Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

By Anita L. Coles

Early in my years I  was in the college of civil engineer. When I first started the course I did quite well I had a GPA of 3.8. However, when I started my research class I begun to do poorly. In the beginning I thought it was all my fault that I was doing to poorly. At the time I was taking care of my sick dad, raising two small children alone, and holding down a full time job. So I thought too much on my plate

I met with the professor of my research class to ask him what could I do to help get my GPA back up. The professor informed me that he did not think that I could do anything because some people from certain racial background have a harder time understanding certain academics than other races. He went on to say that I should not worry and if I receive a “D” as my final grade (we were not even midway with this course) and a “D” is a passing grade this microaggression was in the form of Microassult and microinsult (Sue 2011) . On that note, I wrote a letter to the college Dean of Electrical Engineering I informed the Dean that I believe that his department housed a few teachers that were prejudices

The college/Dean’s replied to by stating  that the school researched and found that other people of color were attending the College, and had no complains and therefore believed the college had not violated any laws.  I dropped out of college for two years. Letter I went back to the same school different program and graduated with a 3.6 GPA, and cumulatively a 4.0.  

While I was attending class, I ran into my old EE (Electrical Engineer) advisor. He ask me why I dropped out of the EE department I told him if I tell you, you would not believe me, than he said to me “was it because some of the teachers were prejudice? My mouth flew open; than he told me his wife attended the same college, and was treated the say way. He also said that one of the teachers made a racist remark about his wife (at the time the teacher who made the racist remark was  not aware this women was my advisor’s wife (my advisor was White his wife Black).  This situation took place some twenty odd years ago.

However, a few days ago my daughter and I were having lunch at a restaurant were my daughter also work part-time as a server. One of their regular customers (a middle age Hispanic man) saw her sitting and jokingly asks her why she is not working. She told him that she was working a later shift because she had finals early that morning. He asks her what she was studying … she told him Electrical Engineering; he replied “Oh you must be attending the  Branch,” she said to him, “although there is nothing at all wrong with attending the branch,  I am not and have not attended the branch.” The hidden message is the only way you could obtain an EE degree  is to attend a lesser demanding college/University (Sue, 2011) (Gorki, 2008, p. 2). Then he asks her if she thought that she might have a hard time getting hired anywhere; hidden message, you are going to have a hard time getting a job because you are women and a Black women at that (Sue, 2011).  Her replied to him was that she has already accepted a job offer in Texas and should begin working right after graduation. The man just looked sheepish and replied “oh.”  In my opinion times have not changed much. There is still so much work to be done.  These two examples represented two types of prejudices, one against a person of color (possible gender as well); and the other color and gender.

In order to became more aware of and to work on eliminating actions such a microaggression we as teachers/educators, and parents need to encourage our young children to do what my daughter is doing: seek and continue to seek higher education; if in order to pursue a dream and or a goal dare to move  outside their comfort zone; Lastly but certainly not least, respectfully defend their cultural inheritances(Seifert, 2007, p.7)

 

                              References

Gorski, P. (2008). The myth of the "culture of poverty." Educational

           leadership, 65(7), 32--36. Academic Search Complete database.

Laureate Education Inc. (2011). (Derald Wing Sue, PhD).

           Microaggressions in everyday life.

Seifert, T. (2007). Understanding Christian privilege: Managing the

           tensions of spiritual plurality. About Campus, 12(2), 10—17

          Academic Search Complete database.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

                         

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

 Anita L. Coles

      The three individuals in which I ask to provide me with their definitions of “culture and “diversity” had very interesting views and or definitions. The three individuals were a husband and wife of different racial backgrounds, and women who is 90 years young, although married, the husband and wife each provided their own viewpoints and or definitions; the wife is in her late 30’s and the husband early’ 40’s.

