The View From Here

In one of my classes we were asked to take the Implicit Association Test , which is attempting to identify your implicit bias based on the speed of association of words with images. I had taken it years ago when Malcolm Gladwell wrote about it in his bestseller, The Tipping Point . The test that he took and got the most notice about race and the association of black with danger, negativity and so on. Frankly, I wasn't surprised by the results of my preferring White because of my upbringing in a majority White neighborhood and the reinforcement of radicalized notions in media, film, etc. of African Americans in US American society. What was interesting and disconcerting is to hear my classmates (majority White) discuss the test in terms how it didn't seem valid to them and that the results must be about muscle dexterity of their finger. On and on went the rationalizing of how the test can't possibly indicate their bias. It was essentially a collective denial of the realit

Last night in my human development across cultures class, we were asked to do a " multicultural circles identity " activity, which included sharing with one other classmate then with the class as a whole. I've done this myself several times as well as facilitated groups to do this activity. What I like about is that it's always with different groups of people and the ways that I identify myself change depending on where I'm at in that moment. For me, I included "female," "Chinese-American," "Christian/Catholic" and "Auntie." Although I often talk about my racial identity, this time I talked with my partner about my experience as an Auntie which has become more and more important to me. I told her how surprised I was on how much I cared for and loved these girls who were not my own and not even of our family blood as they're adopted. I'm struck by the reality and possibility of what we as humans can do by accepting

In the second summer session, I'm taking two classes - group counseling and human development across cultures. In the second class, the majority of the students are recent college graduates, White and female. This is actually more atypical compared to the classes I've taken thus far so it has been interesting to navigate my age-ism that kicks in. That is, I experience profound frustration when classmates don't speak up. All I can think is. "People, we're in graduate school and we're here to learn from each other. This isn't like an undergraduate classroom where you are fed information and you sit like lumps on a log." Yes, those are my judgmental thoughts and they bum me out. I don't like thinking this way but there you go. Then I was reminded that my classmates closer to my age do the same so I guess it isn't age-specific. Of course I also realize that talking about diversity is generally difficult for those who are in the majority. However,

Oh wow, the professor for my group counseling said "oppression" and "microagressions" in one sentence. These words were directed to educate the class about the necessity and value for groups that may be based on race or ethnicity because of the past and present experience of racial oppression and microagressions. What is remarkable is that she as a White straight woman said it with such ease and no hesitation. SHE. GETS. IT. Through her words and attitude, she fully embodied what it meant to be an ally for those of us are in the numerical minority and marginalized due to identity, status and/or circumstances. My sense of her is that she spent time and effort to self-educate, to experience and to make connections with people of many backgrounds to inform her understanding and increase her empathy. Also, I can imagine that her experiences as an older woman in our sexist (still!) and youth-obsessed society contributes to her ability to advocate and come along side

So, here I am having had taken six classes for my counseling graduate program and have yet to have one faculty of color or adjunct faculty member as an instructor. Then it finally happened..the instructor for my Human Development Across Cultures class is a woman of color. I confess that it felt odd and wonderful to have someone who was not White teaching a class. In fact I was almost gleeful. It's hard to explain how much it matters for me to have people, particularly those in authority and influence, around me who reflect my identity and/or experience. In fact, research tells us time and again that this kind of representation and connection increases students' interest, self-efficacy and ultimate success. Based on the fact that she was teaching the class I made the presumption that she will address  diversity in all its form as well as the realities of power, position and privilege. I was not disappointed as she started with the TED talk about the "danger of a single st