Microaggression

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

 

             I was talking to a friend on the phone. We were discussing the continuous presence of racial discrimination on blacks from cops, fairness in the legal system, and stereotyping from members of the dominant society. He claimed that all whites are racist because they are white. I disagreed and said "all white aren't racist and all blacks aren't unsuccessful" Yes, racism exists but it is not okay to assume that all Caucasians discriminate against members of the black culture. Some of my best friends are white and have always stood up for me. He said "Don't worry, you live in the suburbs. You think your white and it's sad that you think that you are equal to them."

          In this example, I felt like my friend deliberately tried to put me down. He basically said that I wasn't really African American because I was raised in the suburbs and not the city. It is the worse feeling to not feel that you aren't accepted in your own ethnic culture. According to my friend, I'm not black because I don't follow stereotypical behavior of urban blacks. I have a different view of diversity because I have been raised around many other cultures; not only fellow African Americans. I celebrate the differences of others and allow myself to be who I what to be. Also, I felt that he didn't feel that I should look for the best in life. It saddens me that some African Americans think that if you talk proper English, desire to live in a safer neighborhood, look for the best school districts, and/or have higher expectations than you must think that you are white.

 

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

 

              This week, I realized that stereotyping any person is wrong. Individuals should be allowed to be who they want to be; not based on ethnicity but based on their own culture. A person who is raised in the suburbs may have a more open view about getting to know individuals from different cultures. This does not mean that African Americans raised in the suburbs are white. An African American will never be white and can't act white. Racism not only exists among other cultures but also between members of the same culture. For example, urban blacks sometimes discriminate against suburban blacks based on non-compliance to stereotypical perceptions of what they think it means to be black.

 

 

Perspectives in Diversity and Culture

Perspectives in Diversity and Culture

            I spoke with my boyfriend, childhood friend, and my mom. They each come from three different cultures. My boyfriend based the definition of culture on ethnicity and specific ethnic experiences. He felt that everyone is different and diverse in their own way. No one is the same. My childhood friend defined culture based on religion, family structure, ethnicity, and language. She felt that diversity should be celebrated and implemented into schools so children can learn to accept differences in others. My mom based the foundation of culture on the ethnic group that the person belongs which includes social norms and practices. She defined diversity as different groups of people living in the one setting.

            This course has increased my understanding that culture has two parts of culture which are surface and deep. Each person  has a surface culture that includes  skin tone, ethnic group, and other physical traits. Deep culture includes characteristics that are seen only when you get to know an individual. Some of these traits include religion, language, family structure, relationship with members of their family, and much more. All of the answers I received discuss a aspect of culture according to what I have learned so far.

            It is omitted that surface traits are good to interpret an individual's true culture. It has been found that deep culture traits clarify diverse traits better because variables that may not be considered are implemented into the individual's culture.  I have learned that everyone has there own culture. A person can be considered diverse because they were raised in a different culture with their own unique experiences. I have also learned that it is sometimes difficult to define culture and diversity due to the inclusion of incorporating every trait of an individual's life.

What is Culture?

What is culture? Culture can be hard to describe because there are many aspects of what culture represents within each person. One individual may think culture is only differentiated from language, ethnicity, and skin color. While, another individual may think that culture encompasses every aspect of their lives including family structure, where they live, personal experiences, and religious belief. Which one defines culture and which one doesn't? The answer is both individuals are correct because culture is both. Culture is language, ethnicity, skin tone, family structure, where they live, personal experiences, religious belief, and much more.

 

Imagine losing everything that you once knew and going to a place to a place that you know nothing about. If my nuclear family and I were to be relocated at a unknown location I would bring sentimental items significant to what is important to my personal culture. I would bring my set of keys, cell phone, and a small bible. Keys represent a sense of ownership and belonging. This item also represents the hope of possibly getting home in the future. Home is everything that I know including family, my own personal things, daily routine, and comfort. The cell phone because it holds the memories of the past such as photos and messages. A small bible represents my Christian foundation that guides my decision making, perspectives, and overall well-being. These three items are very important because they have sentimental value. Home, family, and religion are the three most important aspects of my life. I would feel lost without remnants of my of culture.

 

I would be upset if I had to give up any part of my identity. If I had to give up two items, it would be the cell phone and set of keys. I may never get home so keys would be useless. Cell phones need to be charged and the device would soon die. I would never give up my bible because the scriptures give me strength in hard times. This assignment has opened my eyes to the importance of culture. In the United States, sometimes Americans think that foreigners who have become American citizens or who have a green card should assimilate to the dominant culture. It is expected for the individual to abandon their own cultural norms, language, and perspectives on family. I think that this perspective has flaws because individuals that think this way don't take into account that each culture has there own self identity, family structure, and overall culture. A loss of culture could result into a loss of identity.