The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The incident involving bias, prejudice, and oppression I observed this week is based on the description of a microaggression given by Dr. Sue as every day insults indignities, invalidations that occur day in and day out outside the level of awareness of the well-intentioned individual (Laureate Education, 2011).  There were three employees on break Dana who is a forty something Caucasian women, Chelsea is a dark brown complexed African-American young lady in her early twenties, and Katie who is also Caucasian and in her early twenties.  Dana comes to the desk and stands near Chelsea and comments "I am going to be working in my garden on my day off and when I am done I am sure I will be the same complexion as you little lady” referencing Chelsea.  Katie and Chelsea share a glance at each other; Katie walks away.  Chelsea's response was to laugh and after a few seconds she walked away and left Dana standing alone.  Dana never realized she committed an oppressive statement.  Katie shared with me later that she spoke with Chelsea about the incident to apologize for having experienced that situation.  Chelsea said it was fine “that is just Dana.” 

 Dana may not have intended to cast a bias, prejudice or oppressive light on Chelsea but the equity diminished at the thought Dana felt she was showing solidarity for the African-American culture and heritage.  She does not understand it is not about changing or conforming to fit in; we just want to be respected and made not to feel that the dominate culture rules. 

 The feeling the incident sparked in me was a setback in learning how to become culturally supportive to the families in our center.  I say this because while I have learned to become self-aware about my issues with –ism’s Dana is allowed to be completely free to say whatever she likes to anyone including our families. Dana is a worker who has been with the center for more than ten years engaging with families of various cultures yet she pretends to not be bias or prejudice.  A year ago she was upset because a co-worker said she made yet another prejudice comment. She is clearly not a culturally responsive individual; she along with the rest of the staff should be provided with the information about microaggressions.   

 Dana is the individual who should have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity.  She needs to do a self-awareness assessment of her cultural responsiveness.  Dana believes her honesty is approved by all; yet she does not understand that families joining our center from different cultural ethnic groups will not find any humor behind her comments much less they would not understand what she is saying. I think she should watch Dr. Derald Sue’s video about Micoraggressions. 

 

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Micro aggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu