The Everyday Bullying of Microaggressions: Recognizing and Intervening
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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The Everyday Bullying of Microaggressions:
Recognizing and Intervening
Yolanda Flores Niemann, Ph.D.
University of North Texas
Adapted from Renee Wells (SPSSI, 2016)
Microaggressions in the Classroom
Film
https://youtu.be/ZahtlxW2CIQ
youtube link
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Identity
•
Microaggressions are in many ways an assault on our
identity, which is the essence of our being.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 1
•
How do you identify, in terms of visible identities,
e.g., race, sex?
•
In what ways does your identity affect your daily life?
•
For example:
•
Women generally take extra precautions walking alone,
especially at night.
•
Black and Latinx males are socialized in their homes with
particular instructions to avoid being shot by police.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity – 2
•
When did you first know you were:
•
Your sex: Male, female, non binary
•
Your race/ethnicity
•
What were the messages associated with that
understanding?
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Types of Microaggressions
•
Manifestations of bias
•
Verbal
•
Behavioral
•
Environmental
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microinsults
•
A microinsult is a comment or action that communicates insensitivity to or disregard for a
person’s identity or heritage
•
A coach tells an Asian not to bother trying out for an athletic team, conveying the message that
Asians are not good at sports;
•
Microinsults may be subtle snubs that convey a hurtful message, e.g.,
•
You’re Latina, so you should do the cooking and babysitting (message is that Latinas are mainly
good at domestic skills and not other valued skills, e.g., leadership, organization)
•
“You’re pretty for a black girl” (message is that black girls are not typically considered attractive).
•
Microinsults are often based on conscious or unconscious group stereotypes. Perpetrators
of microinsults may not always be aware that their comments and behaviors are hurtful.
Adapted from Nadal et. al 2014, Alabi 2015, Sue et al. 2009, and Sue 2011.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microinvalidations
•
Comments or actions that ignore or dismiss the
thoughts, feelings or experiences of a group member.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microinvalidations
•
A woman who reports sexual harassment is told that “boys will be boys” and she should
get over it or consider the harassment a complement:
•
Faculty members dismiss complaints of racism by faculty or students of color. They are told to quit being so sensitive.
(underlying message = your reactions and feelings are unwarranted);
•
Latinx students are asked where they are from or “where are you really from?” (message is that you don’t really belong
in your own country).
•
Students of Color are told that the election of President Obama means that racism is a thing of the past/post-racial
society (underlying message = your experiences of being treated differently because of your race are invalid; your
perception is inaccurate)
•
A woman is told that sexual harassment and assault are the fault of the woman, e.g., because she’s attractive, was
wearing make up, wearing a low cut blouse or short skirt
•
Perpetrators of microinvalidations may not be aware that their comments/behaviors are
hurtful, or they may intentionally be engaged in “gaslighting.”
Adapted from Nadal et. al 2014, Alabi 2015, Sue et al. 2009, and Sue 2011.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 3
•
Think about a time that someone said something about
some aspect of your identity that you felt was intentionally
or unintentionally dismissive, insulting, or demeaning.
•
Turn to the person next to you and share the following:
•
What was said to you
•
How it made you feel
•
How you responded to what was said
•
How you felt afterwards
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microassaults
•
A microassault is most commonly thought of as overt discrimination.
•
Microassaults can be verbal, nonverbal, or environmental
•
Verbal microassaults include name-calling / use of epithets (Ex: Use of
racial and sexist slurs.
•
Nonverbal microassaults include behavioral discrimination (Ex: Not
allowing gay persons to join a group; use of “black-face” by student
organizations.
•
Environmental microassaults include offensive signs, posters, or other
visual displays (Ex: Displays that feature women as sex objects,
ethnic/racial caricatures with exaggerated features, swastikas
Adapted from Nadal et al. 2014, Sue et al. 2009, Sue 2011, and Lopez and Zepeda
.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microassaults (continued)
•
Microassaults are conscious and intentional acts by an aggressor that are
intended to convey negative ideas about a person or group
•
Microassaults most frequently occur
•
When the conveyer can remain anonymous, e.g., a blog with a pseudonym;
When people believe that the person hearing the comment or seeing the
action will not be offended because they hold the same beliefs;
•
When persons lose inhibitions, e.g., due to loss of emotional control,
alcohol or drug use, or other reasons that keep them from filtering their
comments or actions.
Information from Sue et al. 2009 and Lopez and Zepeda.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Hate Crimes
Consistently increased since 2016, including in colleges
and universities
In 2017 (FBI statistics)
•
7,106 single-bias incidents involved 8,493 victims.
•
Of the 6,370 known offenders:
•
50.7% were White
•
21.3% were Black or African American
•
19.1% race unknown
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Increase in Hate Crimes
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Single Bias Incident Bias Motivation by Category
Types of Hate Crimes
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Hate Crimes
•
Most hate crime incidents, 27.5%, occurred in or near
residences/homes
•
17.9% occurred on highways/roads/alleys/streets/sidewalks
•
10.5% occurred at schools/colleges
•
5.8% happened in parking/drop lots/garages
•
4.1% took place in churches/synagogues/templates/mosques
•
The location was reported as other/unknown of 11.5% of hate
crime incidents
•
The remaining 23.7% of hate crime incidents took place at
other or multiple locations.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Campus Hate Crimes
•
In 2017 – Amherst, Boston College, Cal State,
Colorado State, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan,
Framingham State, George Mason, Hampshire,
Montclair State, Delaware, Morrisville State, Norther
Virginia, Penn State, Rutgers – New Brunswick (25),
Springfield Technical, State Center Community
College, UC- Berkeley, UCLA, Kentucky, Mary
Washington, University of Marilyn, Michigan, (15),
Southern Maine, Washington, Westfield State, Yale
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Gender and Sexual Minorities
•
LGBT
•
LGBTQ+++
•
Bisexual
•
Intersex
•
Nonbinary
•
Transgender
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 4
•
Think about a time when you did not know, from
appearances, a person’s sex.
