Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

At my job at the school, I make announcements on a daily bases. Some of my colleagues often emphasize the fact that I speak well. When my colleagues first made the comment, I did not think anything about it. The same colleagues continued to make the same comments about the way I speak. I begin to wonder what point they were trying to make about the way I spoke.

It was so weird to believe that people could really assume that I should speak or act a certain way because of my race.

Part two:

Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes on people are things you hear about on a daily bases. Until you actually experience it yourself will you see it in a different light.  Discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes on people can be very hurtful. Sometime people do not realize or do not care about the affects of their words or actions.

Understanding microaggression and its effects on people is very helpful when working with families and children.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

1. Family member:

Their definition of culture is one person’s way of life.

Their definition of diversity is people of different races

2. Friend

Their definition of culture is a family’s tradition

Their definition of diversity is people of difference nationalities.

3. Family member:

Their definition of culture is people traditions and religious belief

Their definition of diversity is people who have difference ways of life.

I think the answer my friends and families gave related mostly with surface culture.

Examples are people customs. How people celebrate holidays.

What was omitted from their answers was ideas of education, the gender roles of family member and housing arrangements.

Examples are: The male role family as provider, the female role in the family as home maker

How the family feels about education of different family members

When asking family members and friends about diversity and culture it is funny how people have to stop and really think about the question. Similar to my own thinking when I thought about my own culture I had to stop and think about the question. I had never really thought about my own way of life and how my family does things as it relates to culture and diversity.

MY FAMILY CULTURE

The three items I would choose are my grandmother quilt, photo album, and memories.

My grandmother’s quilt

I would explain to other that when I was little my grandmother made the most beautiful quilts. I can remember how colorful they were. She never purchases material for the quilts. My grandmother would cut out pieces from old dresses, table cloths and remember thinking that was going to be interesting looking quilt. Every quilt she made was unique and not one quilt looked like the other.

Photo album

When I was growing up my favorite uncle when take picture at every event. It did not matter what went own is our family my uncle took lots and lots of pictures. After he died my cousin took over the family tradition of taking lots and lots of pictures.

Memories

There is nothing greater than your memories. All the time you shared with your family. The tradition that you have grown to know as everyday part of your life was always be embedded in your memories.

It really wouldn’t bother me if they took my personal items. The one thing I know they could not take was my last chose is my memories. In my opinion that’s the most important chose of all. They can take my grandmother’s quilt, my photo albums but the memories of how each thing impacted my life can never be taken away.

Insights:

After completing this assignment and thinking how I would feel to be sent to another country or go live in another country and not know their culture would be life changing experience. I now understand how other people from different part of world probably feel when they came to America and no one cares out their culture.