The second discussion of the get educated discussion series was held on the 21st of June, 2020. The podcast “Racism at Work Podcast Episode 1: Micro-incivilities - their impact on individuals and their wellbeing” by Bina Kandola OBE was the piece for discussion. The podcast highlighted micro-incivilities and how they are often unrealized by the perpetrators and emphasized on several topics towards thought-provoking discussions in organizations.
The session started with attendees sharing their personal experiences with microaggressions and how this podcast and discussion have helped them become better prepared to address similar situations in the future. The paper-cut analogy from the podcast was especially appreciated and understood. The thought that an act of microaggression is just like a paper cut, which doesn’t hurt initially but develops into pain gradually, provided a new perspective to understand microaggression, which also is unrealized at first but upon deeper introspection shows us a perspective which could be, and most of the times is, hurtful towards others. Additionally, the concept of ‘ethnic paranoia’ was also talked about in detail, as this term captured a multitude of emotions associated with ethnic identities.
The group further looked in understanding how to report microaggressions, and also touched on some of the resources available to us on campus.
The discussion then progressed towards understanding microaggressions in organizations. Concerns about how to understand the diversity levels of a company and how to assess the authenticity of the diversity initiatives were talked about, and these concerns lead to a better understanding of the importance of statistical representation of diversity by an organization. Additionally, the conversation also highlighted the impact of conferences, which focus on promoting diversity in employment for organizations such as SWE Conferences/ Grace Hopper, etc., on providing a diverse pool of opportunities for both recruiters and applicants alike.
These thoughts further shaped the discussion towards understanding diverse leadership and its importance, and how an organization’s leadership sets the tone for conversations about diversity and microaggressions.
The hour-long conversation ultimately concluded with the optimistic note that slowly but surely, a progressive change is coming.
Presentation and Podcast