•
How did that make you feel?
•
What did you do or say?
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 5
•
What is your pronoun?
•
Think about a time when a person told you that their
pronoun was “they.”
•
What did you do or say?
•
What were you thinking?
•
When you used the wrong pronoun, what happened?
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Disabilities
•
Visible
•
Invisible
•
Trauma-induced
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 6
•
Think about a time when you or someone you know
had (or has) a visible disability.
•
How did you see people treat the person(s)
•
How did the treatment make you feel?
•
What did you do or say?
•
Airport examples
•
University access (and not accessible)
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Disabilities in the Classroom
•
Students may have visible or invisible (or both).
•
How do you accommodate them?
•
When a disability is invisible,
•
What do you say?
•
How do you accommodate the student?
•
What is a reasonable accommodation?
•
What is unreasonable?
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Poverty in the Classroom
•
Financial aid has not arrived
•
No books
•
No supplies
•
No food
•
No home
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 7
•
Think about a time that you observed or overheard
someone commit a microaggression that you sensed was
or could have been offensive or hurtful to others.
•
Turn to the person next to you and share the following:
•
What the microaggression was
•
In what way you felt it was offensive
•
A response strategy you could use in the future if you
observed or overheard the same microaggression again
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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I am color blind; I don’t see skin
color.
•
A common and egregious microaggression
•
How does that feel?
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Stereotypes – Activity 8
•
Pictures in our heads
•
We ALL carry stereotypes and implicit biases
•
IAT – Implicit Association Test
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Stereotype Threat
Activity - 9
•
The fear of proving true the stereotypes about your
demographic group.
•
What are the stereotypes about your group that you fear
will be applied to you?
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Outside the
University
•
Microaggressins in the community
•
Students
•
Faculty
•
staff
•
Be aware that some persons consistently experience
microaggressions
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressive Trauma
•
The excessive and continuous exposure to subtle
discrimination (both interpersonal and systemic), and the
subsequent symptoms that develop or persist as a result.
•
Emotions experienced: anger, sadness, worry, resentment,
hopelessness, regret, self-doubt
•
The experience is now considered PTSD – Post
Traumatic Stress Syndrome
•
Epigenetics research indicates that this trauma can be
passed on to future generations through our DNA
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Responding to
Microaggressions
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Possible Responses -1
•
Denying Experiences
•
I’m sure they didn’t mean anything by it.
•
We’re friends. I know she doesn’t think that way. She couldn’t have meant that.
•
Impotency of Action
•
It won’t do any good to speak up.
•
Saying something won’t change the way anyone thinks.
•
It isn’t worth the effort.
•
Fear of Consequences
•
If I say something, I might get fired.
•
Others will get upset if I say something.
•
What if my experienced is dismissed?
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Possible Responses-2
•
Attributional Ambiguity
•
Did that just happen?
•
Am I misinterpreting what happened?
•
Was what happened motivated by bias?
•
Response Indecision
•
What should I do?
•
How should I respond?
•
How do I convince others that what I experienced was a microaggression?
•
Time-limited Responding
•
Something happened and now the moment has passed before I could respond.
•
I can’t or don’t want to deal with this right now
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Strategies for Responding to
Microaggressions
•
Paraphrase and Ask for Clarity
•
Make sure what you heard is what they said; ask them to help you understand what they meant.
•
I think what you said was _____________; is that correct? Can you elaborate on what you meant
by that?
•
I know you didn’t intend this, but when you said ____, I felt ____ because ______.
•
Share Your Own Process and Challenge the Underlying Stereotype
•
It helps others to feel less self-conscious and defensive when you share that you used to think or
feel similar things, and it helps them expand their awareness when you offer alternative
perspectives.
•
I overheard you make the comment that _______________. I used to think that too, but then I
learned _________________.
Adapted from Goodman 2011.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Strategies for Responding to
Microaggressions
•
Separate Intent from Impact and Express your Feelings
•
Let them know you understand that they didn’t mean to be offensive, but explain
why their comment made you uncomfortable.
•
I know you didn’t intend this, but when you said ______________, I felt
________________ because _________________.
Adapted from Goodman 2011.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Express and Promote Empathy
Help perpetrators understand the underlying assumptions and impact of what they said.
Challenge them to think about how they would feel if someone made a similar assumption
about them (the implication that all Muslims are anti-American is hurtful to me because I
was born and raised here; this is my home. How would you react if someone assumed
that you hated the U.S. and wanted to harm your fellow citizens?”
The Effect of Not Responding to
Microaggressions
•
Not speaking up may result in:
•
Feelings of shame or guilt;
•
Rumination of what a person may have said; poor use of
time and emotional energy
•
Emotional energy used coping with repeated
microaggressions;
•
Physical and Psychological toll.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 10
•
What is the microaggression you most experience
from others?
•
Practice one or more of the responses to a
microaggression
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Acknowledge Your Own
Microaggressions
•
“Can you help me understand what just happened?
•
“Thank you for letting me know how my comment made
you feel. No one has every brought this to my attention
before. If you’re willing to talk more about it, I’d like to
better understand the ways my comment was problematic
so I can learn from this and also help educate others.”
