Practicing Awareness of Micro Agressions

According to our video presentation this week micro-agressions are "brief, everyday indignities that may be verbal, behavioral or environmental, are communicated intentionally or unintentionally and contain an insulting message toward any marginalized group" (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).   When I think about myself as the target of micro-agressions, I have a hard time coming up with them, because I don't really put too much weight in what people say, and I usually forget about it.  

The only time I really worry about it is when it involves my children.  

My family is a multi racial family.  

In the United States today, it is a fairly common thing to see, whether it is children of mixed race parentage living with their biological parent(s) or adopted/foster children living with parents of a different race. Seeing these types of families should not really be that shocking.  But unbelievably, we do get comments from time to time.  Most are positive, but some not so much.  

Some of the more negative/micro-aggressive comments (and their hidden meanings) we have gotten are as follows:

"Do they speak Chinese?" (They are Taiwanese, so they must speak Chinese and not the perfect English of their American culture)

"Where are they from?" (They are Asian, so they aren't really Americans)

"Are they related?" (Adoption does not create "real" relationships)

"They are so lucky!" (They were rescued from a dire situation by rich, white westerners)

"How much did they cost?" (They were bought and paid for like goods).
Probably the worst: "Are you going to have kids of your own?"  (These are not your real children).  

I think that the many of these comments speak to the ignorance people still have when it comes to not only Asians immigrants, but adoption and what makes a family.  I think the worst thing about these comments is that as my children grow up, they will begin to understand their hidden meanings, where as before I could shelter them from it.  I do not yet know how they will take these comments, but I am trying to impart to them that people do and say things sometimes that are not OK, but we don't let it bother us and we should try to move on.  I do not want them to ever question the love their family, both adopted and biological, have for them, who they are, or that they were and are wanted, and most of all, that their mom and dad are really the lucky ones.  

References:

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_4855814_1%26url%3D

Perspectives on diversity and culture...A survey

This week, our assignment was to ask 3 people to define what they thought culture and diversity are.

"What is culture?"
My husband: The traditions, customs that are passed down over time that define a group of people.
My sister:  A group of people who are, because of geography or religion, similar in belief and social understanding.
My daughter (5.5 years old): It means you speak a language, like Chinese, and have special clothes and traditions, like Chinese New Year.

"What is diversity?"
My husband: Something that is not homogenous.
My sister: A group of items or people that are different.
My daughter: It's like Helen Keller.  She was blind and deaf and she learned sign language. People are different and special.  

It is always interesting when you ask people what culture is, and what diversity is.  Often they have stop and think about it, and they may not even think they know the answer.  I chose these three people because they represent interesting differences.  My husband, is also American, but grew up in a very different family culture than mine.  My sister grew up with me, but I was curious what she would say, because her life experience has not been mine.  My daughter has been learning about culture and diversity at school, so I thought her answer would be interesting.

I think that I got some relevant, accurate descriptions of culture, although diversity was a bit harder for them to define in detail.  What I learned from the answers I received is that even though we do not think about it, culture and diversity are concepts that we clearly understand, even from a young age.

My daughter Sydney at a Hula performance

Beginning of EDUC 6164: Perspectives on Equity and Diversity

My Family Culture

This week we were given a scenario to answer:  A major catastrophe has struck our country and the emergency government has decided to evacuate us to other countries willing to take refugees, but we have no choice in where we will go.  The culture will be completely different from ours and we may have to stay permanently.  Evacuees may take one change of clothes and 3 small items.  The items I take are those that I hold dear and represent my family culture.

The three items I would take are my iPad, my favorite book and a piece of jewelry from my mother.
I would take my iPad (assuming it was useable) in order to have my family pictures, access to my genealogy and family tree, as well as access to information about  the culture and country I am going to.  I would take my favorite book as a link to my culture and to have entertainment I am familiar with.  I would take a piece of jewelry from my mother in order to have something to pass on to my children and give them a connection to their family and culture.  If I had to give up all but one item, I would keep the jewelry.  I honestly could live without any of these things, but the jewelry holds the most sentimental value to me.

As I was thinking about this scenario, I thought of my relatives who left their home cultures and families to move to this country, leaving everything they knew behind.  They had to learn a new language and assimilate to a new culture, but they also carried with them the knowledge and customs of their home countries and passed it down to their children.  I would hope that I could do this if I had to face the same situation.