Small acts can have big impacts, both negative and positive. Read this blog post – 21 Racial Microaggressions You Hear on a Daily Basis and this blog post on “micro-inclusions” as a counter to micro-aggressions. Identify three micro-aggressions that you have experienced, observed, or committed in your food system-related work/volunteerism/studies. How might these be countered, including through the use of micro-inclusions?
2017 Racial Equity Challenge 
This was an interesting read for me. I was actually at a comedy show last night by a multi-cultural cast intentionally talking about some of these sorts of microaggressions. It struck me that they were able to talk about them through humor (and even had a sketch about 2 people who were in conflict over whether they should/could talk about it in a public space). It was a very diverse crowd as well, so it felt less uncomfortable but still -as I laughed, I almost felt uncomfortable doing so as I was aware that a) this was not made up but reality for the actors and b) it was a conversation that was not likely to happen in any other way.
In thinking about my most immediate work in food systems, I am reminded about the lack of people of color in my direct work. The farmers are mostly white, as is the board on which I serve, the vendors at the farmers market in my town, & even the majority population in my town. Then I think about why- particularly at the farmer’s markets in my area. Is it because there aren’t people who look like them selling at the markets or a diversity of ‘ethnic’ crops as there are at markets in a neighboring city. And then I catch myself. Presuming (even occasionally) that people of color might want to shop at a market with more ethnic crops is exactly the type of microaggressive thought that the photos illustrate. I also think of the two (or more) women in the microaggression images who looked and were presumed to be white. I think I am much more aware of keeping an open mind about people who look differently than I do but I can and have to do better about remembering that ALL people have identities that are unseen.
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Maleah, thank you for your reflection! Comedy is most often a mirror image- portrayal of a human experience and/or interaction with others. Stay engaged with this and seek ways to counter with questions for clarity, when microaggressions enter a space.
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I love the idea of micro-inclusions as a counter to micro-aggressions. I loved the example given of asking someone to respond first in the language in which they feel most comfortable to a deep question, and only then worry about translating it. I find myself wondering, though, about the fine line between micro-inclusions that are truly about recalling the humanity of all others, and those acts that in the name of inclusion could potentially, inadvertently, erase the unique characteristics of an individual or group. Just a thought
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Today’s prompt is a really interesting one to me. I’m a millennial and like most millennials I hate that term, but I do think a significant swath of millennial and Gen Yers were raised to be “colorblind” and because of this blindness I think micro-aggressions like “what are you?” are often ignorantly perceived as harmless by the aggressor while clearly they are far from harmless. I find colorblindness to also be a big challenge among anti-hunger and community food security work. While it is can be said hunger strikes every community and does not necessarily discriminate among races, I think anti-hunger advocates could do a better job actively recognizing systemic racism, micro-aggressions and this idea of micro-inclusions.
Take school meals, after school feeding programs, and summer meals. Explicitly discrimination is outlawed and most well run programs attempt to be color blind. A child in need is a child in need, but this ignores the multitude of barriers and micro-aggressions. When I started in public school in first grade I was told I had to have milk with my chicken nuggets. Juice or water would cost extra and I was not prepared to pay extra. I was raised Jewish and at that time took it pretty seriously that I could mix milk and meat. I still remember the stress I felt and the guilt I swallowed as I held up the lunch line and then ultimately decided to ignore my religious tradition. I think I “carefully” cleared my mouth of chicken before drinking milk those first few weeks. Even if service providers believe we’re treating everyone equally and fairly, when we fail to have culturally appropriate food or fail to have materials in someone’s native language we deepen the stigma they feel of accepting a free meal. I think this idea of micro-inclusions is beautiful and absolutely necessary to ensure the success of such programs and the defusing of stigma.
Being one of those “good white people” is not enough. Having the right intentions isn’t good enough. But if good food advocates and service provides actively trying to include through micro-inclusions that sounds like a good start.
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Thanks for your reflections! Keep the courageous conversations going!