•
“I’m sorry that what I said hurt you. That wasn’t my
intention, but I will be intentional about trying to avoid
hurting others in that way in the future.”
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity – 11
•
Share a microaggression that you committed
•
Acknowledge your microaggression
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Takeaways for Educators
and Staff
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Key Points for Educators - 1
•
Many underrepresented students are less likely to seek support
services through Counseling but often find a sense of
connection in settings with other underrepresented students, so
peer mentoring or multicultural support groups can serve as
important resources for students coping with microaggressions
•
Because individuals who commit microaggressions are often
unaware that they have done so and of the impact, Educators
and staff can host programming/events that incorporate
intergroup dialogue as a way to “foster social justice attitudes,
self-reflection, empathy and understanding”
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Key Points for Educators - 2
•
Be intentional about creating spaces for students to
engage in conversations about their experiences of
microaggressions to decrease their feelings of being
isolated or alone
•
Work with students to help them develop coping
strategies for when they encounter microaggressions to
help lessen the emotional impact of these experiences
•
Provide positive reinforcement to increase students’ self-
worth and bolster their resiliency
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Key Points for Educators - 3
•
Remember that microaggressions, including those that are
vicariously experienced, can be traumatizing; educators must
respond accordingly
•
Understand the impact of microaggressions on students’ self-
esteem and feeling of belonging
•
Research has shown that self-esteem serves as a “protective
factor for suicide and other psychological disorders,” which
is particularly important given “the increasing prevalence
of suicide among various racial and ethnic minority
groups”
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Activity - 12
•
Share an activity/program that you will lead/develop
to reduce microaggressions in your school.
•
Share an activity/program that you will lead/develop
to help heal microaggressions committed against
educators and students.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Examples of Microaggressions
by Demographic Group
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
African American Students
•
African American students face microaggressions in many contexts – in educational facilities, I
their workplaces, where they shop. These microaggressions are often related to stereotypes
that they are less intelligent, more aggressive or violent, and/or less hardworking than
members of other groups
•
Their advisors often discourage them from taking heavy course loads or from taking challenging
classes due to the perception that they won’t be able to handle it
•
They are often called on less frequently in classrooms and report feeling ignored by professors
•
Educators have low expectations of them, resulting in harm to their educational development;
•
Their peers are often hesitant to include them in group work, creating the perception that they are
seen as less capable or less intelligent
•
Educators, staff, and students maintain assumptions that African American students were admitted
on the basis of race or for their ability to play sports
Adapted from Solórzano et al. 2000.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against African
Americans
•
African American students also experience microaggressions related to their under-enrollment
on many campuses
•
They are often asked to speak on behalf of their entire race
•
The experience of being the only black student in a class increases the sense of isolation and
“otherness” and makes participating in class or on campus intimidating and more difficult
•
They are sometimes stopped on campus late at night (including by police and campus authorities)
and asked what they are doing in academic buildings, reinforcing stereotypes that portray black
youth as criminals;
•
Persons may report African Americans to police or other authorities for just being in a location
where they are perceived to not belong.
Adapted from Solórzano et al. 2000.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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The Impact of Microaggressions Against
African American Students
•
These repeated negative interactions impact African American students in a variety of ways:
•
Feelings of self-doubt
•
Feeling like they have to work harder than other students in order to prove themselves
•
Feeling like they have to be guarded when they meet with advisors or Educators in order to defend
themselves against discouragement or low expectations
•
Feeling exhausted by the constant scrutiny their actions and performance receive
•
Some African American students “drop classes, change their major, or leave to attend a
different university” in response to these experiences.
•
A common coping strategy for African American students is to seek out “counter-spaces” at
predominantly white institutions (e.g., black student organizations, multicultural centers, peer
study groups organized by students of color, etc.) in order to share their experiences and
frustrations, feel validated, feel nurtured, and to have their learning fostered in a supportive
environment.
Adapted from Solórzano et al. 2000.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Native American Students
•
Jones and Galliher (2014) found that 98% of Native American students experience daily
microaggressions.
•
Like African American and Latinx students, Native American students are assumed to be less
capable and less competent than their White or Asian peers in academic settings.
•
Native American students are also forced to deal with microaggressions that portray of them
as primitive, lazy, criminal, and prone to alcoholism.
•
Usurping Native American traditions into other cultural behaviors without understanding the
inherent meaning in the traditions or ceremonies.
Adapted from Jones and Galliher 2014.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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The Impact of Microaggressions Against
Native American Students
•
As Native American students are increasingly confronted with “negative stereotypes and colonizing
attitudes” and become more aware of injustice and inequity, they may seek to reconnect with or immerse
themselves in indigenous culture
•
In a society that “pressures Native youth to assimilate to mainstream White values, behaving in a more
traditional manner” can increase the likelihood that Native American students will experience
microaggressions
•
Native American students may experience identity conflict if their identity is strongly rooted within
indigenous culture, because:
•
They are part of an ethnic community that has been conquered, which can lead to a cross-generational
transmission of “historical trauma”
•
Their community is often positioned as subordinate to both the majority and other minoritized groups
•
The impact of Native American identity conflict can lead to feelings of inferiority as well as distancing
from their indigenous culture (assimilation) or distancing from both indigenous and White cultures
(marginalization)
Adapted from Jones and Galliher 2014.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Hispanic/Latinx Students
•
Like African American and Native American students, Hispanic/Latinx students are often perceived as less capable
and less intelligent than their peers. Among these microaggressions are the following:
•
Having their accomplishments or qualifications questioned (e.g., admission due to affirmative action);
•
Encountering surprise in others when they are academically successful (e.g., comments indicating surprise that they are
college/graduate students, especially if they attend prestigious universities);
•
Being perceived as an “exception” to their race/ethnicity when they are academically successful;
•
Being talked down to by others (e.g., having others speak slowly to them);
•
Being told that they speak excellent English (when others in the classroom are not given that message (communicates
lack of belonging);
•
People speaking very loudly to persons with Spanish accents.
