Empowering Through Microaffirmations: Combatting Microaggressions for Progress

1. “Practicing Microaffirmations to Influence Progress” Carmen Huerta-Bapat Ph.D. Carolina Firsts Program Director

2. Agenda • Micromessages: Microaggressions & Microaffirmations • How to combat Microaggressions? • Key Findings from Study at R1 University • Approaches when Implementing Microaffirmations • Microaffirmations in Action • Scenarios

3. Micromessaging • Verbal and nonverbal messages conveyed through tone of voice, word choice, and body language (Young, 2007) • Occur throughout the day and affect how people interact (Holder-Winfield, 2010; Rowe, 2008; Young, 2007) • 40-100 micromessages occur between two people in a typical 10-minute conversation (Young, 2007) • Message can be positive and negative

4. Microaggressions or Aversive Racism • “Behavioral manifestations of implicit racial biases.” (Dovidio, Pearson, Penner 2019) • “Implicit Bias is extremely widespread even among those who reflectively endorse egalitarian ideas” (De Houwer, Teige-Mocigemba, Spruyt & Moors, 2009) • Implicit Association Test (Associations between social categories and features: Woman;Caring) • Driven by False Assumptions such as: • The myth of Meritocracy • Alien in your own Land • Criminality Assumption • Color Blindness • Pathologizing Cultural Values • Ascription of Intelligence • Second Class Citizen (Bryant-Davis 2019; Nadal et. al 2014)

5. How are they Manifested? • “Derogatory slights or insults directed at a target person or persons who are members of an oppressed group.” ( D.E. Sue, Capodilupo et al, 2007) • Intentional or unintentional. • They are continual in nature, never ending and cumulative.

6. What is their Impact? • Have been linked to feelings of invisibility, isolation and self-doubt. • Have a harmful or unpleasant psychological influence. (Nadal, 2011;D.W. Sue 2010) • Inverse Relationship between self-esteem and feeling discriminated (Nadal, Wong, Griffin, Davidoff & Sriken 2014) • Disrupt a students’ ability to concentrate and participate in class discussions.

7. How are Microaggressions different from Hate Crimes? • “Hate crimes are criminal acts with the intent to cause harm (often physical) towards people from marginalized groups.” • Most people who commit microaggressions would publicly condemn a hate crime. • Hate crimes require legal intervention while an educational approach is more likely needed in a microaggression.

8. Microaffirmations Small acts, public and private, fostering: Inclusion Listening Comfort Support for people who may feel unwelcome or invisible in an environment (Rowe, 2008; Powell, Demetriou & Fisher, 2013)

9. Microaffirmations They have positive impacts on the lives of People of Color by: • Affirming, Recognizing, Validating and/or Protecting their Identities, Social Positionality and Experiences • Promoting their success

10. How to combat microaggressions? A. Interpersonally: understand your own biases and identify some of its manifestations in specific microaggressions (Torino et. al 2019) B. As an ally can you use your privilege to intervene when you observe a microaggression in action. (Torino et. al 2019) • The more we do A & B, the more likely we will be able to disrupt their cycle and create an institutional shift.

11. Micromessages at a College Campus: 296 Respondents • 68% female • 32% male

12. How are Microaggressions Manifested at a College Campus? Microinsult: Subtle communications demeaning a member of any marginalized group--> negative statements made about an individual’s heritage/ identity/religion/ability/sexual orientation. (You are a Professor comment) Microinvalidation: Communications that nullify or diminish the experience, thoughts, or feelings of person from a marginalized group assumptions made/not acknowledging differences. (I don’t see color example) Microassault: Explicit, intentional communication conveyed in a small ("micro") or private setting and meant to blatantly hurt an individual belonging to a marginalized group; such communications are most likely conscious and deliberate. (Old-Fashion Racism)

13. Microinsults Negative Statements Demeaning an individual's heritage/identity • “…You need to make a back up plan because you won’t succeed with the medical field due to where you came from.” • “…during an appointment [he] made me feel unrealistic, and non-capable to study science because I was struggling. Then, he suggested I should major in Spanish. (I already speak Spanish) I didn’t confront his comments because I felt hurt.” • “In my journalism class, we had to write a profile on ourselves and my professors implied that I am achieving something that my parents didn’t have the tenacity to achieve. I corrected him by saying that my parents are successful and my father is a high ranked veteran.” • “Often people comment about how brave, smart is that I am first generation college student…To a non- first generation college student it may sound like a good comment, but it is often said in a patronizing tone as if they feel sorry for us. Often the comments are followed by the second most common comment, “You speak English so well. You don’t even have an accent.” • “I often feel that people don’t take me as seriously as they would if I came from a wealthier or more educated family.”

