Awareness of Microaggressions

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Microaggressions happen even when individuals are unaware of what they are saying or what they are doing toward members of other groups. Without knowledge of what microaggression is I couldn’t possibly share this blog or begin to straighten up my own bad behavior.

I am a learner. When I observe, I learn. This week I learned that microaggression is an onset of bad behaviors such as showing discriminating or prejudice attitude to others different than your own group or preference without even realizing it in some cases. I observe people because I love differences, I love insights, and hearing stories. However, it is unfortunate that I found myself showing microaggression without any intention to dismay anyone….

I work in a very diverse workforce and I remember telling my coworkers that I like “this group” rather than “that group” because “this group” is easy, friendly, and patient in contrast to “that group”. It was wrong of me to say this because I was referring to cultures. It was a brief exchange but it now makes a great impact on my outlook toward other people, groups, cultures, etc.

If it weren’t for this week’s assignment, I would not have recognized the unintentional behavior and messages I was sending. This helps to build my own awareness of behavior and attitude when it comes to teaching and sharing with children and families in the field of Early Childhood Education and Studies.

Getting a new perspective

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This week I played reporter. I gave myself opportunity to find new perspective on different cultures other than my own American culture. Because I work in a very diverse atmosphere it was not hard at all to find individuals asking them to define culture and tell me what diversity means to them.

Here is my report….

My interviews

Martha is Hispanic. Her culture consists of celebrations such as the Day of the Dead (Dia de Los Muertos), Tamale Day (Dia de La Candelaria), and Christmas (Navidad). Martha explains to me in her own language that culture to her is celebration of family, friends, and Hispanic history. Values, traditions, ethics, and memorabilia’s are a part of celebration. Additionally, Martha believes diversity is the ability to adapt to new surroundings in new society despite cultural differences. No matter what, celebration brings cultures and diversity together.

Moving on, my boss Roland is Dutch. He shared a story with me of his upbringing in Holland and  that he moved to the United States when he was 12 years old. I asked Roland what culture meant to him and what he told me was that culture is simply expressions. What we do, how we communicate, and the ways we work involves some kind of expression. Of course, different expressions. Roland believes diversity is in the workplace but we don’t notice (which is true). Working in relations, diversity is not recognized, it is just there. HUMMM….

Lastly, I wanted to ask the same questions to someone I have never met, someone I never talked to. I ended up meeting Aleksandr from UKRAINE! HOW COOL! What Aleksandr told me about culture is that culture brings social identities together, simply put. He then told me diversity is the “crust” of culture that holds the coming together of identities. All views, opinions, communication, activities, productions etc. come together in some way. Wow.

Aspects and insights of culture and diversity

I gained new perspectives being a reporter this week. Culture is celebration, expression, and a coming together. Diversity tags along. It is a result of differences. Understanding culture and diversity through new perspectives has influenced or even enticed my interests of cultural differences, languages, ideologies, and stories. I would use this experience to share the importance of learning of new places, people around the world so that I can broaden my own professional attitude working with children and families in the field of Early Childhood. Ultimately, embrace others as I have learned this week. 

My family culture:

What comforts me

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There are no escapes to change. Everything changes no matter who we are, what we do, where we come from, or how hard we try to keep from making change happen. Every day leads to new events, learning’s, work, and even abrupt catastrophes. As humans, we encounter change big or small.

The purpose of this blog is to see that cultures have one thing in common: change. Children and families who have fallen on hard times due to war, poverty, natural disasters, etc. are placed in situations where finding refuge involves leaving what is familiar such as family traditions and daily routines to a culture drastically different. Change is inescapable.

If I were placed in a situation where I had to leave American culture to a culture I know nothing about I would want to take personal items with me not just for comfort but also to represent my American culture.

1. I would want to take my family album. It not only provides my family photos of holidays, activities, and selfies but my album includes the places I have visited within the United States such as Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, PA, Fairbanks, AK, and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Taking my family album with me gives me comfort and visual aide of the environment I was born into regarding my family culture.

2. I would take my music with me also. Every culture celebrates birthdays, holidays, ceremonies, and rituals through music so if I were placed in an unfamiliar culture I would want to listen to music my mother brought me up on such as Pat Benatar, Michael Jackson, and Garth Brooks. I would want to hear familiar lyrics in a place I know nothing about communication wise.

3. Lastly, I would want to bring my birth doll. My birth doll I have had since day one. Having her with me presents my family culture by the stitching and craftsmanship my grandmother put into the doll before I was born. My birth doll represents Pennsylvanian roots and having her with me not only gives me comfort but symbolizes hugs from my grandma during difficult times and transitions of change.

If I had to give up two of these items, it would be hard because I have a personal connection with each of them. But I would never give up my birth doll. I have protected her my whole life. My photos represent the places I have been, but the memories will last a long time. I enjoy music but to keep my doll I would adjust to new music.

In times of cultural change, it is important to stick to your own roots. It is what remains most familiar to us. But because catastrophe causes abrupt change where children and families are found in different cultural settings, having to sacrifice items familiar to them, there is opportunity to learn, grow, and assimilate to new surroundings, traditions, music, food, and friends. This can help appreciate your own culture by someone else’s as I see most insightful in a time of catastrophe.