•
Hispanic/Latinx students also experience microaggressions in the form of being treated like second-class citizens:
•
Being ignored in stores or assumptions that they are stealing;
•
Receiving differential treatment (e.g., having sales people refuse to acknowledge them as serious customers in high-end
stores).
Adapted from Rivera et al. 2010.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Hispanic/Latinx Students
•
Hispanic/Latinx students also experience microaggressions when others criticize the way they
speak:
•
Having others complain that they have an accent;
•
Being called out for speaking in Spanish (e.g., “This is America. Learn to speak English.”);
•
Having others correct their pronunciation of words.
•
Hispanic/Latinx students are also frequently made to feel like “aliens in their own land:”
•
Having others question their U.S. citizenship or assume they were born in another country;
•
Overhearing negative remarks about immigration or immigrants (e.g., “Here comes another
setback.”);
•
Being assumed to be undocumented;
•
Having others question their ability to speak English.
Adapted from Rivera et al. 2010.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Hispanic/Latinx Students
•
Hispanic/Latinx students are often perceived to be criminals or engaged in criminal activity:
•
Being followed out of stores by security guards and asked to show receipts for purchases;
•
Being questioned by campus police when hanging out in groups (i.e., approached because they are
“acting suspiciously”);
•
Having other students assume they come from dangerous neighborhoods, use drugs, are violent,
and/or are members of gangs.
•
Hispanic/Latinx students also experience microaggressions through the invalidation of their
experiences:
•
Being told that other groups have it worse when they complain about discrimination;
•
Having others dismiss their ethnic identity (e.g., “You don’t look Hispanic…”).
Adapted from Rivera et al. 2010.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Hispanic/Latinx Students
•
Hispanic/Latinx students also frequently experience stereotypes/generalizations of their cultures:
•
Liking spicy foods, knowing how to Salsa dance, having illegitimate children, being poor, wanting handouts,
etc.
•
Hispanic/Latinx students experience microaggressions through the Pathalogizing of their cultural values:
•
Being mocked for having strong religious beliefs;
•
Having their communication style critiqued (e.g., having a “Latin temper” or being a “loud, angry Chicana”);
•
Placing strong values on family, e.g.,
familiso
.
•
Hispanic/Latinx students also encounter microaggressions through their assumed lack of individuality:
•
Ex: Being assumed to be Mexican;
•
Ex: Being told “all Latinos look the same…”
Adapted from Rivera et al. 2010.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Asian American Students
•
Ascription of Intelligence; Individuals who commit these microaggressions describe
the intent of these comments as compliments, but the impact of making assumptions
about the intellectual ability of entire ethnic groups can be detrimental to Asian
American students:
•
“You people always do well in school;”
•
“If I see lots of Asian students in my class, I know it’s going to be a hard class;”
•
Feel pressured to conform to stereotypes, even when they don’t enjoy subjects like math or science
or aren’t good at them;
•
Feel trapped when their peers come to them for help with subjects in which they don’t excel;
•
Struggle with the tension created when they are chosen for group projects instead of other
students of color;
•
Their desire to pursue academic interests outside of math and science are often questioned.
Adapted from Sue et al. 2009 and Houshmand and Spanierman 2014.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Asian American Students
•
Denial of Racial Reality:
•
Because Asian Americans are perceived as “model minorities” who are successful,
the perception is often that they do not experience inequities or acts of bias;
•
Thus, many microaggressions against Asian Americans invalidate their lived
experiences of racial discrimination.
•
Invalidation of Interethnic Differences (
underlying message is that differences between
Asian Americans do not exist or do not matter):
•
“Are you Chinese?”
•
“All Asians look alike”
Adapted from Sue et al. 2009.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against Asian American
Students
•
Pathologizing Cultural Values / Communication Styles; The underlying message is that
Asian Americans are expected to assimilate to White/Western cultural practices and
communication styles in order to be accepted or to meet expectations
•
Penalizing Asian American students for their lack of participation in class
discussions when many of them were raised with traditional cultural upbringings that
value silence;
•
Making fun of Asian Americans for traditional cultural clothing or spiritual /
religious beliefs / customs;
•
Perpetual Foreignizing; The underlying message is that Asian Americans are not from here,
are not real Americans, or do not belong here
•
“Where are you from?” or “Where were you born?”
•
“You speak English very well”
Adapted from Sue et al. 2009.
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Microaggressions Against
Asian American Students
•
Invisibility
•
Many Asian Americans experience invisibility and exclusion in spaces where conversations about
race / ethnicity take place because their identities and experiences are often not included in what
others perceive to belong to people of color;
•
While Asian Americans are often viewed as being “like Whites,” they often experience bias and a
lack of acceptance from White peers.
•
Exoticizing of Asian American Women / Non-Exoticizing of Asian American Men
•
Western stereotypes of Asian women portray them as passive, subservient, exotic sex objects
devoted to the gratification of men;
•
Asian American women are often approached by White men who express a desire for a “Geisha”
to fulfill their “Asian fetish”
•
Asian American men are often portrayed within Western culture as lacking sexual agency or as
impotent.
