Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

When I was about 15 years of age I had a sexual experiment I encountered, and I pray that no young child has to experience. This man was my dad’s best friend the friend that ate, went fishing, and even went to church with dad. I remember dad’s best friend name was Jimmie Lee Harris. My dad loved this man he could not see no wrong in him. This man would come over dad’s house about three times a week. Mr. Harris would call me over to the sofa and would say "here you go some candy". When dad wasn't looking he would take my hand and force me to touch him inappropriately. My dad would ask him to take me into town to get some food, or other items. Dad would have me to go with Mr. Harris every time. I did not want to go because I know that I would have to get ready for a fight or struggle. I use to hate when he used to put his hands on me trying to kiss me I would not let him touch me. Mr. Harris begins to fondle me and say nasty words to me I told him I was going to tell my daddy, but he tricked me and said "he will not believe you."

 Oh how I cried we wrestled for the longest than he just stopped. I was determined that Mr. Harris was not going to rape me. Where he taken me it was so dark that it seem like you can feel the darkness. I can not tell anyone where he took me because of the darkness. I was afraid to tell my dad because I knew dad was going to do something dangerous to Mr. Harris. I did not want my dad to go to jail and be away from the family. I love my daddy I would have given my life for my dad. My dad's best friend tried to rape me. I experienced sexual assault I felt so guilty I started to accuse myself. Mr. Harris poison my mind he said I was to blame. I felt so alone, horrified, and afraid, if I tell dad, I’ll lose my best friend if I was to tell my mom she would wouldn't believe me and thought I would make something up. I was between a rock and a hard place. I found myself as the target of micro aggression sexuality because Mr. Harris would repeat fondling me over and over again. I was terrified this sexual experiment does corrupt young children state of mind.

I have learned that the effects of discriminations, prejudice and/or stereotypes on people are very critical. People are not born with the spirit of hate they are taught to hate. We as parents and teachers should work together in supporting a healthy environment. Because children have feelings also; they know when they are being discriminated. Discriminations are when we as teachers does not input the knowledge the children and ourselves need to support a healthy environment. I do believe when we do not put forward our best efforts to understand every child has the right for a positive education. I have learned that prejudice is like a disease it goes down deep in the innermost being, and it will destroy you. I have learned that children or people are not born prejudice they are taught to be prejudice. I believe that this is unfair to young children when we make up their minds for them. I have learned about being stereotypes on people that we as individuals have the right to believe in what we want to. Stereotypes are a different group races or individuals who make certain judgment about people and not knowing the people. An example of stereotypes is that all black people are uneducated, or all white people with blue eyes are devils. Both examples are not true and irrelevant. We should respect all people. We as grownups need to model positive examples for the younger society.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

The person I communicated with was Ms. Willingham, Ms. Ross, and Mrs. Hancock. I Ms. Willingham communicated with me person-to- person because we work together. Ms. Willingham said, "Culture is the behaviors and beliefs such as, food, dress, music, language, and holidays. Diversity means everyone is not the same and a person is unique in their own ways." Mrs. Hancock said, "Culture is the elements of language, behavior, and values of a group of people." She stated, "Diversity is a group of people race, religious, language, and beliefs.” Ms. Ross said, “My definition of culture is the beliefs, language, values, norms, behaviors, and material objects that are important enough to pass on the future generation." Ms. Ross said, "my definition for diversity is a variety of different objects.”

            I truly agree that culture come in many different forms and in everything we do have to do with culture. The food we eat the cloths we wear, the way we move our bodies have to deal with culture. Example: Culture has many of rules and qualities such as, how different families raise their children. The Hispanic raises their children to respect their elders, not to look the adults in the eyes when being spoken to. African-American believes strongly in religious beliefs. As young as 6 months, infants demonstrate that they notice differences in skin color (Katz & Kofkin 1997).

 Toddler begins to notice and comment on gender and racial differences. By age 2, children are using appropriate gender labels (girl, boy) and learning color names, which they begin to apply to skin color (Ramsey 2004). Example: Asking questions gender, racial identity, and language. By age 4, they begin to show awareness of family structures and economic class differences (Tatum 2003). Example: Why is that boy skin's is black? Between 3-5, children become very concern about their bodies and how it grows (Ramey 2004). One aspect is teaching children to become racial by the environment that surrounding them. Children learn from adults and the surrounding environment the children live in. This helps the child to become bias and lead to prejudice. Not recognizing children with disabilities and giving out negative ideas about them. Example: If a child has a disease he will be treated different from the other class. (Ramsey 2004).

My thinking about the different definitions has encouraged me because the definition was mainly the same meaning. This let me know the teachers know what the meaning of culture and diversity is. It is essential for all professionals in the field of Early Childhood Education are important to know every child’s culture and especially your own culture. This will help empower the class with the education they need for learning and development skills. (Ramsey 2004).

My Family Culture

There are several items that I Hold close and dear to my heart, but the three items that I would choose are my family’s Bible, my dad’s picture, and my dad’s antique watch.

Dad was both mom and dad to his children at some point in our lives. There were times I do not remember mom being around for some reasons I cannot record mom being in the home at some period of time. Dad was there all the time in the home cooking, cleaning, bathing and making should his children had something to eat. My dad and mom were the parents of 9 girls and 6 boys making the total of 15 children. We was very poor, but dad was a hunter and killed animals most of time for food for the children to eat. Dad took the time out and taught each one of his children how to hunter and clean animals for food. I remember he would place me on his knee and sing gospel songs to me. My dad was an alcoholic, but he never touched his children the wrong way. My dad stopped drinking, and at the age of 88 he became a Christian, and at the age of 104 he went to be with the Lord. My dad married mom when she was 13, and he was 25, they were married for 66 years.

The family’s Bible is extremely important to me because it holds important dates and names of relatives both birthdays and deaths. It is also a guide to me because dad taught us to study and believe in the Bible.

            My dad’s watch is essential to me because dad used to spit on the ground and order us to go to the well and make it back home from the well before the spit dried up. We would run to the well and get that water and make it back home before the spit dried up. The watch is necessary because I would never demand my daughter to do something like that. I know my dad meant well back in time but in today society that is a form of child abuse.

I would give up my dad’s picture and my dad’s watch, and I would keep the Holy Bible because of faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. I would need faith to live in a need environment. In times like these, we need an angle; in time like these we need the Bible.

I learned when we communicate with each other we develop relationships and learn from each other. When we all put what we know together it turn out to be a great environment. When we help and support each other we learn more freely and after all two heads is better than one.

Reference:

Chang, H.N.L. 1963. Affirming children‘s roots: Cultural and Linguistic diversity in early child care and education. Oakland, CA: California Tomorrow.