Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

 

 

 

While visiting with my uncle from Florida this weekend, he told me a story about his days of working as a mechanic. My uncle was a skilled worker who had been highly trained to do his job. However, he was often looked down on because he was black. The other men who were all white would often tell him to pick up heavy boxes or fix different things around the shop. They never took the time to find out what his job title was or what his job description entailed. They simply ordered him to do these things because they assumed that he was incapable of doing their job because he was black. Of course, they never said that they were asking him to move heavy boxes because he was black, One day the manager called a meeting and informed the other employees that my uncle was a skilled worker just like everyone else. He said that he never had anymore problems after that day.  I wasn't really shocked by the story that my uncle told me, but I was thankful that his boss cared enough to address the issue. Sometimes people are guilty of doing and saying harmful things because they are  unaware that they are doing and saying those things.

 

The observations this week helped me to realize that we are all capable of having certain biases and prejudices against others. We have to make a conscious effort to overcome these biases and prejudices so that we are treating al people with dignity and respect. Everyone wants to be loved and accepted. I know that I am going to do a better job of being respectful towards other people. It's something that I try to do anyway, but this week's discussion makes me want to do it even more!

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

 

 

The answers that I received about culture included elements such as religion, race, food, clothes, beliefs, and language. These are all things that we have been discussing and learning about.

 

 

Some of the things that were omitted in the answers that I received were family expectations and rules, our way of thinking, goals, gender and child roles, health care, and work.

 

 

After studying diversity and culture and asking people about their perspectives, I think that I have a better understanding. I realized that culture and diversity encompasses way more than just the things on the surface. Just about everything we do is based on our culture and diversity. I am now more conscious about my culture, and I realize that my culture has made me who I am. I have never thought much about how culture affected me before now.

 

 



My Family Culture

 

 

The three items that I would take with me to this foreign country would be my Bible, my mother's picture, and my grandmother's picture.

 

 

The Bible is representative of my family's faith. I grew up in a very religious household. having the Bible with me would remind me to remain faithful that one day I would be able to return to my home.

 

My mother is such a spiritual woman. I love her so much for the things that she has taught me, and the things that she has done for me. Having her picture with me would remind me to stay strong and not give up.

 

My grandmother was the matriarch of our family. She taught me many things, and I am grateful for that. She is no longer with me physically, but her spirit lives on inside of me. She is my guardian angel.

 

If I was told that I could only keep one item, I would completely devastated. It would be hard for me to choose, but I would choose the Bible because my grandmother and mother are always with me. They are a part of who I am.

 

This exercise has taught me that life presents us with difficult choices. We have to be willing to accept that and realize that we can survive. I also realize that our family culture will always be a part of us and it should be. We can embrace the good things and move on from the bad ones.