Got microaggressions?
I just saw this a few moments ago, and I had to pass it along. It was shared by Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian facebook community member Saman Waquad.
Video Description: “We are People of Color. We didn’t choose to be, but we love our cultures. Because of our skin, we have added struggles. In our safe spaces, we have every right to feel welcomed and not tokenized, harassed or ignored. We ask for you to listen to us when we speak about racism because we are being effected by it daily. This video is a compilation of things actually said to POC involved in activism and social justice. We want to be heard. Listen to Us”
A Video: Things White Activists Say to Activists of Color
https://twitter.com/#!/MoralesWilliams/status/165996475665481728
What stood out most to me about this video, is the fact that the comments, many of which minimized the impact of race & ethnicity were made by other activists; people who would claim to work for social justice.
Watching the video reminded me of the importance of continual self analysis and reflection. It also reminded me of the saying: “he who fights with monsters should take care lest he thereby become a monster himself.”
As I said in one of my previous posts, while focusing on the eliminating the systemic injustices perpetrated by “others” in society, it is also equally important (possibly even more important) to continue to change oppressive thoughts and behaviors that may be present in ourselves.
We are all implicated somehow in the web of privilege and oppression. I think that through continuous self-reflection, we can strive to find ways to use the parts of ourselves that are privileged, so that we can use those parts of to be better allies to those who are oppressed.
Although this is a lifelong process, it is important that we take great care and invest consistent time and effort into critically examining ourselves to ensure that we will not be doing more of the hurting in our “helping” positions.
What do you think?
Wishing you Grace & Peace,
From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins, MSW
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Great video.
the quote “We didn’t choose to be, but we love our cultures. Because of our skin…” is troublesome for me.
We LOVE our color/race…it is what the creator gave to us.
I want to put the emphasis on the correct entity… it is not :because of our skin…”
IT IS BECAUSE OTHERS DO NOT LIKE WHAT THE CREATOR GAVE TO US.
IT IS NOT US OR OUR SKIN….
IT IS THEM AND THEIR HATRED OF WHAT WE ARE GIVEN BY GOD!
We have all had it twisted!!!!
Yes, we are affected and effected by racism.
I am working hard on the words/ language i choose to use.
Words make minds.
Thanks for taking the time out to read and comment on this note Zee. You said that “we have all had it twisted” and it’s true that we have all been taught misinformation about ourselves.
In thinking about this misinformation, your comment reminded me about one of the guidelines I use in dialogue which says:
“We acknowledge that one of the meanings of racism is that we have been systematically taught misinformation about our own group and especially members of devalued groups (this is true for both dominant and dominated group members). The same is true about sexism and other forms of prejudice—we are taught misinformation about ourselves and others.”
Here’s a link to a more detailed list. I hope you find them useful. I sure do. http://wp.me/p1ti5x-LL
When I think about the fact that we are all taught misinformation about each other in some shape or form, I’m able to check myself on thinking in terms of “us vs them” because being honest about the fact that I at times have bought into, or may still buy into some of the misinformation I have learned helps me to see that my hands aren’t entirely clean either.
I can claim that I am striving to work towards a more socially just society all day long, but going around pointing fingers without acknowledging ways that I contribute to the chaos implies a level of blamelessness that in reality does not exist.
I think pursuing increased self-awareness through continual reflection can keep us honest, and help minimize the instances in which we become a part of the very things we strive so hard to work against.
This is an excellent, though provoking piece. I was, I must admit, depressed by the video describing what white activists say to people of colour. That a young person in the 21st century still hears all that dismays me deeply. There is so far still to travel.
The video and your comments evoked memories for me of Racism Awareness Training in the 1980’s. I participated in the training in the UK as a social work student, and found it epiphanic. It was admittedly highly challenging and at times confontative – it had to be, I would say – but constructively so.
Readers may already be aware, but it was a model where the training was held over three days. On days one and two, black and white students worked in separate groups – in the group for black students on experiences of racism and response and support strategies, in the white student group on the meanings and experiences of individual and institutional racism, and how that manifested in our beliefs and attitudes, and how to challenge that in ourselves. On the third day we came back together to share our conclusions and to discuss how we could all in many different ways challenge, confront, and ultimately negate racism.
I would describe it as one of the most important sessions I attended during my social work training, both professionally and personally.
Tragically, in my view, that form of Racism Awareness Training was gone almost as soon as it arrived. It was apparently deemed (I’m not sure by who?) far too challenging and confrontative, and was characterised (again, I’m not sure by who?) as simply an excuse for ‘dumping’ enormous amounts of ‘guilt’ onto white participants, leading it was said to either emotional breakdowns or even physical fights during the training. How true or merely apocryphal any of that was, I cannot say. I can only observe that my experience – and my student colleagues’ experience in so far as I could tell – was that ‘dumping’ guilt on the white participants was in no way the point, the purpose, or the effect.
Whatever the real reasons for its sudden demise, I greatly regret that it was not maintained as the default form of racism awareness training on social work courses.
