EDUC-6164 Week 4

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

       I really have to say that it is very upsetting to see and experience microaggression and it can really hurt a person’s feelings.  A couple of weeks ago one of my colleagues and I took a quick detour after lunch and stopped at Dicks Sporting Goods during lunch time to purchase for my son a couple items for his baseball game that night.  We were in a bit of a hurry since we had to be back at work in one hour so we walked into the store walking directly to the baseball gear area.  A guy approached us to ask if we needed help.  I responded that we knew what we needed and that we were in a bit of a hurry and thanked him.

      He stepped away, but my friend noticed that he went to the register and got on the phone and as he spoke to someone he was looking directly at us.  Next thing we see is some guy dressed in regular clothes playing along as he was looking for baseball gear as well however every time we moved he would follow us and pretend he was looking at stuff too.  I got very 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.  I also told him that I did not appreciate how the clerk  had called security and the security guard was following us.  Then he went on to tell me that he apologized for the confusion but that lately several Hispanic men were caught shop lifting at another Dicks Sporting store.  I was beyond mad by this point because he didn’t make us feel welcome by 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 so upset and at the same time filled with many emotions.  It made me think about what Dr. Sue said that racial microaggressions could be intentional or unintentionally communicated.  I can surely say that because we were seen as Hispanic men 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.       

EDUC 6164 - Week 3

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I spoke with three different work colleagues and all three co-workers come from different backgrounds.  It was a bit shocked to hear that they defined culture and diversity in the same way.

The first co-worker I spoke to is Vietnamese and he told me that he saw culture as traditions and customs they live by, and diversity to him was people from many different cultures. 

The second co-worker I spoke to 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 the United States. 

The third co-worker I asked responded, “it is my heritage and practices I am accustomed to, and diversity to him was getting to know people from many different countries with their own set of traditions.  

In thinking about all three co-workers’ responses not one of them mentioned anything that we have studied in the course about what culture and diversity is.  Not even one mentioned anything close to what we have been learning about what culture and diversity entails such as, socio-economics, demographics, roles, identity, and the qualities of individuals.   Honestly, I cannot blame them for their way of thinking because before I took this class, I had their same believes as to what culture and diversity meant to me and it was exactly to their responses.     

I believe that my thinking about culture and diversity has changed since taking this class.  I have an interest in further learning and understanding in a deeper way of just customs and values of people. 

Week 2 - My Family Culture

 

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 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.  The third thing I would take with me is a journal to write everything that is happening on a daily basis in my life.  I would also write letters to my loved ones.  I believe that if I had to give up two items I would be distressed.  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.  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.