Adapted from Sue et al. 2009.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against White Students
•
Ascriptions about political ideology
•
You must have voted for Trump
•
Assumptions about white women
•
“Jokes” about blond women with message of unintelligence
•
Assumptions of being “daddy’s girl” and having it made
•
Assumptions that white women only care about fashion (not critical thinkers)
•
Assumptions of Wealth
•
Assumptions that white students don’t need financial aid and/or don’t have to worry about money
•
Assumptions of Being Racist
•
Are members of your family in the KKK?
•
Aare you a Neo-Nazi?
•
We know you’re afraid of Black people
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
International Students
•
Ostracized for studying too hard and performing too well academically”
•
Experience hostility from their peers for creating competitive academic environments
•
Assumption that an accent equals lack of intelligence
•
Research shows that perceptions associated with international students’ accents stem from
discomfort and unwillingness to accommodate difference rather than difficulties related to
communication
•
International students who seek help on campus with English proficiency often encounter
impatience from those whose job it is to help them
•
International students also experience microaggressions when other students mock or
attempt to mimic their accents
•
Adapted from Houshmand and Spanierman 2014.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against International
Students
•
Excluded and Avoided;
These experiences of cultural exclusion and intolerance impact
international students’ sense of belonging and adjustment to both campus and culture,
which is particularly isolating for students who are far from their homes, families, and other
support systems.
•
International students often feel excluded from the social interactions of their peers who reference
American cultural knowledge (e.g., television shows), tell jokes, or use slang;
•
International students often do not have the cultural knowledge or experience to engage in or
understand these conversations, and their peers often make no effort to try to include them or help
them understand;
•
Some international students report overt microassaults, such as being told to “go home;”
•
While international students express a desire for meaningful interactions with their peers, they
often describe feeling rejected.
Adapted from Houshmand and Spanierman 2014.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against
Muslim Students
•
Endorsing Religious Stereotypes
•
Portrayed as anti-American and as terrorists
•
Racial profiling related to terrorism
•
Pathologizing Religious Practices
•
Perception that their religious traditions or practices are oppressive, abnormal, or
sinful
•
Muslim women encounter microaggressions frequently for wearing their hijabs
•
Ex: Muslims report being told that they are worshipping the wrong God or that their
beliefs are wrong
Adapted from Nadal et al. 2012.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against Muslim
Students
•
Assumption of Religious Homogeneity
•
Assumptions that all persons in a context are
Christian or believe in God
•
Ridicule for wearing head coverings
Adapted from Nadal et al. 2012.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
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Microaggressions Against Non-Heterosexual
and Non Binary Students
•
Homophobic or Heterosexist Language or Terminology
•
Non-heterosexual students often experience environmental microaggressions due to the
frequent use of homophobic or heterosexist language as a way of insulting others (e.g.,
“don’t be such a fag,” “that’s so gay,” or “that haircut makes you look like a dyke”)
•
You’re so Gay
•
Assumption that a behavior is due to a person’s LGBTQ gender identity AND/OR an
assertion that the behavior of a heterosexual person is “gay” because it is consistent with
stereotypes about the LGBTQ community.
•
Heteronormativity or Assumption of Heterosexuality
•
Assumptions that all persons in the context are heterosexual
Adapted from Nadal 2014.
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Microaggressions Against Non-Heterosexual
and Non Binary Students
•
Assumption of Universal Experience
•
Expectations of LGBTQ members as they relate to stereotypes about sexual orientation (e.g., “you’re really
feminine for a lesbian” or “bisexuals can’t be monogamous”)
•
Assumption of Sexual Pathology or Abnormality
•
Questions and comments that position same-sex attraction or asexuality as abnormal or pathological (e.g., “how
are the experiences of gay teenagers different from normal teenagers?” or “are you this way because you were
abused as a child?”)
•
Cultural stereotypes about their sexuality (e.g., they are promiscuous, they have AIDS, they are pedophiles, etc.)
•
Invasion of Privacy
•
Overly personal or intrusive questions (e.g., “how do lesbians have sex?” or “how can you not want to have
sex?”)
Adapted from Nadal 2014.
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Microaggressions Against
Transgender Students
•
Transphobic or Cissexist Language or Terminology
•
Environmental microaggressions due to the frequent use of transphobic or cissexist
terminology (e.g., “tranny,” “she-male,” “he-she” or “it”)
•
Reinforcement of the Gender Binary
•
Dismiss and debase non-normative expressions of gender (e.g., “stop acting like a girl,” “sit
like a lady,” “man up,” etc.)
•
Assumption of Universal Transgender Experience
•
A very narrow understanding of trans identity and expect all trans people to conform to a
universal narrative (e.g., expecting all trans people to have a binary gender identity,
expecting all trans people to undergo a medical gender transition, etc.)
Adapted from Nadal 2014.
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Microaggressions Against
Transgender Students
•
Dismissal of Gender Identity
•
Comments or questions that are dismissive of their gender identity (e.g., “What’s your real name?,”
“He identifies as a woman,” “She used to be a man,” “You’re really pretty for a transwoman,” etc.)
•
Inclusive Policies and Practices Being Perceived as an Inconvenience or a Threat
•
Constantly justify their right to exist and to be respected for who they are in the face of
microaggressions that position equity and inclusion as steps that are a burden on cisgender people
(e.g., “why should everyone have to learn/use a different pronoun for just one person?” or “if we
let transgender women use public restrooms then male sexual predators will put on dresses to
assault women in bathrooms”)
•
Denial of Privacy
•
Overly personal or intrusive questions (e.g., “Are you pre- or post-op?,” “How can you consider yourself a man if
you don’t have a penis?,” “How do transgender people have sex?,” etc.)
