Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

In my Reflective Journal this week I wrote about an experience I had with a new co-worker many years ago.  At the time I guess I was a little thrown off by the experience with this woman, but of course I didn't know what I know now, especially in regards to Microaggressions.  But it has been because of this assignment now that I can see I was also a victim of a Microaggression.

During a conversation with this woman she commented on my last name and how unique it was, and how she had never heard it before.  She then proceeded to ask me if my last name was Italian, or Greek, which to me was a very odd question because I never thought of my name but anything then what it was, Spanish.  When I told her no, it was a Spanish name, her reply then was, "Oh then your husband must be Hispanic". to which I then replied, "Yes he is, but I don't go by my married name, I go by by my maiden name".  At this point she looked very confused, and by then I was more than aware of what this nice, but very naive woman was confused about, and that was because it wasn't the first time I had an experience like this with this kind of reaction.

I have had many people over the years, especially when I was younger, ask me about my nationality, especially when they heard my Spanish last name, or even when they saw my parents, or my siblings.  I suppose I have always stood out a little, and maybe to others looked a little different from most of my immediate family.  So I guess in the eyes of this woman, maybe I didn't look like her so-called stereo-type of what a Spanish, Hispanic, or Mexican woman should look like, but instead I am fair skinned, light haired, with colored eyes.  My response then to her then was, "In case your wondering if I am Hispanic I am, and for what it matters, my great grandparents came from Spain and they both had blond hair, very fair skin, with colored eyes, and from what my grandfather has always told me, I am the grandchild who has always looked just like my great grandmother".

So in conclusion I would definitely have to say that it was because of this assignment this week that my perception on the effects of discrimination, prejudices, and stereotypes have greatly changed.  And even though I truly feel this nice, but naive woman, was unaware of her own biases and prejudices, especially in regards to her ideas of what Hispanic women, or for that matter, Hispanic people are suppose to look like, I still think she was very wrong.   And more importantly it is because of this experience that I will take what I have learned and make a conscious effort to be aware of my own biases, and never try to do that to another person what this woman did to me.  And even though she might not have been aware of her actions, that still doesn't mean that comments or other peoples negative perceptions such as this cannot cause damage.  And speaking from personal experiences of my own, I can honestly say that these kinds of experiences can and does have a great effect on a persons self-esteem, as well as have a negative impact on their life.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

For this weeks assignment I chose three different individuals to talk to about Culture and Diversity.  All three of these people come from different and diverse backgrounds, which also contain their own unique set of beliefs, customs, and ideals, and how they all relate to their own culture.

The three people I chose to talk to about Culture and Diversity were all teachers that I work with here at Head-start.

Lucy: Definition of Culture

Response:  Culture means to me where I come from, and what my parents taught me.  Celebrating certain Holidays, eating certain foods.  And to me when celebrating Holidays it's also very important to me to remember my morals and values.  I often look at it as a chain, what may parents taught me, and then what I will in turn teach my own children.  My hopes are for this family chain to continue to go on for many more future generations.

Definition of Diversity:

Response: Diversity means the race I come from.  I was born here in the U.S, but I was raised in Mexico.  Even though I did learn to speak English, i was still able to also keep my home language of Spanish.  I was raise as a catholic all my life, but I grew up and got married I chose to change my religion, and that was something that my family did not agree with at all, and that was because to them being Catholic is about of our Culture just as much as being Mexican Americans.

Teresa:  Definition of culture: 

Response:  To me my culture is everything I do, everything I believe in, and everything that is important to me in my life.  And it has been my culture that I base my life on, as well as how I live my everyday life.

Definition of Diversity:

Response:  To me Diversity means my ethnicity, and my cultural heritage and background.  I am a Hispanic, Spanish speaking woman, who has very strong beliefs and convictions when it comes to my religious and Catholic beliefs.

Claudia:  Definition of Culture:

Response:  When I think of Culture, I immediately think of my family and how I was raised, my upbringing.  To me personally I think it is my culture that defines who I am, and why I an the way I am.  And it is also my upbringing and my family's culture and beliefs that I got all my values and customs that I follow in my life.

