Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

In everyday life we become so use to stereotypes and prejudice actions that we sometimes over look the obvious. This assignment helped raised my awareness and I have been able to recall certain situation and actually witnessed microaggression. For an example, I was at the bank waiting for a notary. I was the first one in the waiting section. Soon after I was there, a Caucasian male showed up. Then two other people showed a man and woman who appeared to be Hispanic or Mexican decent. When the notary finally appeared and asked who she could help, it appeared that she talked right over my head and the non-Caucasian people that were present. She never made eye contact with me. The entire time she was talking she looked at the Caucasian male and back down at the papers she was holding in her hand. When I spoke and told her I was next in line she was very polite and friendly. I honestly don’t even think she realized what she did, or how she made me feel like I didn’t have any power.

During the summer time I enjoy my vacation time. I can run errands during the day while majority of the people are at work. Many times I get a stereotype for being unemployed and uneducated. People are quick to ask so do you work? Are you in school and when I say yes I am; I am working on my Master of Science degree and tell them what it is in, they’re completely shocked. To cover things up, people usually tell me they are so shocked because I look so young. Sometimes I dread going out during the day because I get the look as to say I’m wasting my life away and I am unimportant. Sometimes I feel like designing a shirt saying I am educated just on vacation, it is really frustrating.

Listening to Dr. Derald Wing Sue it reminded me of other situations I have experienced. I remember Dr. Derald Wing Sue talking about his experience with a taxi cab driver. How the driver told him he spoke perfect English and how the driver seemed amazed that his English was so well. This reminded me of my next example that I talk “white”. I remember in High School being told by African American girls and the kicker is also told by Caucasian girls that I talk “white”. This puzzled me because I never knew there was a “white language”. The way I talk is natural and I can’t alter how I sound. I believe the way I speak reflects my education. I can’t understand why speaking incorrect grammar makes you part of a specific race. When situations like this occur I almost feel as if people are trying to strip some of the power I possess maybe unintentionally or intentionally, either way it is offensive.

Reflecting on certain situations and circumstances I have endured reiterates that discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes are very much alive. However, what I realized most is that many people are unconscious of their behavior and do not even realize that it is offensive. When finding yourself in a situation is difficult to figure out what you should do. As Dr. Derald Wing Sue says you can either ignore the situation or confront the matter. Ignoring doesn’t resolve the situation and sometimes addressing the matter doesn’t either. I really do not feel there is an easy answer for resolving this issue.   


“Microaggressions in Everyday Life”

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

There three people I decided to talk to were my Dad and two friends (both friends are different races and religions).

Dad- Culture means who I am, what  I stand for and what my family stands for, the way we live, how we treat people being able to represent what is important to us.

Diversity- Anything different, from culture ways or the way I think.

Friend - Culture is expressed through one’s beliefs and values.  For instance, Latinos and Asians are very much family oriented.  They value their elders.  In fact, in the Asian community is normal for their grandparents to live with them until death.

 Diversity--- Incorporates a person's acceptance of other (races and genders).  In most cultures, women are still the lesser sex.  Men are dominant in the Latino and Asian cultures.

Friend- What you believe in, where you are from and what you are taught.

Diversity - Being able to embrace change.

I feel like the responses I received are very similar to many of the conversations I have heard throughout the course. Everything coincides with background and the beliefs of how a person was brought up. Also, I think everyone has agreed on diversity as being about differences. I don’t think any aspects are being technically omitted; however, I feel the surfaces are barely being scratched. There are so much more when it comes to culture that’s almost impossible to be covered for instance music, certain instruments are used to represent different meanings. From asking these questions I feel people want to group things together instead of specifically naming things such as music, food and even clothing.I feel that by listening to other people’s definition of culture and diversity continues to help me be open-minded and willing to accept other people’s opinions. As well, listening to other people helps me to understand different cultures and helps me shape my idea of what culture means.

“Culture and Diversity” (approximate length: 4 minutes)

My Family Culture

If I had to evacuate and could only take three items with me I would choose a photo album, Bible and a ring.  All three are very important to me. First the photo album is vital because if only the immediate family survived there may be plenty of family members in the album who unfortunately may not have made it. Family is important and at the end of the day, the only thing left are memories. Photos can help you remember distant memories. Secondly, in a devastating situation the Bible plays a crucial part. It is a must to keep your faith at an all time high to survive.  Lastly, I received a ring that was given to me by my mom, who her aunt gave to her and has been passed down from one generation to another. The ring is very important to me because I feel blessed and lucky enough to have the ring. The ring could have been given to anyone else in the family but it was passed to me and for that I feel honored and special.

To have to part of two of the three items is a huge dilemma for me. I thought about taking a few pictures out of the album and putting them in the Bible. However, having to let go of the ring knowing it represents my family is something I don’t think I can do. So I decided if I keep the ring every time I see it on my hand, I will be able to remember my family and have a visual image of everyone who wore the ring. As well, having faith is something that is in your heart and can never be lost.