Awareness of Microaggression

Awareness of Microaggression


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

Almost 2 years ago I was working with my assistant teacher at school. The majority of this school were white women, me being one of two black women. Her and I had grown to be pretty close. We cracked jokes back and forth, had fun at work often. One day she was calling her husband on the classroom phone during nap time and I told her to tell him I said hi. She repeated to me what he said which was, "what's up nigga". I was completely stunned but did not want it to be awkward between us. I was so confused in my feelings. I wanted to retaliate, I want to be so angry and go off on the both of them. It really bothered me. I went home and told my boyfriend and he was not too thrilled about it and another co-worker did not like it either. I ended up expressing my feelings to the assistant director and she said that I should definitely say something if not, she would handle it. I ended up talking to my assistant teacher about it and she expressed her sincerest apologies explaining that he did not mean it in a negative way. This microaggression was in the form of a microinsult. I say both because being that he is a white man and me, a black woman he knows my history and his and that word packs such negative power coming from a white person, especially one that I don't know that well. I lost a little respect for him that day.

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

Well, today another black man was shot in the street that was unarmed and intended to cause no harm (at least to my knowledge). Observing the world around me the dominant culture has no real clue as to the things they do that cause harm to inferior culture. Just the other day a white man here in Memphis tried to rob a lady and the police did NOT shoot him. Everyday my culture, my people experience all of these microaggressions in one way, shape or form. That is what I have observed this week.