Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

This week in class we have discussed microagressions and its effects on people. I have noticed how frequent these mircoaggressions occur. This week I experiened one microaggresion that not only affected the person but also me as a bystander. I now know that mircroaggression not only affects the person it was directed to but also people that may hear or observe the act. The microaggresion that I observed was when I was in the grocery store and a Hispanic lady was paying for her groceries and she did not speak good English but she did know enough to understand the lady. When she walked up to be served in line the lady got close to her and spoke loud and slowly. The Hispanic lady just looked and spoke back to her to ensure her that she knew English. I was next in line and I was so offended. What the cashier was imposing was the Hispanic lady could not understand and speak English. The lady nicely paid for her food and left. This microaggression affected me also because I was upset that the lady had to experience this. I personally remember a microaggression that was geared towards me. When I went to the doctor to have my annual visit my doctor asked her normal questions. When she got to the question about birth control I said to her that I did not need them because I am abstinant. Since she looked at my chart and noticed that I had a child and I was not married she assumed that I was going to try and have more children. She keep trying to make me take birth control and I told her that I was waiting for marriage to have more children. She keep on insisting that I needed them. This was so offensive because I was excited that I was not in a position to have children and she put me in the category with other women that are also single parents. This event did not happen this week but I can still remember it. Microaggression have lasting effects that sometimes effects others around. I now understand that I can't judge people based on what I see. This week I have learned a lot.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Part 1

Definition of Culture
Karen C. (Caucasian)- Traditions that families believe in and live by.
Monika G. (Hispanic)- Family, marriage, religion, and how people view them.
Whitney W. (African-American)- Involves different viewpoints and traditions that people believe and that is normally passed down from generation to generation.

Definition of Diversity-
Karen C.- a colorful expression that is displayed through family culture
Monika G.- Diversity is compared to a "melting pot" full of different ingredients that all come together abiding together.
Whitney W.- different races, religions and beliefs that live in one community.

Part 2

1. One thing I noticed when my interviewers answered both of these questions they all related both terms to family. In week two we discussed family diversity. In the article "What is family diversity?" they discussed the different forms of family diversity. The diversity in our communities makes it hard to define what a family form consist of that is why it is important to analyze and take into consideration as many forms as possible.

2. One aspect that I did not notice was diversity that is geared toward individualism. We all have social identities that displays personal diversity.

3. In interviewing the three people I see how different viewpoints vary based on the individual. Listening to what they had to say I have added personal viewpoints to my definition of both culture and diversity.

My Family Culture

Three things I would take with me if my family and I had to evacuate:
1. My Bible
2. My personal family collage
3. Grandma's recipe book

I would first take my Bible because my family is root in faith. I feel that it is necessary to keep this first in my life and also when I move, I would want to continue to teach my children so that they can also root themselves in Christ. Being a Christan is not a tradition but it is a standard that my family stands on. Next, I would take my family collage that sits in my living room. This collage has many family photos on it that will allow me to remember the special times me and my family spent together. It can also be passed down to my children that they can see and remember their family. Last, I would take my grandmother's recipe book so that we can still experience the traditional foods that my family has passed down. Some things in the recipe I would change due to health reasons but to have the recipes that my grandma wrote down is very special to me. If I had to choose one thing out of all to take I would take my bible.
When doing this assignment I realized how important culture is in each individual family. Culture allows our communities to be very diverse. I also realize that the diversity that lies within all of us is revealed daily.