Awareness of Microaggressions

A personal experience with microaggression I encounter happened between a co-worker and me. During a heated discussion about balancing work, family and school, this co-worker said to me "I did not go to college right out of high school like you did. I have to work and raise a family!" She assumed because I went to an expensive and traditional college that I completed high school and went straight to college.  I assured her that I knew the stress that is associated with completing college, raising a family and working. I was a nontraditional student while studying my undergraduate degree. I was married, had two children and worked part-time. 

After this discussion, I experienced several emotions. I felt as though I must carry myself in a way that made this co-worker think I was a traditional undergraduate student. Then I felt she only thinks that because I am white and that is the stereotype that her culture associated with young white woman who finished college.

I feel I am a very cooperative, respectful, and understanding person. I believe everyone deserve the same treatment. I respect all culture and in fact, I like to learn about other cultures. I think knowledge is power, so why would this person think this and pigeon whole me. I am not saying she is a bad person. I think I felt that way because I did not understand.

Looking back on this incident, I can how she might associate Caucasian woman and college. I think this is what she was told, what she experienced, and what her perception of young Caucasian women.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I talked with my mother, my husband and a family service worker that works with families at our head start center.

My husband's answer to the question what is your definition of culture is, family culture is like a family's heritage. I asked him what his definition of heritage is and he said it a person background and where a person comes from and where they grow up. I asked him if that incorporates beliefs and he said no that is for religion. His response to the question of diversity was diversity equals differences. 

My mother response to the question of culture was that culture represents someone's background and traditions. She described diversity as someone's ethnicity or outward appearances.  

  

When I ask the family service worker, she describes culture as a family's traditions, beliefs, customs, and can even involve a family's home language. She described diversity as the differences and variety among all families here (US) and around the world.

After evaluating all the answers from the people I asked, I do not think they are wrong. I think they are on the same page and have the same idea they just explain their definition of what thought culture is.

According to our book, culture refers to the way we live, what we eat, our traditions, and religious beliefs. Culture also refers to the way we raise our children (Derman-Sparks & Edwards 2010).

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

My Family Culture

In the event of evacuation, the three things I would take that I hold dear and represent my culture include my huge photo album, my mother's engagement ring, and my father's burial flag. I decided on the photo album because it holds MANY pictures of my family and family's traditions. This album holds many family memories and depicts our family's culture. I decided on my mother's engagement ring because it represents a love that lasted 30 years before my father's death in 2004. Not all cultures wear engagement rings and feel the ring is an example of a western culture. Lastly I decided on my father's burial flag because not only is it VERY dear to me but it represents how our culture shows respect for Veterans who served in our country. In addition, if someone would try to take any of these items I would be completely devastated and sad because these items mean so much to me.

I think I have decided on something of my mother's and something of my father's because they are whom I identify with. When my father passed away our family felt lost for some time because he was such a huge part of our family structure. He brought faith, strength and wisdom. My mother is responsible for many of my beliefs and morals because she is the one who taught them to me.