The Asian Heritage Society of New Brunswick recently held a Youth Microaggression Workshop in collaboration with the Government of Canada, the Government of New Brunswick, the Youth Outreach Program (NCANB), and Youth Ambitions. This impactful workshop, organized in the first quarter of 2024, reached selected schools within the Anglophone East School District and was facilitated by Martins Fashemi and Ted Harris. Also present were Felisa Chan, program coordinator for the Asian Heritage Society of New Brunswick, and Madhu Verma from the Migrant Justice Centre.
Middle and high school students attending the workshop received an in-depth education on the concept of microaggressions, including specific forms like micro-insults, micro-invalidations, and micro-assaults. These sessions involved meaningful discussions about the types of microaggressions racialized individuals experience daily and acknowledged that any group can, at times, unintentionally commit these acts. However, the workshop emphasized that the most harmful microaggressions often occur between individuals in positions of power and those who are traditionally marginalized.
Participants were introduced to practical strategies for both avoiding microaggressions and addressing them if they arise, including techniques like “calling in” and “calling out.” Following the workshop, feedback from students and administrators was overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting noticeable changes in awareness and behavior related to microaggressions and discrimination.
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