Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

              I really have to say that it is sad to see how microaggression can really hurt a person’s feelings.  This past week I had some friends visit from California and we decided to go shopping.  There was a total of six of us all Hispanic women at Macy's store.  We were looking around a laughing and making jokes as we looked at clothes and our girls kept saying you should were that and we would say no we are to old for that type of clothes.  To make a long story short a lady came over to asked us if we needed help or if there was something in particular we were looking for.  My friend and I replied at the same time “just looking thank you” she stepped away, but my daughter noticed that she went to the register and got on the phone and as she spoke to someone she was looking directly at us.  Next thing we see is some guy dressed in regular clothes playing along as he was looking for clothes however every time we moved he would follow us and pretend he was looking at clothes as well.  My daughter got really upset and asked him if he was following us.  He was really surprised and didn’t know what to respond.  He then said that he had gotten a call that perhaps some shoplifting was going around that area.   I was so mad that I asked for the manager.  The guy got very defensive and wouldn’t call the manager.  So, I walked to a register and asked for the manager on duty.  Well the manager seemed to be so busy that he could not take the time to come and meet with me.  I asked the clerk if I could get on the phone with him and she told the manager that I wanted to speak to him.  I went on to tell him how I have been a customer of theirs for over 15 years and that I had a credit card with them in excellent status and that I always shopped with them.  I also told him that I had guest over and we decided to come to shop to my favorite store and that by being treated this way I would never step foot at any Macy’ store.  The manager tried to defend the clerk that had called security and the security guard.  Then he went on to tell me that he apologized for the confusion but that lately several Hispanic women were caught shop lifting at another Macy's store.  I was beyond mad by this point because he didn’t make us feel welcome but him mentioning that to me was beyond acceptable.  Why would anyone generalize that just because we are Hispanic we are all thief’s? 

            We left the store unbelievable filled with many emotions.  It made me think about what Dr. Sue said that racial microaggressions could be intentionally or unintentionally communicated.  I can surely say that because we were seen as Hispanic women we were labeled right away and to me that was done intentionally.  The way I experienced this racial microaggression really affected my perception on how prejudices and discrimination are very existing.  I was upset but more sadden to know that we are stereotyped and labeled.       

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I decided to speak to three different people that came from different backgrounds.  It was a bit shocking to hear that they defined culture and diversity in the same way.

 The first person is Vietnamese and she told me that she saw culture as traditions and customs they live by, and diversity to her was people from many different cultures.

 The second person I asked he is from India and he said that culture to him was values and traditions as well as language and he described diversity as people from many different countries living in he United States. 

The third person I asked she said it is my heritage and practices I am accustomed to, and diversity to her was getting to know people from many different countries with their own set of traditions. 

As I think about how all three people included the aspects I have studied in the course about how culture and diversity are, no one mentioned anything close to what we have been learning.  I believe that peoples knowledge about culture and diversity all seem to think alike. 

The people I spoke to really lack to mention what we have studied about culture and diversity entails, socio-economics, demographics, roles, identity, and the qualities of individuals. 

I believe that my thinking about culture and diversity has want me to further learn and understand how much deeper it is than just customs and values of people.  

My Family Culture

“A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.”

            The first think I would take with me would be family pictures.  I have always cherished dearly to my heart having pictures of my family so having those to look at would help me share a piece of my culture with the new culture I am living at as well it would remind me of the beautiful times I had with my family.  

 

 The second thing I would take with me is my security blanket (dads jacket). When I was little I would suck my thumb and while I fell asleep I would love to rub my dads jacket.  He finally gave it to me because it became my security blanket that I had to carry everywhere.  The jacket started falling apart however at my 47 years I keep a sleeve in my drawer because it reminds me of how secured it made me feel as well as it is very special to me because it was my dad’s.    

 

The third thing I would take with me would be my bible. I believe in God and his words are promises for us.  So, having my bible with me would give me the opportunity to keep Gods promises close to me so I can continue reading them and keeping my faith.  I believe that if I had to give up two items I would be so devastated and sad.  It would be so hard to decide on what item I would keep since all three hold a very special place in my heart.  I believe that I would have to choose and keep my family portraits because those again are the ones I would like to share with the new culture, so they learn from my own culture too.  

            What I learned about this exercise was that first of all it was very hard to decide on an item because they are make part of who I am.  Now I understand how hard it is for people of other cultures to come to this country with really nothing and giving up what they most care for.  My family is very important and keeping my culture alive is one thing I cherish as well as I have passed down to my own kids.  There are so many cultural differences and because I have my own culture I believe that it’s important to be open to learn from other cultures because I want to share my own culture as well.   I know that I would like to embrace the new culture but would keep my own roots and culture too.