say that because it isn’t nice and where a person is from has nothing to do with their behavior.

That showed me it happens more frequently than I thought. Since I have learned about microagrression I will be more observant when someone is conversing and I will be more cautious about what I say. A microagression can happen without a person even realizing it.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

To find out how others view culture and diversity I spoke to three people. The people I spoke to were an African American female (24yrs old) an African American male (30yrs old)  and a Puerto Rican female (48yrs old). I asked them what culture and diversity meant to them.

 The African American female said culture meant to her how you were raised, your values, beliefs, and ethics. The male said your background or where you’re from. The Puerto Rican female said background, language, and food. I asked each what diversity meant to them and the African American female said liberal, open to different views, learning about different cultures, and experiencing different cultures. The male said ethnicities, the other female said people of different ethnicities.

Aspects of the definitions of culture and diversity that was included in what I have been studying are different ethnicities, language, and food. Other aspects of culture and diversity that wasn’t included were characteristics, dress, gender, body language, and lifestyles.

When I think about their views on culture and diversity, I realize these would have been the same answers I would have given had I not been studying about it. I’ve learned it is so much more to culture and diversity than I have ever imagined. Studying about culture and diversity has been an enlightening experience. I now view people differently. I know it’s more than the way they look, speak, and dress.

My Family Culture

I can’t imagine having to relocate to another country permanently, especially if it isn’t my decision. Having my immediate family with me is more important to me than anything. I have many things of sentiment, but if a catastrophe were to happen, the three things I would take with me would be pictures, my wedding ring, and sentimental gifts from loved ones.

My pictures are dear to me because I have pictures from my childhood living in Philadelphia and pictures I’ve taken since I relocated to Georgia. I was born in Georgia, but raised in Philadelphia. I was three years of age when we moved there. I made many friends in Philadelphia and also had family there. I’ve always loved to take pictures so I have many pictures of friends and family from Philadelphia. These pictures mean a lot to me because some of the people on the pictures, family and friends, have passed away, so this is one of the ways I remember them. When I relocated to Georgia at the age of 21, I started taking more pictures of family and the friends I met throughout the years here. My wedding ring means so much to me because my husband passed away and this is one way I remember him and our life together. Sentimental gifts from family, friends, and co-workers mean a lot to me because the gifts from them showed me how much they cared about me.

I would be deeply hurt if I was told I could only keep one item, because they all mean so much to me. I can’t imagine having to give up any. If I had to choose, I would choose the pictures because I have pictures of all my family, friends, and some co-workers.

An insight I have gained from this exercise is it is difficult to choose what is most important to you, besides your family. I also reflect back to the victims of the hurricane, they could not choose what to take with them when they had to relocate. It means a lot to have that option.