Racism in the workplace

Today, I went through an experience that I want to share as it is a taboo topic in our society. This incident affected the flow of my day, and I will love to hear how other professionals will deal with the issue. The issue at hand is racism in the work place. In many occasions this topic is avoided, and when spoken it's so superficially that not even the surface is scratched. The topics of race and racism have become the giant pink elephant in the room. 

I am extremely proud of my heritage. My country is no different than any other country in terms of current issues like poverty, crime, job situation,etc. I have embraced the good, the bad and the ugly. All my qualities make me who I am. My ancestry have helped formed my personality. 

Today, for the second time within the last year I experienced racism from one of my patients. I can't disclose any details of the event nor what was said because of my strong work ethics, and because the details  don't change the result nor the impact this caused. The first time was almost a year ago, and I was shocked as it was the first. I had experienced racism before but not from patients, and it was usually in a covered manner, but this time it was openly. I will never allow any racial aggression to pass without being addressed, and I did address this incident at the moment it happened.  Perhaps was an educational moment for the patient and a humbling experience for myself. 

Today, for some strange reason the incident impacted me in a different way.  I was angry at the comment, and because of that I chose not to address it until the next session. I needed to sort through my feelings...feelings not of inadequacy but of defiance, anger, frustration, and disgust. I understood the power of self control. I thought of others, and how their anger took over and controlled their behavior and that only perpetuated the existing stereotypes. It's so frustrating to be judged not on the qualities of my character but on the superficiality of my appearance, on the sound of my last name, or based on what's seen in the local news. I am angry that someone thought my heritage is a character flaw. For me my ethnic heritage is the foundation of my being, and I was blessed to be born in an island that is so precious. 

Who gives some people the right to think that they are above other groups? What makes them believe that their worth is greater?  Is it their pale skin? Their blue eyes? Their English last name? Who give them the right to make a negative comments towards other groups, and place another human at a lower level? What makes them believe that racism is ok? Some people with a finite mind have never lose the arrogance and thoughts of supremacy that brought so much pain and disgrace to this country. Shame on you!  I never used the word victim, as I feel that the victim is the person who has has the rigid mind that doesn't allow them to accept that the demographic landscape of the country has been changing for centuries. 

 I will continue to be proud of who I am, and of the diversity within my family. I will not generalize or judge a group for the comments and attitudes of a few, but I will never shy away from confronting someone that thinks that life have give them the right to judge me. Racism has no justification, and ignorance isn't an excuse. Minorities in this country have suffered for hundreds of years and the impact of racism is known across the board. 

We are more than the color of our skin, than the curls in our hair, than the musicality of our accents. Our idiosyncrasies are not flaws, but they add color to the rainbow of cultures that make this wonderful country the wonderful place it is.