AWARENESS OF MICROAGGRESSIONS

I experienced an example of microaggression within my office at work during an office meeting. I am currently employed as an Enforcement Office for Domestic Relations which requires me to monitor, enforce, modify, and terminate child support orders established within the county in which I am employed. Due to the nature of the work conducted within my office, new procedures and system modifications are constantly created by the state to be implemented within each county.

Approximately three months ago the assistant director of my office scheduled an afternoon meeting with the Enforcement Unit to discuss a new procedure created by the state to be implemented within our county and other counties within the state. The state created a new procedure to the establishment and enforcement of child support orders in which a “payment score” would be used during the initial establishment of a child support order. The assistant director of my office described the “payment score” as a system used to evaluate and record a non-custodial parent’s ability to comply with his/her established child support order. The factor used to determine one’s payment score and likelihood to comply with his/her child support order was the individual’s residential address recorded during the initial establishment conference. Individuals with a residential located in middle to upper class cities received a higher payment score than individuals with a residential from lower class cities.

Myself and fellow colleagues felt that this new procedure was a clear example of stereotyping, unethical, and completely unnecessary. There is no possible way that one can determine an individual’s likelihood to comply with his/her child support order based solely on the location of their residential address. In fact once the procedure was implemented and utilized, it proved to be inaccurate as there are cases within our office in which the non-custodial parent and person paying support has a residential address located in a upper class location but fails to comply with his/her support order. Likewise we there are cases within our office in which the non-custodial parent and person paying support has a residential address located in a lower class location but maintains compliance with his/her support order.

I perceived this procedure as a form of microaggression, discrimination, and stereotyping. I was disappointed with the state’s creation and implantation of this procedure as it is a clear example of discrimination and stereotyping against non-custodial parents based on the social class and/or the social class of the location of their residential address.  I would like to believe that we as a society have come a long way since the days of blatant discrimination and stereotyping against other individuals, but procedures such the “payment score” and others to the like have reaffirmed the fact that discrimination, stereotyping, and prejudice are still very much alive and present in our every day life.

PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY AND CULTURE

Definitions of Culture & Diversity:

Individual #1: “Culture is the race by which one identifies themselves with such as Caucasian, African American, or Asian. Diversity is differences that are present among individuals with regards to abilities, socioeconomic status, or race”.

Individual #2: Culture is shared norms, values or traditions held by an individual and/or group of individuals. Diversity is cultural differences among individuals within our society”.

Individual #3: Culture is traditions established and maintained within individual families. Diversity is personal characteristic differences present among individuals”.

The aspects of culture studied in this course which are present in the answers I received  is that of “cultural group” and the definition of culture described in the course text “Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves”. Cultural group is defined as one’s ethnicity which reflects the place of origin and cultural background of the person’s ancestors. As individual #1 stated “culture is the race by which one identifies themselves with such as Caucasian, African American, or Asian”. Derman-Sparks and Edwards defined culture as the manner by which particular groups of people live. Individual #2 stated “culture is shared norms, values, or traditions held by an individual and/or group of individuals”. Individual #3 stated “culture is traditions established and maintained within individual families”.

The aspect of diversity studied in this course which is present in the answers I received is “clash of culture” discussed in the article “Beyond “Culture Clash” Understandings of Immigrant Experiences”. Bic Ngo describes “clash of culture” in terms of immigrants and immigrant youth being torn between two worlds such as two generations. The “clash of culture” idea correlates with individual #2 and individual #3 responses as the cultural differences and personal characteristic differences may be presented among individuals of different generations creating the “clash of culture”.

The aspect of diversity omitted within the answers I received is that of family diversity. None of the three individuals appeared to view family structure as a form of diversity as each person defined diversity in reference to cultural or personal differences among individuals. Family structure is a form of diversity as family households can be married, single mother, single father, widowed, or divorced.

Reviewing the three individual definitions of diversity and culture influence my thoughts about these terms and what these terms mean to me. When I reflect on the term diversity I define this term as differences in individual characteristics with regard to race, familial status, socioeconomic status, education, profession, and personal abilities. I define culture as family traditions, norms, values, and beliefs shared within an individual family and/or a group of individuals of the same race.

MY FAMILY CULTURE

Three items to be taken to my new home country:

1.       Picture of my son and I

2.       My son’s newborn keepsake box filled with memorable items from my pregnancy and my son’s birth

3.       Picture of my immediate family including mother, father, sister, and nephews

Explanation of Items Chosen:

Item 1#- Picture of my son and I is important to be as is symbolizes the shared connection and bond between my son and I. This picture represents the unconditional love, support, and protection that I have for my son.

Item#2- My son’s newborn keepsake box filled with memorable items from my pregnancy and my son’s birth represents the amazing and most rewarding experience that occurred in my life. My son’s keepsake box is filled with many memorable items including information received during my 1^st child birthing class, hospital admission bracelets for my son and I, and my son’s birth card which detailed his weight, length, date and time of birth. This keepsake box represents the unforgettable experience that I had during my pregnancy and delivery of my son.

Item#3- Picture of my family including mother, father, sister, and nephews symbolizes my sources of support and love. Each person within my family picture serves as a supportive individual whom which I have an overwhelming amount of love and support.

Personal Feelings:

If I were told upon my arrival to my new home country that I could only keep one personal item and had to give up the other two items that I brought with me, I would feel extremely upset and a loss of connection to the personal items that have the most significance within my life. The two items that I would most likely give up would be the picture of my son and I, and the picture of my family. These items would be the least difficult to separate from due to the fact that my son and immediate family would be traveling and settling with me in my new home country. My son’s newborn keepsake box cannot be replaced, whereas pictures can be retaken.

Insights Gained:

This exercise has enabled me to see what is most important to me in reference to family culture. Reflecting on the three items that I chose to take to my new home country, I found it interesting that two of the three items reflected the significance of my relationship with my son. When I know reflect on the term “family” I now realized that I establish myself and my son as my 1^st immediate family with my mother, father, sister, and nephews as my 2^nd family.