BRATTLEBORO — Southern Vermont Undoing Racism (SVUR) will be hosting a workshop, “Microaggression: Sticks and Stones Will Break Your Bones, But Words Will Never Hurt You?” on Saturday, April 14, from 1-4:30 p.m., in the Community Room of Brattleboro Savings & Loan, 221 Main Street.
The workshop is part of an ongoing series of community education events around ending racism.
Identifying and stopping racial microaggressions isn't about being the language police or being “politically correct;” it's about understanding how our own and other's conscious or unconscious racist idioms, comments and reactions are embedded in a history of racist beliefs, policies, laws, and actions that very much impact the way our society is structured today, and the way we feel about ourselves and others.
Derald Wing Sue, Ph.D., describes a “racial microaggression” as one of the “everyday insults, indignities and demeaning messages sent to people of color by well-intentioned white people who are unaware of the hidden messages being sent to them.”
In her article, “Unmasking 'Racial Micro Aggressions,'” Tori DeAngelis offers examples of racial micro aggressions – for example, “white people often ask Asian-Americans where they were born, conveying the message that they are perpetual foreigners in their own land.”
Microaggressions can even be what the speaker considers a compliment (“Oh, but I never think of you as black!” or “We use a Native American as a mascot to honor Native Americans.”) While something like this might be said or done with “good intentions,” there is an underlying bias that motivates the comment and/or it is still upholding racism. Because the intention is “good,” it is hard for white people to notice this.
In the workshop on the 14th, participants will learn about microaggression and understand their impact. The workshop is open to all people. The venue is wheelchair accessible.
SVUR is a multi-racial group of people from the Brattleboro area working to develop an understanding of racism so it can be ended. Those interested in attending the training, or supporting it with other support like monetary donations, volunteering, or other resources, should contact svundoingracism@gmail.com or 802-579-1314.