Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

        Racial microaggressions create an unfriendly and invalidating environment for people of color saps their spiritual and psychic energies, and their cumulative nature can result in depression, frustration, anger, rage, loss of self esteem, anxiety, etc.  This microaggression can also occur nonverbally, and their message conveyed to persons of color is that their contribution is irrelevant.

        I, along with my son traveled to Washington DC some time ago for his internship, on a small airliner.  During this time, the plane was not full and there were plenty of empty seats.  One of the flight attendants, which were white, came over and told us we could sit anywhere because the plane was not going to be full.  So, me and my son decided to sit on the front row, we had more leg room and felt very comfortable for the both of us.  All of a sudden, the flight attendant stated if we could go a couple seats back and let a couple sit on the front row. 

        A course this couple was white and wore business type style clothing and appeared to me to look wealthy. We both looked at each other with a negative reaction and asked the question “Are we being singled out because we are black?”  I wish you could have seen the look on her face, with such a surprise.  I felt resentment and angry at the same time, because we felt like we was treated like second class citizens…mainly because of our skin color.  The flight attendant had a reason for every allegation I made towards her.  I was so mad at this lady, and wanted to tell her a piece of my mind; this really left a bad taste in my mouth.  Most white Americans see themselves as decent and good human beings some just possess a biased racial attitude and engage in discriminatory behaviors.

Perspective on Diversity and Culture

I spoke to two friends and one family member of various ages that was willing to share on providing their insight/ideas on how they think culture and diversity is defined. 

Fatima, my best friend stated that culture is your beliefs and values in which you were brought up in, such as your thoughts and beliefs.

Diversity is being able to understand that individuals has different backgrounds such as (religion, gender, and political choices)

Lindsay says that culture and diversity goes hand and hand, meaning when there are particular groups with different ways of living, such as their language, the way they dress, and the foods they eat.

Diversity is when we accept people living different and being able to accept their differences. 

My guy friend, Calvin stated that culture means people having different traditions and beliefs and he bases it on his experience as a gay guy in the society.

Diversity is the aspect that defines one culture from another, depends on where it originated from

Which aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course are included in the answers I received—and what are some examples?  I believe every aspect of culture and diversity is included in my answers I received.  For instance, people with different sexual orientations, different lifestyles, and having are rejected by other people.

Which aspects have been omitted—and what are some examples of such omission?

I believe deep culture have been omitted from these aspects.  Let’s not forget that we all have different social identities and this contribute to our culture and diversity.

In what ways has thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics?  It makes me fully understand what culture and diversity really about and everyone thinks different when it comes to defining what culture and diversity is.  Talking to my friends, made me realize that everyone is aware of the different customs, foods and costumes in other countries.  I enjoyed reflecting on the differences that each individual gave, even if they were right or wrong.  It has been stated that ‘cultural is a unique topic to explore.’

My Family Culture

 

If a major catastrophe hit and completely devastated the infrastructure of my country and I was a survivor and had to move to a completely different country and might have to live there permanently.  The three small items that I would take with me that I hold dear and represent my family culture would be (exluding family/son): 

 

1.  All of my photo albums with pictures of my family and friends

2.  The Holy Bible that was given to me by my grandmother at an early age

3.  Supply of paper and pens to write down everything I did and saw throughout my journey

I would explain to others that these three items means a lot to me.  I love to take pictures and collect photos (old and new).  There are so many memories in a photo, pictures of my son, my family and also my close friends.  I don’t want to forget these memories and always keep them near my heart.

Taking my grandmother’s Holy Bible also means a great deal to me.  She gave me that Bible when I graduated from high school and I continue to read it and go by it.  This is where I get my strength and wisdom, from reading the Bible.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me

Philippians 4:13

I can’t lose staying in touch with my family and friends.  I will write down what I see and what I do on a daily basis, so when we do reunite, I will have an awesome story to tell.  I love to talk about different sights and people I met along the way.

Upon arrival and I have to give up two of my personal items and keep one, they would be the paper and pencils and the photo album. This will be so much pain in leaving behind my pictures of my family and friends.  I do know, the Holy Bible will continue to guide me and give me the strength that I most definitely need in times like these. 

I also did gain some insight about myself during this exercise, along with my family culture and cultural differences.  It really made me realize the importance of material things verse the importance of my family and friends.  Just the thought about moving to another country, away from my friends and family would break my heart.  This really makes me want to re-evaluate my priorities of what comes first in my life.  I don’t like to take things for granted, but some things you cannot change.

“We have the ability to achieve, if we master the necessary goodwill, a common global society blessed with a shared culture of peace that is nourished by the ethnic, national and local diversities that enrich our lives.”

Mahnaz Afkhami (Iranian-American Human rights activist; b. 1941)