What I found to be very interesting was that all three individual’s definition and viewpoints were closely related; however, the way each one expressed their viewpoints concerning culture and diversity was amazingly different. The wife provides her definition and viewpoints almost poetically.  I had the husband and wife email me (I requested this because I wanted to keep their viewpoints separate even if they both had the same or similar ideas.) I would like to share both of their viewpoints:

Wife:  Culture to me is about traditions, valves, food...I guess basically just how

 we are  raised. I think smaller Part of race…religion has a larger part in  

             how we were raised though I do think the history of race does affect

 the culture though[sic]. Diversity to me makes me think of how we lived on

             from around the world. We were all different races, religions and nationalities, that

             is what made it so amazing. Different languages, food, transitions, ways

 kids are raised. And for the most part all in a respectful way[sic]. Mostly wanting to

             learn about each others[sic]cultures[sic] (2013)

            

        Husband: “Culture=the way a person is brought up, the

Way they dress the foods they eat and so on.  

Diversity=the differences between cultures...the way a

Group looks the way they act and so on” (2013)

 

I interviewed my aunt by way of telephone; my aunt expressed her viewpoints on how it was when she was a young child. Her culture consisted of a “pretty normal day like anybody else’s except for Sundays. Sundays everyone had to attend church, first staring with Sunday school, morning worship, go home eat dinner take a nap and go to evening services.  That was a standard [family culture/ritual] every Sunday.

We would always go to the eldest home after church to eat dinner. No one could play any games, watch television, read a comic book... if [it] did not have to do with God and or church you did not do it on a Sunday period. The way we dressed was no pant ever; long dresses and or skirts and always a hat to cover the head, a head that was not covered was[being] disrespect to God and  mankind.” (2013).  

I think if I were to be in agreement between all there definitions and or viewpoints I would say that there is a place in all there viewpoints and definitions that I would or could feel comfortable with. However, I do think that Derman-Sparks and  Olsen-Edwards(2010) summed it all up for me “ a person’s cultural group is related strongly to his or her ethnicity, which reflects the place of origin and cultural background of the person’s ancestors ---whether parents, grandparents, or relatives who lived hundreds of years ago”(Derman-Sparks, & Olsen -Edwards, 2010, p. 56).

 

 

Reference

                Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen-Edwards, J. (2010).  Anti-bias education  for young children and ourselves. National Association for the Education of young children. Washington D. C.

My Family Culture

What I would like to bring with me to my journey of my new country would be my grandfather’s bible that he used during his years of a ministry; a portrait of my great-grandmother Elizabeth dressed from head to toe in her Indian attire; lastly but certainly not least, my photograph album that house photographs of my immediate family members; other kinfolks; close friends; special places and events, and past and present family pets (Harris, 2008, p. 10).

If I could only keep one thing it would have to be my grandfather’s bible. The main reason for keeping the bible would be because both my grandfather and my grandmother recorded important information concerning our origins, special events such as marriages; births; baptisms, and deaths.

The bible provides very important information concerning  my grandparents;  parents; children ; grandchildren; past and present kinfolks, and myself.  I would explain to others the bible provides insight and closeness to whom I believe is my creator and savior. I would explain to others that I believe the contents of the bible provides me with daily guidance for a long and fruitful life.

I would also explain that the bible houses important documentation by family members concerning important and special events as well as very important information concerning family origin. I would explain the importance of my holding on to the bible, how the bible shall bring me daily comfort, as well as keeping my family origins alive.

The insight that I have is that although it is important for me to have visual keepsakes (items), it is more important for me to keep our memories alive by documentation and or story telling for these things are not easily destroyed or left behind, “for each family is unique…” (Garris-Christian, 2006, p. 9).   

 

Reference

Garris- Christian, L. (2006). Understanding families:

         applying family systems: Theory to early

        childhood practice. 61(1) ;1-9.  YC Young Children.

        ProQuest Central

Harris, S. R., (2008).  What is family diversity?  

        Objective and interpretive approaches: Journal of

       Family Issues. 28(1407). “originally published

       online 21 May 2008.”

       DOI: 10.1177/0192513X08318841. “The online version

       of this article can be found at:

      http://jfi.sagepub.com/content/29/11/1407.”