Adapted from Nadal 2014.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
69
References
•
Alabi, Jaena. “Racial Microaggressions in Academic Libraries: Results of a Survey of Minority and Non-
minority Librarians.”
The Journal of Academic Librarianship
41 (2015): 47-53.
•
Goodman, Diane J. “Interrupting Biased and Stereotypic Comments.” Adapted from
Promoting Diversity and
Social Justice: Educating People from Privileged Group, 2nd ed.
, Routledge, 2011.
•
Goodman, Diane J. “Responding To and Talking about Microaggressions and Bias.” Adapted from
Promoting Diversity and Social Justice: Educating People from Privileged Group, 2nd ed.
, Routledge, 2011.
•
Houshmand, Sara and Lisa B. Spanierman. “Excluded and Avoided: Racial Microaggressions Targeting
Asian International Students in Canada.”
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
20.3 (2014): 377-388.
•
Jones, Merrill and Renee V. Galliher. “Daily Racial Microaggressions and Ethnic Identification Among
Native American Young Adults.”
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
(2014): 1-32.
•
Lopez, Marcos D. and Wendy Zepeda. “Ethnic/Racial Microaggressions.”
•
Nadal, Kevin et al. “The Adverse Impact of Racial Microaggressions on College Students’ Self-Esteem.”
Journal of College Student Development
55.5 (2014): 461-474.
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019
70
References
•
Nadal, Kevin L. “Stop Saying ‘That’s So Gay!’: 6 Types of Microaggressions That Harm LGBTQ People.”
Psychology Benefits
(2014).
•
Nadal, Kevin L. et al. “Subtle and Overt Forms of Islamophobia: Microaggressions toward Muslim
Americans.”
Journal of Muslim Mental Health
6.2 (2012).
•
Portman, Joel et al. “Microaggressions in the Classroom.”
University of Denver Center for Multicultural
Excellence
(2009).
•
Rivera, David P. et al. “Microaggressions and the Life Experience of Latina/o Americans.”
Microaggressions
and Marginality: Manifestation, Dynamics, and Impact
. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.
•
Solórzano, Daniel et al. “Critical Race Theory, Racial Microaggressions, and Campus Racial Climate: The
Experiences of African American College Students.”
Journal of Negro Education
69.1/2 (2000): 60-73.
•
Sue, Derald Wing et al. “Racial Microaggressions and the Asian American Experience.”
Asian American
Journal of Psychology
S.1 (2009): 88-101.
•
Sue, Derald Wing. “Microaggressions In Institutional Climates: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation.”
2011.
•
Wells, Renee. (2015). Director, NC State GLBT Center. SPSSI Conference.
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Understanding microaggressions, their impact on identity, and interventions to combat everyday forms of bias. Explore the manifestations of bias through verbal, behavioral, and environmental cues, and learn to recognize microinsults that convey hurtful messages based on stereotypes.
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The Everyday Bullying of Microaggressions: Recognizing and Intervening Yolanda Flores Niemann, Ph.D. University of North Texas Adapted from Renee Wells (SPSSI, 2016) Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 1
Microaggressions in the Classroom Film https://youtu.be/ZahtlxW2CIQ youtube link Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 2
Identity Microaggressions are in many ways an assault on our identity, which is the essence of our being. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 3
Activity - 1 How do you identify, in terms of visible identities, e.g., race, sex? In what ways does your identity affect your daily life? For example: Women generally take extra precautions walking alone, especially at night. Black and Latinx males are socialized in their homes with particular instructions to avoid being shot by police. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 4
Activity 2 When did you first know you were: Your sex: Male, female, non binary Your race/ethnicity What were the messages associated with that understanding? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 5
Types of Microaggressions Manifestations of bias Verbal Behavioral Environmental Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 6
Microinsults A microinsult is a comment or action that communicates insensitivity to or disregard for a person s identity or heritage A coach tells an Asian not to bother trying out for an athletic team, conveying the message that Asians are not good at sports; Microinsults may be subtle snubs that convey a hurtful message, e.g., You re Latina, so you should do the cooking and babysitting (message is that Latinas are mainly good at domestic skills and not other valued skills, e.g., leadership, organization) You re pretty for a black girl (message is that black girls are not typically considered attractive). Microinsults are often based on conscious or unconscious group stereotypes. Perpetrators of microinsults may not always be aware that their comments and behaviors are hurtful. Adapted from Nadal et. al 2014, Alabi 2015, Sue et al. 2009, and Sue 2011. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 7
Microinvalidations Comments or actions that ignore or dismiss the thoughts, feelings or experiences of a group member. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 8
Microinvalidations A woman who reports sexual harassment is told that boys will be boys and she should get over it or consider the harassment a complement: Faculty members dismiss complaints of racism by faculty or students of color. They are told to quit being so sensitive. (underlying message = your reactions and feelings are unwarranted); Latinx students are asked where they are from or where are you really from? (message is that you don t really belong in your own country). Students of Color are told that the election of President Obama means that racism is a thing of the past/post-racial society (underlying message = your experiences of being treated differently because of your race are invalid; your perception is inaccurate) A woman is told that sexual harassment and assault are the fault of the woman, e.g., because she s attractive, was wearing make up, wearing a low cut blouse or short skirt Perpetrators of microinvalidations may not be aware that their comments/behaviors are hurtful, or they may intentionally be engaged in gaslighting. Adapted from Nadal et. al 2014, Alabi 2015, Sue et al. 2009, and Sue 2011. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 9
Activity - 3 Think about a time that someone said something about some aspect of your identity that you felt was intentionally or unintentionally dismissive, insulting, or demeaning. Turn to the person next to you and share the following: What was said to you How it made you feel How you responded to what was said How you felt afterwards Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 10
Microassaults A microassault is most commonly thought of as overt discrimination. Microassaults can be verbal, nonverbal, or environmental Verbal microassaults include name-calling / use of epithets (Ex: Use of racial and sexist slurs. Nonverbal microassaults include behavioral discrimination (Ex: Not allowing gay persons to join a group; use of black-face by student organizations. Environmental microassaults include offensive signs, posters, or other visual displays (Ex: Displays that feature women as sex objects, ethnic/racial caricatures with exaggerated features, swastikas Adapted from Nadal et al. 2014, Sue et al. 2009, Sue 2011, and Lopez and Zepeda. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 11
