Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

Well, my husband and I just relocated from NYC to NC.  What a huge difference?  During this time of transition my husband and I had to get NC licenses.  We went to the DMV and they go through all the formalities and ask questions.  Well, my husband went first and the gentlemen asked him all the formalities and also asked him What race are you?  My husband answered White and my ethnicity is Latino.  They also asked my husband numerous times to validate his address.  It seemed like they didn't believe the address he was saying was his. Now, you might ask what is the big deal.  Well, the big deal came when it was my turn to go to the teller and she didn't ask me the same questions my husband was asked.  So sometimes it takes a while to realize a microaggression has actually happened.  I felt this was an example.  It was subtle and I'm sure the man was well-intentioned.

My observation experiences this week affected my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people.  The biggest thing that changed my perception is the way I view people by the way they are dressed or speak.  Are they speaking with slang words, or accents.  I realized the stereotypes I have are based on first impressions.  Just the fact that I think I know a person's cultural background by looking at them, shows that I follow a script in my mind that is full of stereotypes. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I asked my brother, who is a Marine what is culture.  He said, culture is given to you.  It is built on traditions and traditions build culture. Culture is the way you live.  Culture is derived from people making you who you are.  This way of life is passed down from generation to generation.    His definition of diversity are the differences in culture.  Diverse entails the differences evident in each specific culture. Based on what my brother said I think he hit the nail on the head with his idea of culture.  I asked him this because he has traveled the world and he is a male perspective. 

I also asked my brother's mother-in-law, Louann,  what is culture.  She was brought up in a foster home and her perspective is different.  She attributes her culture as Mexican.  She doesn't know what she is ethnically but identifies herself with how she looks.  She looks Latina so she identifies with that culture.  Diversity is change and how each person is different.  


I think the answers I received demonstrate how diverse people's perspectives can be.  Also, I am reminded that to most people culture is what is touched upon on the surface.  No one really gave me a "deep" cultural answer.  I was really taken aback by Louann's answer and perspective.  She wasn't raised by biological parents so she assumed the culture of the people she thinks she looks like.  She doesn't even know if she is Mexican.  For all she knows she is Arabic or Egyptian.  I wonder if knowing that truth would cause her to identify herself differently.  
 

My Family Culture

If I had to choose three items that represent my family culture I would take a wedding album, a cookbook, and a piece of Puerto Rican Taino art.  My wedding album is very important because it represents the family, and how it celebrates a family wedding.  The wedding album is representative of several generations of family.  The cookbook has been handed down from my mother to myself.  She received Cocina Criolla from her stepmother who had given it to my mother.  This cookbook was later translated into English and my mother gave me this new version.  My mother matched the English version with the Spanish version she had and wrote notes for me to follow.  This was given to me as a wedding gift.  The Taino art was a piece of art that my husband and I purchased on a trip to PR.  It was the first real piece of art we purchased and we treasure it.  If I was told that I could only keep one personal item and had to give up the other two items I brought with me I would be devastated.  How can I choose which is more valuable when I value all of them in different ways?  As  a result of this exercise I realize how important family is. I think it is true for all cultures though.