Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

As I reflect on microaggression I cannot recall a time in which I have personally experience it myself.  However, I do believe that I witness my sister go through such an experience, even though I wasn’t aware of it at the time that it was called microaggression. It occurred in the mid to late 90’s my sister and I were grocery shopping and she made a rather large purchase.  As we approached the checkout and a white cashier began to ring up her items when she finished she automatically entered food stamps as the paying method without even asking my sister how she was paying. My thoughts about this situation is that I felt that the cashier believed that all black people that comes through the doors to shop for groceries receives food stamps. To me it was an insult to make such an assumption.  Because I felt the message that she was unintentionally sending was that all blacks don’t work but rely on public assistance.  My perception of prejudices have not being effect because I always felt that discrimination, prejudices and stereotyping is still very much alive and well.  Just this week in our local news an incident of prejudices, discrimination and stereotyping played out that confirms my thoughts.    In this instance it was a Jewish gentlemen that went into a Greek restaurant and  ordered a Greek salad and the man asked him would that be the Jewish size or regular size because we all know that Jews are small and cheap and proceeded to throw him out the restaurant.   When I heard the story my mind instantly went to this week study of microaggression.  The gentlemen denied saying and doing it at first but after a lot of backlash from the public after hearing the story, he decided to meet with the gentleman and make a public apology stating that there wasn’t any harm intended it was only a misunderstanding.  I do believe that the gentlemen meant harm toward this man and all Jews but after such backlash from the public and the threat to boycott his restaurant he decided to do the honorable thing and make a public apology.  The gentleman that was the recipient of this incident was so grateful for the unwavering love and support he received from the public. Here is the link if you would like to read more about this story.   http://www.wapt.com/news/central-mississippi/jackson/rabbi-restaurant-owner-discuss-jewish-salad-incident/28268182

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

      In speaking with several people in regards to diversity and culture. There were a multitudes of descriptions on what they felt diversity and culture meant to them.  In one instance culture and diversity was described as being closely connected, being the origin of our creature.  In another instance diversity was described as being different in respect of race, sex, gender and religion.  And culture was depicted as being strongly linked to family their ways, customs and traditions.  In retrospective I feel that all these portrayals of diversity and culture represented are all elements that’s included within this course. However, I had no idea that culture and diversity encompasses some much that goes beyond theses interpretations presented above.  Some of the elements that I feel that have been omitted are dominant culture and deep culture.  Dominant culture embodies the components of culture by it dominates/controls social conventions such as collaborations, educational establishments, creative expression, law, governmental process, and business.  And deep culture which reflects attitudes/thought toward life, religion and moral and ethnically beliefs, and values in human relations.  In my study of culture and diversity I realize that there is a lot more that I have to learn that goes way beyond what I thought or believed culture and diversity to be.

My Family Culture

Culture represents to me who we are and where we came from-it gives you identity.  It links you with your family as well as your community.  I feel that without culture there is no us.  The significance of culture rests in the fact that it is a connection among people and their value system.  If a catastrophe were to occur and I had to take refuge in another country the three items that I would take with me would be my bible, a picture of my family and a portable television.  I would inform everyone in my new environment what each one of these three items mean to me and the role they all play in my life.  I would let them know that the bible is important to me because growing up it is what we lived by and what I still live by today, it is where we seek comfort during difficult time, it is where we seek peace in a time of unrest oh it is so many more things to me it is my life line to God.  I would let them know that the photo of my family is dear to me and that it represents who I am and where I came from.   And that’s with these people I shared so many wonderful memories.  I would let them know that I chose the portable television to have a connection to the world around and to stay abreast of current occurrences and information.  Upon arrival if I had to relinquish two of my items I would be distraught because I feel all these items are near and dear to my heart and will assist with me this new transition.  I feel that this exercise has evoked some great emotions within me.  It had me pondering upon my culture and the role it plays in my life.  It has taken me to a place of very deep thought unveiling things that otherwise would remain concealed.