GBM Recap: Tea Sesh Microaggression Edition
Submitted by Gerald Ellaine Abad
Hi everyone! I hope you’ve had a good start to the semester so far in this month of new beginnings. This month was the start of a new beginning for us on the executive board as well with our new E-Board members and FIRST EVER GENERAL BODY MEETING! All of us were so excited to host this GBM as it is the first ever one held by the organization since its birth.
For our first GBM, we wanted to start off with an event that does what our organization stands to promote—bring awareness and introduce different perspectives that connect us together as an organization. We thought that having a “Tea Sesh,” slang for discussing information, about microaggressions would do just that, as it brings awareness to an issue that many people in the Asian and POC community have experienced.
Microaggressions are the “comments or actions that subtly and often unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority)” (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Unfortunately enough, the microaggressions that each person in this community have experienced are unique. By having a discussion about these experiences, it allows us to grow closer as an organization as we share personal experiences that may be difficult to talk about. We made sure to lay out some ground rules to protect everyone’s right to privacy and create a safe space for this discussion.
To lighten up the mood after the heavy topic, and to tie in the “tea” in “tea sesh,” we had provided fruit snacks and iced tea to the general body to refresh the vibes of the room. We also did an origami heart folding activity where everyone followed along with a Youtube video to fold a paper heart to keep for themselves or give to another person. After that, we ended off the night taking a group picture of everyone with their hearts.
Thank you to everyone who attended the GBM! We hope that you learned about microaggressions, feel closer with the general body of AAPC, and most importantly, had fun! We hope to see you again at our next GBM on October 13, 2022. Keep an eye out for more details from our mailing list and social media posts!
If you missed our GBM, here is the link to our presentation! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zbrptduHS3hCnvhPN48SFgVao2dBYGG2qk2KBZxpxT4/edit?usp=sharing
If you want to read more about microaggressions, here is a link to an informative page!
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-are-microaggressions-and-examples/
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