The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

I can remember like it was yesterday, my daughter’s was joining Girl Scouts for the first time. She was about ten years old and she was so excited about starting Girl Scouts. The meeting took place in Hopkins, MN at a community center. My daughter and I walked in the room and you would have thought we were the president of the U.S., the room became completely silent. It was no warm welcomes or hello, how are you doing? My child looked at me and said, “Mom is we in the right room?” I was just speechless, because of the rudeness we encountered from all of the adults present. Not one parent came up to use, nor did they speak even after I said hello. It was like my child and I did not even exist to them. I have experience quite of few episodes of biasness, prejudice and some form of oppressions, but never did I think my child would be subjected to this type of treatment at her age. We were the only people of color in the room, maybe out of ten to fifteen Mothers and daughters. I could sense my child was not comfortable; therefore, I excused us out of that environment. That incident was very disturbing not only to me, but my child. She had to endure such negative behavior from these women, and their children. I actually feel sorry for the children; for the parents are setting them up for self-destruction. Any time a child is being raised to see race before the person, than they are headed for a rude awakening in life.

     

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

These women surely showed the true definition of biasness, prejudice and oppression by their actions. I guess by making me and my child feel uncomfortable was their way of showing us that we was not welcome. And what makes this incident so terribly sad; this was a “Girl Scout” meeting. Girl Scouts of America do not, under any circumstances tolerate racial discrimination or any form for that matter. The message that these parents are sending to their children that do not share the same cultural background as themselves, is to treat other’s indifferent, which in the long run will come back to haunt them; for one day these girls will be adults in life and will have to work with and around people of other cultural backgrounds, and my question is, “What will they do then?”  

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

As I have stated before, I have been subjected to biasness, prejudice, and even oppression at some point in time in my life, but for my daughter to have had to endure such a negative incident as such was quite devastating. I know that I can’t save my child from situations such as that one, but being it was a Girl Scout meeting really showed the beliefs of what certain people value, and compassion, and character was not one of them.

 

What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

With this particular incident taking place, I end up contacting Girl Scouts of America local office, and they were very apologetic for what had happen. They sent my daughter and me three free tickets to Valley fair, a loco fair in MN. The representative also gave me information to other location in the area for my child to join. She did explain that she would contact the Girl Scout leader over that area to resolve this issue. As she explained, it is the responsibility of the Girl Scout Leader’s to make each girl feel welcome. Hopefully, after this incident something positive came out of it for the next girl and her family of African American race.