Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

The whole nation is aware of what happened to Trayvon Martin. Regardless of the verdict, I believe that it is well agreed upon that there were micoaggressions present in that situation. There were several stereotypes recognized by George Zimmerman that resulted in the fatality of this young man. Trayvon was stereotyped by his appearance, race, and clothing. While this is still a very sensitive subject for some, I will move forward in my context of micro aggression. I must admit that I feel a certain type of way. Reflecting on my own personal life, I have a nine year old son maturing in this day and age. As research suggests, by the time a black male reaches the 4^th grade, there is already a jail cell waiting for him. Luckily, my son was promoted from the 3^rd to the 5^th grade! But this is not to say that he does not fall under this jurisdiction. I remember hearing as a child that being born black and male is already two strikes against you. This is a major micro aggression for African American males. This predetermined prediction lessens the likelihood of them becoming successful adults considering the ‘odds’ that are already against them. I refuse to raise my son with a sense of hopelessness. He will not be a statistic in a society that utilizes micro aggressions as the norm.

 I remember when President Barak Obama ran for his first term for candidacy. There was much controversy concerning his ethnicity rather than his abilities and capacity to run this country. In my opinion, it is unfortunate that as one nation we still are unable to grow beyond the lines of micro aggressions.

My perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes of people has made me cautious and conscious of the society that we live in. While we have come a long way from the isms that once ran our nation, we still have a long way to go.