Practice Awareness of Microaggressions

Describe at least one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from another time. In what context did the microaggression happen? What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggression?

When Head Start close for the summer I help out at a daycare center. One of my good friends name Esmeralda is a teacher in the one year old room. Esmeralda is from Asia. So one day we had a luncheon for the staff and parents. That day I was working with her and it was our turn to go get out our plate. When we walked in it was a couple parents and other staff in the room. So Esmeralda fixed her plate and another staff member said “Esmeralda I can’t believe you are eating other foods besides white rice, you always eat white rice is that all popular food that every Asian people eat”? I looked at Esmeralda and she looked like she was so angry. Esmeralda said “what you say”/ The other staff said “I was just wondering because that’s all you eat”. So then that’s when I said “my husband is from South Carolina and he eats white rice with everything. I told Esmeralda to ignore her that some people are just dumb. I felt bad because from learning about different microaggression I knew this was a form of micro-racial.

In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people

My experience with microaggression affect my perception of prejudice and stereotypes because I have learned that if people do not understand something they will tend to assume and make presumption. It makes me upset to know microaggression happens outside the level of awareness of well-intended individuals. It makes me disturbed when I observe hatred towards people of any culture, race, gender or ability. This week I learned to never assume things, ask meaningful questions and be kind and respectful.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

This week I was ask to share with 3 people their definition of culture and diversity.

Person 1 is the cook at the Head Start center I work at. Her definition of culture is the way of life and the belief of your people. She said her definition of diversity is being able to adapt to different cultures and beliefs and accept those differences. She stated that diversity is made up of different cultures.

The second person that I had the opportunity to talk with is my next door neighbor. She is an elderly women who shared with me that “she thought culture was her beliefs and what her mama and papa taught her as a little girl growing up”. Her definition of diversity is “simple that we all have differences the people who look the same are different she explained no two people are alike in the world, we all are created to be different”.

The last person I asked about culture and diversity is my co-worker. She was born in Mexico and has been America for 15 years. She expressed “culture is what I was taught in my country to be educated and have a good life”. She said “my family has a very strong culture, we have traditions and believe deeply in our religion. She said “diversity to me is America”. She mention that “I came to America because it is a free country that provides opportunities for people, you can find people from all over the country in America”.

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?

The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course are similar to the answers that I have received from the people I ask the question to. From gaining knowledge and understanding I learned that “a person’s cultural group is related strongly to his or her ethnicity, which reflects the place of origin and cultural background of the person’s ancestors or relatives who lives hundreds of years ago” (Derman-Sparks, 2010). Culture is much deeper and more significant that just costumes, holidays, foods and objects and things are easy to see, taste and define in everyday life” (Derman-Sparks, 2010). We all are the same but different on the outside. We should get to know other people and their culture.

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

I did not have any omitted because they covered everything about culture. It helps me understands what is culture and diversity. I have learned a lot from the three people I interview. When you have friends that are of a different culture or have different beliefs and you spend ample amount of time with them. Their beliefs and cultures kind to affect/effect your family cultures and beliefs. I do not feel like this is wrong. We are all different with different views. 

In what ways has thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics?

I have always believed that culture plays a very important role in our lives, it influences the way we live, our view of the world, our values, our dreams, and even our fears. After reading their responses I also agree that culture is handed down or learned by observing family or society. We can choose to follow it or we can choose to follow a different culture. Diversity allows us to recognize that we are all unique and that we may share the same skills, abilities, views, believes, and behaviors.

Reference

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

A description of the three items you would choose

1.   Cell Phone

2.   Family Photo Album

3.   Cash

How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you

1.   I would take my cell phone because it has everything on it. It has pictures, the bible and my contacts to keep in touch with everybody. Since I have the bible on my phone I am able to read the bible from my phone. I can use my phone to look at pictures and have memories of my family.

2.   The photo albums is dear to me because it is visual images of some the memories of the good times and places that my family and I have experienced.  I have pictures of weddings, birthday celebrations, holidays, family reunions, and even the birth of the babies in our family.  I love taking picture and sharing memories while looking back.

3.   We all know we need cash to survive. In order to survive we need money to buy the things we need.

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you.

If I were told that I had to give up two of the items and only keep one, I think I would be sad and heartbroken but I would have to keep my cell phone. Keeping in touch with my family and friends and being able to have memories from pictures and being able to communicate is important to me. The pictures make me smile, laugh, and cry.  I can actually feel the moments and memories of the many different experiences of the love, and joy when looking at the pictures.   This would be helpful to me when I begin my new journey in another country.   

Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise.

I had a hard time picking three items but it was even harder to pick one of the three. After this exercise I gained insight that I truly love my family and even know we go through struggles and hard times I thank God that he chose these people to be in my life.  I enjoy every minute that we spend together and I look forward to making many more memories.