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After reading the blog post 21 Racial Microaggressions You Hear on a Daily Basis, I thought of times when I have heard these microaggressions from others and sometimes even from myself. I don’t think I have ever meant it in a discriminatory way. I just didn’t understand what nationality someone was and didn’t know how to ask without offending the person. Growing up in the Boston area as a child, I went to school with a lot of children from a vast number of nationalities and races. I didn’t see anyone as “different” or look at the color of someone’s skin. Since moving to NH at age 9, I have been developing unconscious microaggressions. This possibly has been occurring because I am predominantly around non-Hispanic white people. When I do see someone from a different race, they “stand out” to be me more. The blog post helped me become more aware of microaggressions I have.
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Valerie, thanks for sharing! It is true that our perceptions of and responses to microaggressions change over time and circumstances. As we employ the counter acts of micro-inclusion, we can bring forth and “recall the humanity in others” as Ceasar shared in his blog. Stay courageous!
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This is an interesting and important topic. Does anyone have any other sources with more discussion? I like the idea of microinclusions but I think that you could end up with microagressions while trying to do microinclusions. This is such a nuanced subject; my sister in law is Indian and would get very irritated in the UK when folks assumed she was British, yet that was probably done to make British folks of Indian descent feel comfortable. How does one call attention to inclusion if differences without making that person stand out?
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Juliet, this isn’t a perfect fit for your question and I would also love additional resources, but I think this video can help overcome the fear of being awkward while trying to be inclusive and how we should be comfortable with discomfort. I agree, though, despite these resources I still want more and I am afraid of my inclusion being misinterpreted. https://www.ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_biases_walk_boldly_toward_them
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Many thanks for sharing this resource!!!
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Juliet, thanks for your reflections! Take a look at another article of Derald Sue: http://world-trust.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/7-Racial-Microagressions-in-Everyday-Life.pdf
Please share your thoughts…
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I have witnessed many of the micro-aggressions highlighted in the Buzzfeed article online. I have even heard family members when we are out in public at restaurants ask, “where are you from?” I understand that many of these micro-aggressions are not intended to offend the other person and often times, the micro-aggressor may not even realize they are being offensive. In this instance, my family member wanted to learn more about the culture, whose cuisine we were enjoying, but it was not right to assume that because the individual was of a different race or had an accent that they lived in the culture and were different from us. Micro-aggressions are subtle and reflect our implicit biases against individuals who are minorities. A micro-aggression I have encountered on more than one occasion surrounds my age and my appearance. I look younger for my age and I have been asked, “how old you?” and they respond with “Oh wow, you look like you’re sixteen years old.” People are often surprised to learn that I am a 22 year old young adult finishing my last semester of college. They imply that I may not be educated or am immature based on my appearance, which I find very insulting. I love the idea of micro-inclusions as a way to “recall society.” In my line of food systems work, this may include offering cultural meal options to patients in the hospital on a regular basis and using people of color on promotional materials. It is important for all members of the health care team to undergo cultural competency training because inadvertent micro-aggressions displayed in the patient-provider relationship can lead to broken trust and the inability to establish rapport with patients.
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Ashley, thank you for your reflections! We must stay awake and be fully present. In your work place as you mention promotional materials, I know you will make sure that diversity and inclusion is pictured in every role providing and receiving health care, making the connection to the humanity in others. Thanks again!
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Some micro-aggressions I have experienced are: “What are you?” or “Wait, you’re Asian?” or “I don’t really look at you as Asian.” 99% of the time, the questions weren’t asked in a discriminatory way; however, some people appear to be ignorant when they do say things like “ I don’t really consider you as Asian” just because I am their only Asian friend. I like the idea of counter acting with micro-inclusion, and I feel like I do this at times.
I don’t have many examples of micro-inclusions in my food system-related work or studies because I am in a predominantly White, non-Hispanic area. In my current job, I have seen some micro-inclusion. For example, during our weekly team meetings, we are all to talk about what we are working on and how we will move forward. Although I am just an intern, I am given an opportunity to present my work just as much as others. I am treated equally even though I am an intern.
When it comes to micro-aggressions that are toward me, I am not really sure how to handle it. I know that most of the time, the questioner does not have negative intent, so I usually just answer or awkwardly laugh. This is an interesting topic for me, and it is something I could definitely work on.
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Jarylle, many thanks for sharing! Take a look at this post on 5 tips to handle microagressions:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anna-giraldo-kerr/5-tips-to-handle-microagg_b_5658351.html
Thank you for staying on this journey with us!
