Microagressions plays a big role in our lives. It refers to our daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental communications intentionally or unintentionally to in a way transmit negative messages against a group of people because of their skin color or even their gender. As a Hispanic/Latina I have been experienced discrimination and prejudice. I remember one time going to Manhattan into the Michael Kors store and there was another white lady with her daughters who came in after me and my sister in law but the sales lady would only be following me and my sister in law. She welcomed the other ladies but only kept an eye on us as if we were going to steal, which pissed me off because she made it seem as if I didn’t have the money to buy expensive things and the white women were free to look around and touch anything without being followed around.
Being a woman is not easy either. You are easily judged based on how you look dress and what you really are capable of. For example I remember in the summer girls myself included being called hoes because of the way they dressed and it made me so angry because they were being called names just for wearing dresses or shorts and I thought to myself, what are we supposed to wear in such hot days? are we supposed wear sweaters and sweats in order to please men, and not be called names?. I remember being told by a customer where I worked at, “why is such a beautiful girl like you working, don’t you have a boyfriend? situations like these are always uncomfortable why do women have to have a man on their side to be financially stable and be someone. I love to work and get my own money and be successful and my boyfriend is very supportive of it unlike other men with different views.
I personally don’t feel like I have any privileges, being from immigrant parents. It was never easy but my mom always made it happen, always worked hard to give my siblings and I a better life, and I love and appreciate this about immigrant parents and all parents because they come into a new country without anything but always make it work. One thing I can do to help other is that during protest for George Floyd white people were able to help because they would be hurt etc and the way I can help is also by taking part of it since many immigrants were also in the protest at risk of being detained and be affected while me being a U.S citizen can protest without having those consequences such s being deported.
