Dismantling Microaggressions Through the Power of Connection | Toya Webb | TEDxRushU

[zilphiamartinlll]

I am presenting this video to a faith based organization seeking to become a welcoming congregation. Dr. Toya Webb will surely open the door wide on racial microaggressions.

[nicholehobson]

This is an internal expose of the reality of people who look like me. I love this. I'm here for it.

[resalebae]

Well said Dr. Toya!
There are so many lessons in your message for all. This is a good piece to watch, take notes, and discuss bit-by-bit with our children.

[adoptioniscoolakaandyspeak]

This message was very informative. I love it. Thank you.

[Beevi.Leclosion]

Thank you for this interesting video, it helps divide the types of microaggressions. As a multicultural individual, I get microaggressions on different things. People pick on their choosing like it was a special buffet. Some will mock my curly hair and call it messy, others think it's okay to insult my German origins because it's not African, as if racism had boundaries

[syneetrawilliams]

Greetings, Dr. Webb. Thank you for your erudite, eloquent, and knowledgeable presentation on microaggression. I learned so much. You inspired me to write a speech for my Toastmasters meeting. Moreover, I plan to have this discussion with my English class. I'm convinced that my students will have a great deal to say about microaggression. Again, thank you.

[soniashaversjenkinscoaching]

Thank you for this message. There is so much truth in your words.

[Gandoff]

I had that happen to me when I was in the store. I had to tell them " I do not work here". Sometimes we make assumptions about why people do what they do. It is human nature. It is better to put shingles on a roof than to try to modify the weather. Thank you for this video.

[karlasotelo]

I am a American of Mexican decent. I have lived a lifetime of this.

[sephardicshqiptar]

Well put Dr. Webb. With today's domestic and international struggles and conflicts, microaggressions have become common parlance. For example, yesterday in the Youtube comments left about Modi's government and who it benefits in India I came across a reference to the "puncture community." Many people left laughing emojis as their reply. This term, it turns out, refers to Muslims. Thank you for this presentation, I wish that I could share it with some people I have encountered lately without it being felt like an attack on their opinions and world views. How do we bridge that defensive divide?

[ThatsSoRaechel]

The idea of microinvalidations is new to me but I experience those a LOT in my line of work.

[DarthSidious]

'the encounter'... Brave. I can see your public speaking course paying dividends though. That cadence, the pacing, the uniform hand movements. The pearls. Macro analysis. Macro victimhood.

[jiliff]

Dr Webb referred to systems of oppression throughout this talk.
I kept waiting to learn more about these systems. What I heard instead is more individual racial bias (intentional and unintentional).
That is different than systems.

The distinction is important because it leads to different moves to redress the problem.
With the systems thinking, you go down the wrong road of sowing seeds of institutional cynicism and tearing down unrelated systems that made us successful (capitalism, etc).
Thoughts?

[ashome]

It’s true that it is rude and presumptuous to assume someone works somewhere just by their phenotype. I wonder if the presenter would have been offended if someone asked her first if she worked at the store in question.

[AdrienLegendre]

What bothers me is "racialization, " routine introduction of race in contexts unrelated to racial discrimination. This creates an opportunity to project racial stereotypes in routine matters. I am also bothered by the deeply held belief of many that distinct races represent biologically distinct humans; a 19th century invalid view that prevails among many in the 21st century.

[devonk]

The last "ism" that must be acknowledged is Specieism. The Thinking that it is ok to eat one animal and keep another as a pet. It is no different from keeping people oppressed because of what was once socially acceptable. Just because it has always been done doesn't make it right.

[truthbetold]

Except, I have been in retail stories where people of all races and genders asked me to help them.

[brianmeen]

“That some people would just me first, based on what they see”

Umm yes this is very typical of humans. It’s an evolutionary trait that has helped us survive in the past and now. Of course I will judge someone different based on looks and their mannerisms. For instance, if I’m walking by a nicely dressed woman that smiles and smell pleasant, I will smile back and won’t be on guard. If it’s a big guy(doesn’t matter the race)with wildly combed hair, a frown on his face, and very unevenly matched clothing I will be on guard .. this is natural behavior

[slwh]

Is farting a microaggression? Probably depends on the size of the fart. A little squeaker might be a microaggression. But a big thunder boomer would be a macroaggression.

[a_diamond]

The "Just so you know, I'm a customer" is probably what you should have said in the first place, rather than asking her if she expected you to take the clothes to a fitting room. To her, it could have logically been seen as a confirmation that "yes, you are an employee looking to assist her as a customer".. so she nodded and said "yes". She thought you were an employee. It's that simple.

Basically your "example" comes across as an example of someone not paying attention, honestly mistaking you for an employee and nothing more than that.

She didn't judge you by your looks, because it seems she didn't really look at you at all. She was most likely far too distracted, and trying to get her shopping done and mistook you for an employee.

Something that has happened to most of us from time to time, and usually isn't actually related to any "ism"..

*This" is the prime example you held on to for ages as an example of "micro aggression" and "racism" and "sexism"?
Really!?

It would have been different if she actually *knew* you didn't work there then treated you this way.. but as an apparent honest mistake, this seems a little blown out of proportion to me.