Microassaults (continued) Microassaults are conscious and intentional acts by an aggressor that are intended to convey negative ideas about a person or group Microassaults most frequently occur When the conveyer can remain anonymous, e.g., a blog with a pseudonym; When people believe that the person hearing the comment or seeing the action will not be offended because they hold the same beliefs; When persons lose inhibitions, e.g., due to loss of emotional control, alcohol or drug use, or other reasons that keep them from filtering their comments or actions. Information from Sue et al. 2009 and Lopez and Zepeda. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 12
Hate Crimes Consistently increased since 2016, including in colleges and universities In 2017 (FBI statistics) 7,106 single-bias incidents involved 8,493 victims. Of the 6,370 known offenders: 50.7% were White 21.3% were Black or African American 19.1% race unknown Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 13
Single Bias Incident Bias Motivation by Category Increase in Hate Crimes Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 14
Types of Hate Crimes Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 15
Hate Crimes Most hate crime incidents, 27.5%, occurred in or near residences/homes 17.9% occurred on highways/roads/alleys/streets/sidewalks 10.5% occurred at schools/colleges 5.8% happened in parking/drop lots/garages 4.1% took place in churches/synagogues/templates/mosques The location was reported as other/unknown of 11.5% of hate crime incidents The remaining 23.7% of hate crime incidents took place at other or multiple locations. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 16
Campus Hate Crimes In 2017 Amherst, Boston College, Cal State, Colorado State, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Framingham State, George Mason, Hampshire, Montclair State, Delaware, Morrisville State, Norther Virginia, Penn State, Rutgers New Brunswick (25), Springfield Technical, State Center Community College, UC- Berkeley, UCLA, Kentucky, Mary Washington, University of Marilyn, Michigan, (15), Southern Maine, Washington, Westfield State, Yale Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 17
Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 18
Gender and Sexual Minorities LGBT LGBTQ+++ Bisexual Intersex Nonbinary Transgender Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 19
Activity - 4 Think about a time when you did not know, from appearances, a person s sex. How did that make you feel? What did you do or say? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 20
Activity - 5 What is your pronoun? Think about a time when a person told you that their pronoun was they. What did you do or say? What were you thinking? When you used the wrong pronoun, what happened? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 21
Disabilities Visible Invisible Trauma-induced Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 22
Activity - 6 Think about a time when you or someone you know had (or has) a visible disability. How did you see people treat the person(s) How did the treatment make you feel? What did you do or say? Airport examples University access (and not accessible) Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 23
Disabilities in the Classroom Students may have visible or invisible (or both). How do you accommodate them? When a disability is invisible, What do you say? How do you accommodate the student? What is a reasonable accommodation? What is unreasonable? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 24
Poverty in the Classroom Financial aid has not arrived No books No supplies No food No home Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 25
Activity - 7 Think about a time that you observed or overheard someone commit a microaggression that you sensed was or could have been offensive or hurtful to others. Turn to the person next to you and share the following: What the microaggression was In what way you felt it was offensive A response strategy you could use in the future if you observed or overheard the same microaggression again Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 26
I am color blind; I dont see skin color. A common and egregious microaggression How does that feel? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 27
Stereotypes Activity 8 Pictures in our heads We ALL carry stereotypes and implicit biases IAT Implicit Association Test Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 28
Stereotype Threat Activity - 9 The fear of proving true the stereotypes about your demographic group. What are the stereotypes about your group that you fear will be applied to you? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 29
Microaggressions Outside the University Microaggressins in the community Students Faculty staff Be aware that some persons consistently experience microaggressions Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 30
Microaggressive Trauma The excessive and continuous exposure to subtle discrimination (both interpersonal and systemic), and the subsequent symptoms that develop or persist as a result. Emotions experienced: anger, sadness, worry, resentment, hopelessness, regret, self-doubt The experience is now considered PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Epigenetics research indicates that this trauma can be passed on to future generations through our DNA Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 31
Responding to Microaggressions Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 32
Possible Responses -1 Denying Experiences I m sure they didn t mean anything by it. We re friends. I know she doesn t think that way. She couldn t have meant that. Impotency of Action It won t do any good to speak up. Saying something won t change the way anyone thinks. It isn t worth the effort. Fear of Consequences If I say something, I might get fired. Others will get upset if I say something. What if my experienced is dismissed? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 33
Possible Responses-2 Attributional Ambiguity Did that just happen? Am I misinterpreting what happened? Was what happened motivated by bias? Response Indecision What should I do? How should I respond? How do I convince others that what I experienced was a microaggression? Time-limited Responding Something happened and now the moment has passed before I could respond. I can t or don t want to deal with this right now Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 34
Strategies for Responding to Microaggressions Paraphrase and Ask for Clarity Make sure what you heard is what they said; ask them to help you understand what they meant. I think what you said was _____________; is that correct? Can you elaborate on what you meant by that? I know you didn t intend this, but when you said ____, I felt ____ because ______. Share Your Own Process and Challenge the Underlying Stereotype It helps others to feel less self-conscious and defensive when you share that you used to think or feel similar things, and it helps them expand their awareness when you offer alternative perspectives. I overheard you make the comment that _______________. I used to think that too, but then I learned _________________. Adapted from Goodman 2011. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 35
