Death by a Thousand Cuts
What are the historical roots of microaggressions against Asian Americans? In this important article, published in “Health Matters,” psychiatrist Dr. Warren Ng lays out what microaggressions are and what its history is.
The article is, unfortunately, timely because there has been a tragic surge in anti-Asian sentiment across the US. Hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in cities across the nation have increased 169% in the first quarter of 2021 over the same period in 2020, according to a recent analysis by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. These incidents are in the media but the AAPI community has experienced violent racism as well as microaggressions for years, in fact, for hundreds of years.
The article mentions “Derald Wing Sue, M.S., Ph.D., a professor of psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, whose books and research have focused on race, defines microaggressions as slights and invalidations that people of color experience in their day-to-day interactions with well-intentioned individuals. Microaggressions aimed at AAPIs (such as asking “Where are you really from?” or commenting “You speak English so well.”) are largely manifestations of harmful stereotypes that consistently view Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners, the model minority, and the yellow peril — the belief that Asians (particularly East Asians) pose a danger to Western values, power, and culture.”
And continues with, “Microaggressions are really meant to make people feel like lesser human beings,” says Dr. Warren Ng, medical director of outpatient health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and director of clinical services for the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. ‘There’s another term for microaggressions: Death by a thousand cuts. I think that description really does speak to the cumulative effects.’”
Disarming Microaggressions is SunShower’s newest e-Learning course. It is the result of a collaboration with Dr. Derald Wing Sue and teaches his strategies for speaking up and interrupting or countering microaggressions in the moment or afterwards.
Dr. Ng starts with what he calls the root of it all, “the yellow peril stereotype”. The idea was that Asians were taking away opportunities from “real” Americans who were already there. In order to keep them in their place, laws were enacted to take away their freedoms, rights and families. Dr. Ng mentions the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, the murder of Vincent Chin, post-9/11 scapegoating of Muslim Americans, and other instances.
And today, through the pandemic, it continues. “We’ve felt a universal sense of loss, mourning, and stress during this period of COVID-19. The question is “What do you do with those feelings, and that discomfort, and that difficulty?” You can choose to see it as something that we as a human race are all going through. Or you can try to blame someone for it. Through scapegoating, you find a target and then dehumanize them, which allows you to remove your emotions and your feelings from your actions, because you almost feel justified.
It’s happened repeatedly throughout history. How does something as little as name calling lead to something like murder? That seems like a big jump. But there’s a pathway to that action and understanding where microaggressions, racism, dehumanization, objectification, stereotyping, and all of those things lead to us distancing ourselves and our humanity from that other person who is a human being. The more that they are not a human being, the more that we’re able to feel that we can do things to them because they’re not the same as you and I.”
We recommend you read the entire article and then Test Drive our course, Disarming Microaggressions with Dr. Derald Wing Sue. It’s won awards and been recognized as an excellent resource.
Lastly, Dr Ng shares, “How To Be an Ally: 10 Ways a Non-AAPI Person Can Champion Justice and Help Combat Microaggressions:
- Do the work by reading about the history of racism and microaggressions.
- Do the work by reading about the history of racism and microaggressions.
- Reach out and listen to the experiences of people of color or marginalized groups.
- Get comfortable being uncomfortable because that is a sign that you are doing the work. Accepting the status quo can trap you into being a part of discriminatory systems.
- Practice compassion for yourself because a lot of the work will be making mistakes and continuing to learn new skills of allyship — and unlearning behaviors that perpetuate microaggressions.
- Work to change perceptions by acknowledging your own implicit bias and where you may lack awareness.
- Work to change behaviors and speak up in your own circles when you hear microaggressions or derogatory language.
- Join inclusion groups to get out of an echo chamber. Surround yourself with people who share different life experiences and who can also learn from yours.
- Take a course in bystander training so you’re better equipped to respond to racist incidents. The Hollaback! training encourages the use of the 5 Ds: distract, delegate, delay, direct, and document. The information can be found here.
- Sponsor members of marginalized groups who are underrepresented. This may be supporting an AAPI peer or co-worker and advocating for them to reach management or senior levels — positions that are often limited to people of the majority race.
- Read the Guide to Allyship.”
More From Our Blog…
My Mid-September Reflections
A moment of reflectionAs I sat down to write this email, I found myself scrolling through the mailing list and recognizing so many names—people I’ve had conversations with that still stand out. Whether it was about Ouch!, purchasing a license or discussing trends in...
The Great Detachment: Why Employee Engagement is at Risk—Especially for Gen Z
As described in a recent article entitled, “The Great Detachment is looming for employees, experts warn—especially for Gen Z” by Lindsay Dodgson, employee disengagement is becoming an increasingly critical issue for companies worldwide. With a staggering cost of over...
Understanding Employee Responses to DEI Initiatives: Insights and Strategies
A recent study sheds light on a previously underexplored aspect of DEI training. While much focus has been placed on the facilitators, trainers and the content of DEI programs, this study examines how employees actually respond to the training. Published in Harvard...
SHRM’s Removal of “Equity” From DEI Framework: A Step Backwards Amid Growing Backlash
In a stunning step in the wrong direction, the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), the world’s largest HR association, has removed “Equity” from its “IE&D” framework. What message does this send, especially amid strong pushback against Diversity, Equity...
Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs
In the midst of the evolving landscape of corporate diversity initiatives, there's a seismic shift underway. The once-prominent acronym "DEI" - representing diversity, equity and inclusion - is notably absent from many company discussions. As explained in the article...
A Groundbreaking New Course: Understanding the Complexity of the Asian American Pacific Islander Experience
With over two decades of experience in the educational sector, Hideko Akashi, founder and lead consultant at Liberation Consulting, has been a steadfast advocate for diversity, privilege, social justice, inclusion and equity. Now, she's opening a new chapter with the...
The Deafening Silence of DEI Allies: A Call to Action in Troubled Times
As we commemorate the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his poignant words echo through the corridors of history, reminding us of the profound impact of silence in the face of injustice.” In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the...
DEI LEAP: Empowering Leaders Through Turbulent Times
DEI LEAP: Empowering Leaders Through Turbulent Times As we all know, 2024 has brought a wave of attacks against DEI. A handful of outspoken critics, such as Elon Musk, are misrepresenting DEI and attacking the strategies and practices that are creating more equitable...
The Colorblindness Trap
Read. This. Article. It's important. The Color Blindness Trap: How a civil rights ideal got hijacked Nikole Hannah-Jones is a domestic correspondent for The New York Times Magazine focusing on racial injustice. Her extensive reporting in both print and radio has...
The Unbearable Lightness of the “I’m Sorry if You Were Offended” Apology
Have you ever come across that non-apology apology? You know, the one that goes, "I’m sorry if you were offended," or its close cousin, "I’m sorry that you…" These non-apologies aren't just weak; they can actually inflict more harm and exacerbate hurt feelings. They...