At around the same timef, I saw a TV programme which dealt with racism in the police. At one point, a senior officer gives a speech on what the police are doing to confront racism. A young recruit says to him, ‘So are you saying you are not racist?’ To which he replies, ‘How can I say that. I’m white.’ And that was precisely the point of the RAT training for white participants. If there was a single message to take from the training, it was the one you have reinforced in your piece: self-reflection. I do so agree, and I have tried to maintain that ongoing journey of self-reflection ever since. For I have to continually self-reflect, there is no choice, because I am white with everything that means, whether I like it or not.
Wow thank you for your comment Nick!
Your words, specifically the last few words of your response remind me of a quote that I love which says:
“Because oppression is seen as systemic, we tend to absolve ourselves of blame, but unless someone chooses to identify themselves with institutions and systems, the act of honest confession will never take place”
There are parts of ourselves that are privileged and we sometimes receive unearned benefits at the expense of others. Once we are able to admit this, (if we don’t allow ourselves to succumb to our own resistance), we can be able to figure out how to use ourselves as allies.
I think your words “I have to continually self-reflect, there is no choice, because I am white with everything that means, whether I like it or not” is a great example of honest confession. This is true for race and other social identities as well, but once we realize our privilege, how we use ourselves afterwards is what really matters.
For example, I can’t escape the fact that I’m a male and men have oppressed and still oppress women, but I can do the best I can to make sure I don’t add to it. The same goes for other areas where I am privileged and others are not. Working to do so is a lifelong process.
Thanks for stopping by Nick!
Wow what an interesting piece, I found myself looking to exonerate myself by thinking I don’t say that, I don’t say that, comparing myself to the young white social workers/students I encountered in grad school. And some still in field. But there were some phrases that I’m sure I have used as well but maybe not some of the cringe-worthy ones. But they were still uttered by me.
Anyway I think that a true aspect of this that needs to be acknowledged and looked at ( or maybe to assauge my own guilt) is that no matter how offensive. minimizing, insert____ negative adjective here; the people uttering these sayings were(are) trying to help their fellow human being. At least I hope that is their inner motivation. I know thats what I aspire too. But like many of us I am not perfect and I am making progress. (Progress not Perfection)
This video made me think of a class on biculturalism I took while getting my MSW. Most of the students could be described as being of people of color ( after this video I don’t know exactly to describe them without being offensive or perpetuating an unstated obstacle) There were 2 young caucasion ladies from what can be described as middle america in the class. These 2 young ladies were viewed by the rest of class with disdain somewhat. The general feeling of the class was how could in this day and age could people at a prestigious school not know simple things Like ” Hola” or “como estas”. We found their questions so ignorant and condescending that we were visibly agitated. I must confess that I was angry as well and might voiced privately that OMG these stupid white girls who want help the unfortunate ones in an affected voice as to what I believe that privellege white society people sound like.
Anyway the point I’m trying to make here, is that, hey these people no matter their motivations or background were trying to better themselves to help their fellow humans. Although they were deemed by me and others as less than wortthy for their percieved ignorance of other cultures. The fact remains that they were./are trying as I am. As the video demonstrates we all are guilty at times of perhaps perpetuating systematic norms.
So I think the opportunity to be self-reflective and teach ourselves & others ( not shame) is critical. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow.
There’s much truth in what you said Gregorio,
I really appreciated your honesty in speaking about how you initially tried to exonerate yourself. I think we all have had times like that where we’ve tried to distance ourselves and convince ourselves into thinking that “I’d never do that”, or “I’d never think that way”, but it sounds like from reading your story here that you were able to see some times where you might have made some comments that were harmful. May we all continue to work towards combining honesty with action.
I agree that creating opportunities to be self-reflective and teach ourselves and others without shaming is critical.
In considering this, and the comment I made earlier about the fact that we have all been taught misinformation about ourselves and others. However, I also think that while we shouldn’t blame others for the misinformation we learned, we have an obligation to hold each other responsible for repeating misinformation once we’ve learned otherwise.
Another guideline I try to remember when engaging in dialogue says “We will let each other sit with their own discomforts, allow them to be uncomfortable, and not “rescue” them.” It can be a fine line to walk, and I do think that it’s important to forgive ourselves and know that we will make mistakes, but I think a part of holding ourselves responsible is allowing ourselves to be uncomfortable.
Sometimes I think in order for us to change, we need to be uncomfortable. We need to be able to feel the impact of how our actions impact others. If you have some time, check out this post I wrote about a time when my own actions (or inactions in this case) were harmful and I was not rescued. Here’s the link: http://wp.me/p1ti5x-b3
Great post, thanks for it and I will definitely be sharing it. I think you might like my blog, Rhymes and Reasons. It is a series of interviews with hip-hop heads who discuss their lives in the context of a few songs that matter to them. The interviews tend to focus on questions of justice like racism, sexism, sexual violence, white privilege, etc. I hope you enjoy it.
http://thisisrhymesandreasons.wordpress.com/
Thanks. I’ll check it out.