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One that I am sure I have committed myself is ‘where are you from (usually if there is an accent)’, when I say it I mean your ancestry. Maybe it comes from me wanting to be seen as more than ‘white’ which is not anything but a color. If I am a color, I am peach with freckles! I want people to ask me about my ancestry because where we are from matters.
When I was in Norway recently, we went to a Pakistani sweet store, and I asked if the guy knew English. I thought I might have done it because he was (after the fact) but might have been doing that with lots of people. I just noticed it with the Pakistani man.
On a canoe trip last summer, one kid said something about drunken Indians (which I had heard before). I wasn’t quite sure how to respond, and said that there are drunk white people too (inclusive right?!)
I think a micro-inclusion that would be easy to enact would be giving everyone a voice. Ageism could prevent young people from speaking up, or feeling valued, and there are some minorities that might not speak up either. In America, I would assume people know English until I know otherwise. In that case is speaking English to them a microaggression? I sometimes feel like we can take it too far, worrying about offending everyone with things we say, and I think that in different contexts or different people’s lives, people will take things differently. I am not proud of being white, and want to be from somewhere, as I said above, but there are many that are super proud of being white. It just gets confusing, because each person is different.
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Thanks for stepping into this! Remembering that we all are uniquely different will assist us on this journey to equity. Microaggressions seem rooted in the opposite…in a bias and set of assumptions about a particular group of people, people of color. Each question- each push for knowing moves us forward together…keep sharing…
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One that I am sure I have committed myself is ‘where are you from (usually if there is an accent)’, when I say it I mean your ancestry. Maybe it comes from me wanting to be seen as more than ‘white’ which is not anything but a color. If I am a color, I am peach with freckles! I want people to ask me about my ancestry because where we are from matters.
When I was in Norway recently, we went to a Pakistani sweet store, and I asked if the guy knew English. I thought I might have done it because he was (after the fact) but might have been doing that with lots of people. I just noticed it with the Pakistani man.
On a canoe trip last summer, one kid said something about drunken Indians (which I had heard before). I wasn’t quite sure how to respond, and said that there are drunk white people too (inclusive right?!)
I think a micro-inclusion that would be easy to enact would be giving everyone a voice. Ageism could prevent young people from speaking up, or feeling valued, and there are some minorities that might not speak up either. In America, I would assume people know English until I know otherwise. In that case is speaking English to them a microaggression? I sometimes feel like we can take it too far, worrying about offending everyone with things we say, and I think that in different contexts or different people’s lives, people will take things differently. I am not proud of being white, and want to be from somewhere, as I said above, but there are many that are super proud of being white. It just gets confusing, because each person is different.
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We must strive to first be proud of being who we are…our full and best selves. Microagressions take place daily and verbally, so we must be conscious of the words we use and their meaning. Whether intentional or unintentional, we want to reduce the instances of “hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color.”, as Derald Sue urges us. Take a look at this article:
Click to access 7-Racial-Microagressions-in-Everyday-Life.pdf
Thank you, Anna for your reflections and staying on this journey with us!
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As always, thought provoking. I do love the explanations of micro inclusions and from the author’s example(being asked about the boat)it occurs to me that one part of always being conscious of my individual thoughts(ie did I too not assume they on the bench could own the boat or not) and asking ourselves questions about what we say/think or don’t say/think(why did I think that?). Checking in with myself essentially. I was once called out by a black woman comparing our need for deep conditioning of hair because my hair is curly. When she replied that our hair was not similar, I totally understood what she was saying and was surprised that I even said it because I do KNOW our hair is not the same. It was a moment for me when I saw that my bias’/thoughts can just jump out of my mouth without even thinking. From a food system perspective one reason I am taking this class is my desire to have my organization(including myself)practice micro inclusions, as others said, in who gets heard, or represented(but not using representation as a way to say…”oh we have photos of diverse people on our website or newsletter so we are all good”. And then the more I am learning I realize that the important work I need to do is to continue the work for myself and my own good, it’s not on behalf of anyone else. I read this recently and it made me think about how I might answer the question, why are you taking this course, why do you think it’s important to look at racism and food systems and other institutions of oppression?? Thanks again for another great prompt. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-white-woman-confronts-her-racism_us_58f228bee4b04cae050dc793
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Many thanks for sharing your thoughts and contributing to this link!