Strategies for Responding to Microaggressions Separate Intent from Impact and Express your Feelings Let them know you understand that they didn t mean to be offensive, but explain why their comment made you uncomfortable. I know you didn t intend this, but when you said ______________, I felt ________________ because _________________. Adapted from Goodman 2011. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 36
Express and Promote Empathy Help perpetrators understand the underlying assumptions and impact of what they said. Challenge them to think about how they would feel if someone made a similar assumption about them (the implication that all Muslims are anti-American is hurtful to me because I was born and raised here; this is my home. How would you react if someone assumed that you hated the U.S. and wanted to harm your fellow citizens? Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 37
The Effect of Not Responding to Microaggressions Not speaking up may result in: Feelings of shame or guilt; Rumination of what a person may have said; poor use of time and emotional energy Emotional energy used coping with repeated microaggressions; Physical and Psychological toll. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 38
Activity - 10 What is the microaggression you most experience from others? Practice one or more of the responses to a microaggression Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 39
Acknowledge Your Own Microaggressions Can you help me understand what just happened? Thank you for letting me know how my comment made you feel. No one has every brought this to my attention before. If you re willing to talk more about it, I d like to better understand the ways my comment was problematic so I can learn from this and also help educate others. I m sorry that what I said hurt you. That wasn t my intention, but I will be intentional about trying to avoid hurting others in that way in the future. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 40
Activity 11 Share a microaggression that you committed Acknowledge your microaggression Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 41
Takeaways for Educators and Staff Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 42
Key Points for Educators - 1 Many underrepresented students are less likely to seek support services through Counseling but often find a sense of connection in settings with other underrepresented students, so peer mentoring or multicultural support groups can serve as important resources for students coping with microaggressions Because individuals who commit microaggressions are often unaware that they have done so and of the impact, Educators and staff can host programming/events that incorporate intergroup dialogue as a way to foster social justice attitudes, self-reflection, empathy and understanding Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 43
Key Points for Educators - 2 Be intentional about creating spaces for students to engage in conversations about their experiences of microaggressions to decrease their feelings of being isolated or alone Work with students to help them develop coping strategies for when they encounter microaggressions to help lessen the emotional impact of these experiences Provide positive reinforcement to increase students self- worth and bolster their resiliency Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 44
Key Points for Educators - 3 Remember that microaggressions, including those that are vicariously experienced, can be traumatizing; educators must respond accordingly Understand the impact of microaggressions on students self- esteem and feeling of belonging Research has shown that self-esteem serves as a protective factor for suicide and other psychological disorders, which is particularly important given the increasing prevalence of suicide among various racial and ethnic minority groups Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 45
Activity - 12 Share an activity/program that you will lead/develop to reduce microaggressions in your school. Share an activity/program that you will lead/develop to help heal microaggressions committed against educators and students. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 46
Examples of Microaggressions by Demographic Group Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 47
Microaggressions Against African American Students African American students face microaggressions in many contexts in educational facilities, I their workplaces, where they shop. These microaggressions are often related to stereotypes that they are less intelligent, more aggressive or violent, and/or less hardworking than members of other groups Their advisors often discourage them from taking heavy course loads or from taking challenging classes due to the perception that they won t be able to handle it They are often called on less frequently in classrooms and report feeling ignored by professors Educators have low expectations of them, resulting in harm to their educational development; Their peers are often hesitant to include them in group work, creating the perception that they are seen as less capable or less intelligent Educators, staff, and students maintain assumptions that African American students were admitted on the basis of race or for their ability to play sports Adapted from Sol rzano et al. 2000. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 48
Microaggressions Against African Americans African American students also experience microaggressions related to their under-enrollment on many campuses They are often asked to speak on behalf of their entire race The experience of being the only black student in a class increases the sense of isolation and otherness and makes participating in class or on campus intimidating and more difficult They are sometimes stopped on campus late at night (including by police and campus authorities) and asked what they are doing in academic buildings, reinforcing stereotypes that portray black youth as criminals; Persons may report African Americans to police or other authorities for just being in a location where they are perceived to not belong. Adapted from Sol rzano et al. 2000. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 49
The Impact of Microaggressions Against African American Students These repeated negative interactions impact African American students in a variety of ways: Feelings of self-doubt Feeling like they have to work harder than other students in order to prove themselves Feeling like they have to be guarded when they meet with advisors or Educators in order to defend themselves against discouragement or low expectations Feeling exhausted by the constant scrutiny their actions and performance receive Some African American students drop classes, change their major, or leave to attend a different university in response to these experiences. A common coping strategy for African American students is to seek out counter-spaces at predominantly white institutions (e.g., black student organizations, multicultural centers, peer study groups organized by students of color, etc.) in order to share their experiences and frustrations, feel validated, feel nurtured, and to have their learning fostered in a supportive environment. Adapted from Sol rzano et al. 2000. Yolanda Flores Niemann; Microaggressions Keynote Slides for Arkansas, September 2019 50