14. Microinvalidations Wrong assumptions about educational, familial and financial circumstances • “…there are often assumed questions asked in dialogue to start conversations that may be uncomfortable for me to respond to. For example, “where did your parents go to college?” or “are your parents University alumni too.” • “Most people including faculty and staff make assumptions that everyone has had the same level of privilege growing up—which isn’t true at all.” • “A lot of times my friends will say things like -it was different back when our parents were in college because… without realizing that nothing she is about to say applies to me.” Unwelcoming campus culture • …”I was completely clueless….I struggled and felt completely alone…few professors and faculty reached out to me. “

15. Microassaults Communications that convey that FGCS are less intelligent or deserving than their peers • “…I was told that the only reason I got into Carolina is because I am a first generation Hispanic” • …”There have been several times I have been called white trash simply because I live in a rural part of North Carolina. I have also been looked down upon by teacher’s assistants and students because I have a different accent than most people in the triangle area.” • …One time I was at a party where a group of people jokingly talked about how they played a game called “College or no college”, implying that they judge people they see on the streets as whether or not they went to college or not. It was very insulting and elitist”.

16. Microaffirmations Microcompliment: Subtle communication implying praise, admiration, or respect; very likely verbal Microsupport: Explicit, intentional communication providingfeedback, scaffolding or resourcesto support individuals who may feel unwelcome or invisible in an environment Microvalidation:Communication expressing appreciation or empathy regarding the experiences, thoughts, or feelings of an individual who may feel unwelcome or invisible

17. Microcompliment Admiration from peers, family members, faculty and staff “I met my boyfriend this school year here at Carolina. When I met his mom she confided in me that she was also a FGCS and that she felt it was admirable how I followed my dream to get into one of the best schools in the country.” Convey a sense of inclusion and belonging ”One time I was having lunch with a friend who is not a first-generation student and I mentioned that I was a Covenant Scholar and a first-generation student. She said she was glad that programs like the Carolina Covenant existed to make it possible for people who work hard and deserve to go to college but may not have the means to do so or attend…” “My [professor] was the first person…that made my feel welcome. I went to her office hours and…because I wrote down on a note card that I was a FGCS, she said something along the lines of welcome to the university. We are glad to have you here.”

18. Microcompliment Clear interest and praise • ”Just this past week I wore my [first generation college student organization t-shirt] and my boss noticed it and told me something along the lines of “hey nice t-shirt” in a genuine way.

19. Microvalidation Sincere understanding of their unique experience • “When walking from campus…my friend and I were talking about who was coming to support us at graduation. I told her my parents were not coming because they were not supportive of me going to college to get my degree (mainly because I am older and they thought it was silly to go back to school this late in life). Rachel responded by telling me that she was really proud of me for sticking with college and not giving up and that it was a huge achievement.”

20. Microsupport Supportive Mechanisms • “There is a professor here who is very supportive in what I am involved with or the project I am working on. She has supported me in any way she could; at one point during my fall semester, I went to her when I was going through depression. I was able to talk to her about what I was going through and I know without her I would not be where I am today. She really helped me through those hard times and I thank her for saving my life and giving me strength and support like no other during those times”

21. Broad Concepts to Guide our Implementation of Microaffirmations • Build Relational Trust: An Understanding of Expectations, Obligations and Roles (Bryk and Schneider 2002) • Act as an Institutional Agent vs. Gatekeeping Agent (Stanton Salazar 2011)

22. Microaffirmations in Action Affirm Students presence by inviting, welcoming, asking them to attend office hours, Set up a Meeting…. Share information with students in a non-patronizing manner where students don’t feel that they are being rescued. This allows for the interaction to be bidirectional  and mutually beneficial Identify Unique Assets: Perseverance, Problem solving skills, Creativity Discuss and Validate previous ability to overcome challenges Normalize Help Seeking Behaviors