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Personally I have not really experienced people making microargressions towards me, but I have witnessed them being made towards other people. One of my best friends is in an interracial relationship, and she is constantly being asked about what her babies would look like. This comment really affects her, for she knows that people are only referring to what color the babies skin would be. Tourists in Boston also experience microagressions often. I have noticed people making remarks about Asians in the city for no good reason. Also, in my hometown, there are a lot of people who are Portuguese and Brazilian. These two populations are often clumped together, and that really offends people. I think a good way to practice micro-inclusions would be for people to ask a person what their heritage is rather than just classifying them as “black” or “Asian”.
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Jessica, thank you for this! We continue to come to the same action…”ask”. Those of us who are awake and watching these microaggressions occur have to interrupt them with thoughtful inquiry and ignite courageous conversations. It takes practice and being willing to fumble a bit before making a touchdown…smile! Go for it, Jessica!
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I find this topic very interesting because where I come from (Maine), many people are still racist and will say micro-aggressions in casual conversation, without thinking about who they are offending. After coming to school at UNH, which has a more diverse population than my hometown, I became more aware of micro-aggressions and more aware of what I say to other people. One of my close friends is Chinese and many people have made racist comments or micro-aggressions towards her. A couple of guys have come up to her and tried to greet her in Chinese or Japanese, assuming she speaks these languages. One guy also tried to hit on her and when she denied him, he said that he didn’t like Asians anyway. These comments are disheartening and sad. I think micro-inclusions could make an impact on the way we see people of different culture and hopefully help people become aware of what they are saying.
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Thank you for sharing more about your journey, Brianna. Some of what you point out are not simply micro-aggressions, but macro-aggressions – when someone says they do not like a particular racial or ethnic group, for example. Stay vigilant!
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The 21 microagressions identified in the Buzzfeed article were absolutely uncalled-for and ignorant. However, I only feel this way now because I am aware of the obvious discrimination and offense. As disappointed as I am to say it, I was an ignorant and offensive micro-aggressor just a few days ago. I was having lunch with a friend of a friend who has darker skin and happened to be talking about traveling to India for the summer. I came right out and asked her where her hometown was. Her answer? In the United States. I then went on to clarify what I really meant to ask. Where is she originally from? Furthermore, I asked how many languages she was able to speak. Although I had nothing but good intentions and was eager to learn more about her culture, those questions were most likely somewhat offensive to her. I would like to start off by saying that a common mistake among microagressions is assumption. I should not have assumed she was from India just because she would be visiting there this summer. Additionally, I should not have assumed that she spoke many different languages. I believe that micro-inclusion plays an important role in practicing awareness and equal opportunity.
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Allie, thank you for sharing. We are all on endless learning journeys, including dealing with our unconscious processing and complex structural inequities. Identifying our missteps and assumptions is vitally important!
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Identify three micro-aggressions that you have experienced, observed, or committed in your food system-related work/volunteerism/studies. How might these be countered, including through the use of micro-inclusions?
I believe we all experience micro-aggressions every single day. One that I notice often is the surprise people have towards black people who “don’t act black”. I’ve heard people say, “She’s the whitest black person I know”. I think that is so incredibly insulting to an entire race of people. The message it sends is that being white is superior, that this person is an outlier of their race, and that all black people act the same in a negative way. This could be countered by practicing the awareness that every race has diversity and just because someone is a certain way doesn’t mean they don’t fit in to their racial group. Another micro-aggression I hear on my campus is about the Navitas students. I hear students assume that any Asian student is part of the exchange program without ever assuming that some of them are Asian-Americans. The message that this sends is that white is the superior race and if you’re not white on this campus, then you’re probably from somewhere else. After all, we have PLENTY of exchange students from Europe and no one ever sees a white person and assumes they’re from Sweden. Our country is a melting-pot and micro inclusions should counter this by assuming everyone is American until otherwise told. A third miroaggression I notice often is people assuming that black students are athletes. In addition, that black students are only here because they are an athlete and that they don’t really study. Even though the sports teams are very diverse here, this is completely wrong to send the message that black students are only good for their athletic ability or that they SHOULD have athletic ability because of their race. Micro inclusions such as ASKING people what they’re involved in on campus, what they study, asking them their interests, will help because everyone deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt.
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