Microaggressions small actions that are a big deal

Microaggressions small actions that are a big deal Molly Higgins, Stony Brook University Charlotte Roh, University of Massachusetts Amherst

In today’s talk: 1. What is a microaggression? 2. Do we see microaggressions in libraries? 3. How can we use the framework of microaggressions to address racial inequality? 2

What is a microaggression?

What is a microaggression? “Racial microaggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color. ” - Sue, 2007, p 271 4

They make me feel like this… 5

. . . and sometimes this. 6

Taxonomy of Racial Microaggressions Sue et al. (2007) Microinsult Microassault Microinvalidation Environmental Microaggressions Ascription of intelligence Alien in own land Second class citizen Color blindness Pathologizing cultural values/communication styles Myth of meritocracy Assumption of criminal status Denial of individual racism 7

Do we see microaggressions in libraries?

Patrons experience them. . . Patrons Librarians Systems Students of color ranked libraries in top ten of campus locations where they felt uncomfortable because of their race. Harwood, S. A. , Choi, S. , Orozco, M. , Browne Huntt, M. , & Mendenhall, R. (2015) 9

Librarians experience them. . . Patrons Students of color ranked libraries in top ten of campus locations where they felt uncomfortable because of their race. Harwood, S. A. , Choi, S. , Orozco, M. , Browne Huntt, M. , & Mendenhall, R. (2015) Librarians Systems Nationally, librarians are 89% white but. . . Academic librarians of color report experiencing microaggressions at higher rates than their white colleagues reporting observing microaggressions. ALA Office of Statistics and Alabi, Jaena. (2015) 10

They are built into our library systems (environmental microaggressions). . . Patrons Students of color ranked libraries in top ten of campus locations where they felt uncomfortable because of their race. Harwood, S. A. , Choi, S. , Orozco, M. , Browne Huntt, M. , & Mendenhall, R. (2015) Librarians Nationally, librarians are 89% white but. . . Academic librarians of color report experiencing microaggressions at higher rates than their white colleagues reporting observing microaggressions. Systems ALA Office of Statistics and Alabi, Jaena. (2015) lismicroaggressions. tumblr. com/ 11

How can we use microaggressions to address racial inequality?

A bad idea. . . 13

Another Bad Idea Another bad idea. . . 14

Good Ideas! - Address the microaggression, not the person - Address the impact, but respect the intent - Find allies who can relate to your experiences and support you - Support those who experience microaggressions by speaking up, offering encouragement, and listening 15

Interaction Time! 1) “You are so articulate!” 2) I’m assigned to every search committee because I’m the only Latina librarian. 3) “Can I touch your hair? ” 4) I see a patron ignored at a library counter as attention is given to someone else. 5) I am deaf and was told not to speak so loudly. I can’t hear myself so I don’t know my volume. 16

Training in the Workplace The Southern Poverty Law Center has some useful toolkits and publications. We recommend Speak Up! Responding to Everyday Bigotry because it is structured around real stories. Free download at http: //bit. ly/1 AKdfd. M 17

References Alabi, Jaena. 2015. “Racial Microaggressions in Academic Libraries: Results of a Survey or Minority and Non-minority Librarians. ” The Journal of Academic Librarianship. 41, 47 -53 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Median weekly earnings, 2004– 2014 on the Internet at http: //www. bls. gov/opub/ted/2014/ted_20140423. htm (visited June 01, 2015). Harwood, S. A. , Choi, S. , Orozco, M. , Browne Huntt, M. , & Mendenhall, R. (2015). Racial microaggressions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Voices of students of color in the classroom. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Microaggressions in Librarianship. http: //lismicroaggressions. tumblr. com/ (visited June 02, 2015). Southern Poverty Law Center. (2012). Speak Up! Responding to Everyday Bigotry. on the Internet at www. splc. org (visited June 01, 2015). Sue, D. , Capodilupo, C. , Torino, G. , Bucceri, J. , Holder, A. , Nadal, K. , & Esquilin, M. (2007). “Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice. ” American Psychologist. 62(4), 271 -286 18

Learn More! Contact us… Molly Higgins: m. higgins@stonybrook. edu @mollygoggles Charlotte Roh: charlotteroh@library. umass. edu @charlotterock Read up… http: //bit. ly/1 Fqo 2 W 6 takes you to a copy of these slides Thanks to Isabel Espinal for help with this presentation. 19