Definition of Diversity:

Response:  I guess if I was to define Diversity, at least for me it would have to be my heritage and my ethnic background.  So besides being a person who is Hispanic.   I am also a person is of Italian decent.  Growing up as a child, I came from two very diverse backgrounds.  My mother's family is from Italy, and most of my father's family is from Mexico.  I have always appreciated both my heritages, as well as the beliefs and values, and especially the languages I have received from both my family's cultures.  I consider myself very lucky to now be able to pass those down to all three of my young sons.

In reviewing all three of the answers and definitions I received from all three of my participants, I definitely see a lot of similarities, as well as differences in what we have learned in regards to culture and diversity.  But I would have to say that one important similarity that definitely stands out for me in regards to cultural and diversity is that each one's cultural plays an important role in who they are today.  And even though all of their culture's are very diverse, and based on their own unique beliefs and environments, they are still similar in dedication and importance.

In conclusion I would have to say after talking to all three of these individuals about their various cultures and very diverse backgrounds, I have definitely gained a stronger perspective on Cultural and Diversity.  And that is because it has caused be to really reflect on my own definitions of these two very important terms, and helped to re-affirm at least for me, what I have always believed and appreciated in regards to Cultural and Diversity.  And that is that we as a society, especially in the Early Childhood field, we need to always remember the importance of Cultural and Diversity for every person, especially when dealing with children.  And that is because as educators and teachers in the field we will come across children of many colors, beliefs, and origins, and it is our responsibility to first respect those things, then learn as much as we can about them, and finally incorporate them into our everyday classrooms for each and everyone of the children.

My Family Culture

It's never easy to have to imagine a major catastrophe that could impact your life, as well as your immediate family's life so drastically.  But I think it is assignments like this one that really help remind us what is really important in our lives, especially when it comes to our family and our family's beliefs and cultures.

So with this in mind the three items I would take with to another country would all be related to my family and our family's cultures.  Since I would definitely want both of my children to know about their family's history and our culture, the first item would be a photo album that my Grandmother gave me a long time ago, that has all kinds of photos and mementos of family members from both her family, and my Grandfather's family that goes back many generations ago.  It has always been something very special to me, something that always made me feel very connected to all my family and especially to my culture.

The second Items I would take with me is both my children's baby books.  It would be extremely important for me to be able to have both my son and my daughter's baby books, so I would be able to share all those special moments from both their births and first couple years of each of their life's with them.  I also think it's important for them to also have those precious mementos so they can hopefully one day be able share them with their own children.

And finally the third item I would take with me is my family's bible, Especially since it is our Bible that represents for us, our family's Catholic background.  A family faith that is a huge part of not only our family's customs, but also our beliefs as Catholics.  And I believe it is this bible that will also enable me to be able to continue to teach, as well as share with my children and the rest of my family all our religious faiths and beliefs in our culture.  And it is these three things that I would definitely have to stress to the emergency government just how important these items are to me and my family, because they are things that represent our family's beliefs and customs that come only from our culture.  And I also believe in order to preserve , as well as continue to instill those same value and beliefs to my own children, it is essential that I bring these items with me to a new country.

I would be distraught if once I arrived to this foreign country and I was told I would be able to only keep one item with me, but I know it definitely would have to be my children's baby books.  And the reason for that is because I think it's more important that I have those special mementos of each of their life's to be able to visually share with them and that they can also have to hopefully share with their own children one day.  And even though the two other items are just as equally important, I think that they are things that I can still share with them myself.  Through oral communication and by also sharing with them all about our family's history, and most importantly about the beliefs and customs that have resulted from this very special family culture.

In conclusion I really feel like I gained a lot of important insights, both personally and professionally.  Through this assignment it really has allowed me to think about my family, as well as all our beliefs and customs that we have gained through our own family culture.  And even those my beliefs and my culture has always been a huge factor in my life, I now see the extreme importance of preserving it for future generations.  In order for future generation, including my own children, to be able to really learn about our family's beliefs and traditions, past and present, so they can one day continue to share all that we hold sacred in our family's culture.