Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

While I have faced many racial injustices in my life I never quite knew the name for it. This week I finally was able to get a name to the injustices I faced my whole entire life. However, while I got this new discovery I also learned a lot about myself in regarding microaggression. While I receive it many times, I also have discovered that I too have delivered racial microaggression to others. And like those, I never meant any harm, I may even have said things as a combat to my own dealings, no matter the reason, it is all wrong and we need to treat each other better.

As I started a new job, I knew people were going to try to get to know me better but not know just how to ask really how to do that, thus resulting in the microaggression. I just wish that in many times we would ask or say what we meant without having to get all politically correct or such. I think that if we did this it would/could make life easier. I really hate all the footing around the things we really want to know. In a time like now, if you have a problem with my perfect English, or confused by the way I look and sound then you are living in the wrong era. Many countries come from the United States of America now. In a way and this may be sad, but I wished I lived overseas again. Things were easier and better to be an American in another country. There is was an American. I did face the same racial microaggressions but never to the same magnitude as I do living in the United States.

One thing I have learned about Microaggression from Dr. Gerald Wing Sue is that “microaggression is really from the perspective of the recipient. That person really does take on the burden of interpretation.” (Laureate Education, (2011). I guess if I am not offended that it isn’t offensive. However, I don’t think that I should stop feeling offended but may be not everyone is trying to offend me is what I should be thinking instead.  

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Perspecitve on Diversity and Culture

Because of the greatness of diversity, we all interpret and understand things differently and that is ok. I had ask 3 different people what culture was and what diversity was based on their own understanding of the word. These individuals are family and friends. Each of different in our own rights but we all share similarities. I would not let them look it up because I wanted their raw interpretations. As a result, I found that culture and diversity means something different to them all. I don’t know however if that is a good thing or a bad thing because it is very important. My first interpretation of the answers is that we are so ignorant to each other. We choose what we like about someone and go with that.

Based on the answers I got in summary, culture is understood as a group of people that associate themselves with likeness similar to language, social behavior, habits, etc. Diversity was understood as the variety in people based on their culture, race, religion, beliefs, etc.

Since I have been studying these things in my current course I have come to understood culture as what a person associates themselves with. Through social identities, we gather and associate ourselves with others with similarities. Culture is the language we speak, race, religion, etc.

One thing that gets overlooked when it comes to culture is that culture can often represent things that we don’t see on the outside and can be judged on based on first impressions like, interests and likes or desires.

Based on what I have now learned and seen what others believe culture and diversity to be, this only strengthens my knowledge and thinking to be true that we are uniquely divine creatures who just happen to be different and similar all at the same time. Our differences are what makes us interesting and unique. I am intrigued when I come across someone who is not like myself. I want to learn and understand them more; find the similarities and build from that. I have lived around the world for 14.5 years and loved it. I was a foreigner in those lands but really got to learn so much from others. I appreciate our differences. I don't want to create more like me. I don't want uniformity from people. Just because someone is different is not wrong. I don't try to push my thoughts, ideas, or behaviors on them. Instead I would like to share them and then have them share them with me. This is why I have learned to make so many great dishes from all around the world. 

My Family Culture

My Family Culture:

Based on a scenario I was given for my “Perspective on Diversity & Equity” course here is what I have come up with. First the scenario is:

                A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of my 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. My immediate family and I are among survivors of this catastrophic event. However, I have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. I am told that my host country’s culture is completely different from my own, and that I might have to stay there permanently. I am further told, in addition to one change of clothes, I can only take 3 small items with me. I need to take 3 items that I hold dear and that represent my family culture.

                Now that the background has been laid out and told, here is my response. This assignment was a big struggle for me. I have learned that many different cultures make me who I am. While there are a lot of things I want to take, these particular items bring out culture for me. After much thought, the 3 items I have chosen to take with me is:

·         Camera- To share, take, make, and express our memories. I want to capture everything.

·         Rice Pot- My Asian side cannot live without rice. While I can make rice on the stove, it is not my specialty. (lol). My family loves rice.

·         Rings/Jewelry- Rings have been passed down from parent to child in my family. The rings represent something that the person wore and valued and them passed down to be treasured and shared with another generation. Rings have been passed down to incoming family members as a symbol as well.

Upon arrival, I was told that I could only keep one personal item and had to give up the other two, I would keep the rings. They have unpriced value. In a way, they cannot be replaced while I can and hope to buy a new camera or new rice pot. The rings have a story and history associated with each one and therefore cannot be replaced or have a price put on them.

Through this exercise I learned that this was very hard. I even tried to get help from family members and they struggled greatly. This taught me that I am a very complex, diverse individual who does not have one item to represent me or my culture. I don’t know if that is good or bad. As I continue on with this course I will continue to think of these items or even ones that I would take instead. This is a great question, I will have to share with colleagues. I hope that it will open their eyes to themselves and their culture or the ones all around us that we at times take for granted. This exercise really did show me how different we are. I don’t think it is a bad thing. I have lived all around the world and have loved the experience and can’t wait to do it again. However, this time I will have a different perspective on it because of this course. I will appreciate it all.

                                                                     

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