Microaggressions

I remember a few months ago in Wal-Mart I witnessed a microagression. A white female customer walked up to a light skinned black female employee and said “hola I need some one who speaks English please”. The employee looked at her confused and asked her in English “how may I help you? The customer said “o great you speak good English”. The employee smiled and said “English is the only language I speak”. The customer laughed and said “great I thought you were Mexican”. I felt the customer was extremely rude for assuming the employee spoke Spanish and I felt she should have apologized to the employee. I feel the employee handled the customer in a professional manner however I knew she was upset by her facial expressions.

                                             

Dr. Sue video message had a profound impact on the way I view stereotypes. I now try my best to think about how I communicate with others so that I will not offend them. I also now know how individuals feel when they are the target of a microaggression. My observations this week has inspired me to raise awareness of micro aggressions in my community.