On Monday, February 1, the Staff Council Diversity Committee coordinated an interactive discussion group on microaggressions and their implications on our everyday lives.
Led by Graduate School Dean Cecelia Traugh, the event was designed as a first step in helping the Bank Street community “come to an understanding of microaggressions so we are all more aware of ourselves and our behavior, and so we can begin to change our interactions with others, especially with people different than ourselves,” Cecelia explained.
After a group exploration of the word “microaggression” and its many connotations, guests participated in a series of exercises in which they examined the brief and commonplace behaviors that can constitute microaggressions. The event opened up a thoughtful dialogue that prompted candid feedback from attendees on their perspectives and personal experiences with similar “verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities.”
The discussion group helped introduce a larger, continued conversation on diversity and reflected Bank Street’s long-term commitment to supporting a diverse community.