23. Microaffirmations in Action Avoid framing programs as Interventions Utilize a more curated communication approach with students providing targeted emails relevant to their experiences Share your personal stories Cease to glorify a linear trajectory of Success Use culturally relevant examples and contextualize experiences Participate in Academic Progress Reports

24. Microaffirmations in Action Visually Demonstrate your Support Bring people of diverse experiences to the table Identify your Own Biases Refrain from Being a Passive Bystander

25. Scenarios • A. You are having lunch with some of your colleagues. Colleague A is also your direct supervisor. She starts discussing how important it is to support FGCS at the University. You are personally committed to supporting FGCS and agree completely with her initial statement. However, she continues the conversation and states that it is really sad how FGCS do not have access to health care and proceeds by providing a very elaborate example of her son’s girlfriend, who he met during his first year in college. She says that it is sad that her son’s girlfriend never went to a dentist growing up. She also adds that the girlfriend used to live in a trailer and her parents might have even been illegal aliens. • B. An Asian male professor has organized a panel and has brought a group of scholars to the meeting. After the panel, this professor is thanking the panelists for their participation. A while male in his late 50’s approaches the organizer and asks what his role is in the event. He proceeds to tell him that he is the organizer of the event and a professor in the Linguistics Department. The male looks at him very puzzled and abruptly tells him that he does not look like a professor.

26. Scenarios • C. Scenario: Three people from your office, including you, are having a conversation at a social event. All of you are colleagues and share a similar position. All of the sudden, the Provost walks up to you and partakes in your conversation. A fourth person tries to join the conversation. You don’t know much about this person other than he works as an Academic advisor and is of Latino descent. The Provost looks at him and kindly asks him to please bring him another cocktail.

27. Impact on Thriving • Encourage student to Thrive and to have a meaningful college experience • To Thrive= being adept at understanding and acting on your environment (Eccles and Gootman, 2002 ; Hamilton, Hamilton, & Pittman 2004) • When you Thrive you are more likely to have a sense of belonging which will encourage you to keep engaging. • Increasing a student’s ability to thrive positively influences persistence, retention rates, graduation rates and overall student satisfaction. (Demetriou & Schmitz-Sciborski, 2011)

28. Microsupports • Be an institutional agent vs a gate keeping agent ( Stanton Salazar 2011) • Engage in relational trust- reciprocal understanding of expectations, roles and obligations with students. Not only are you understanding that it happens to student but you are improving your reaction and response time. You see it and you react fast.

29. Some Questions 3) What can you do in your current role to reflect on your micromessaging? 4) What can you do in your current role to communicate microaffirmations? 5) How can you be more proactive in your approach when observing a microaggression?

30. References Bundick, M. J., Yeager, D. S., King, P. E., & Damon, W. (2010). Thriving across the life span. In R. M. Lerner, M. E. Lamb, & A. M. Freund (Eds.), The handbook of life-span development (pp. 882-923). John Wiley. Ellis, J. M., Powell, C. S., Demetriou, C. D., Huerta-Bapat, C., & Panter, A.T. (In Press). The lived experiences of first-generation college students’ microaggressions and microaffirmations at a predominately white research university. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.  Holder-Winfield, N. (2010). Century discrimination: Microinequities. Insight into Diversity, 21, 30-31. Powell, C., Demetriou, C., & Fisher, A. (2013, October). Micro-affirmations in academic advising: Small acts, big impact. The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal (www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/). Rowe, M. (2008). Micro-affirmations & Micro-inequities. Journal Of The International Ombudsman Association, 1(1), 45-48. Scully, M., & Rowe, M. (2009). Bystander Training within Organizations. Journal of The International Ombudsman Association, 2(1), 89-95. Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C. M., Torino, G. C., Bucceri, J. M., Holder, A. M. B., Nadal, K. L., & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice. American Psychologist, 62(4), 271-286. Young, S. (2003). Micro-inequities: The power of small. Workforce Diversity Reader, 1, 88-95. Young, S. (2007). Micromessaging: Why great leadership is beyond words. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.