Increasing Student Comfort with Addressing Microaggressions: Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts

Students on college campuses are not prepared or equipped to defend themselves or their peers when they experience or witness a microaggression. The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of the Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts program on s tudent comfort level when addressing microaggressions and other gender, racial and cultural insults. This educational program provides examples of different types of microaggressions seen in classrooms and workplace scenarios. The program is a 30 minute in dividual, self paced, guided eLearning program that enables learners to explore communication skills for promoting inclusion and respect among their peers. Participants were 91 undergraduate students (primarily White women) attending a mid south university enrolled in a 3 hour online general elective course in Fall 2020 or Spring 2021. Students completed a pre assessment in the 5th week of classes, and the Ouch! 30 minute training program and post assessment the following week. On average, students\u27 knowled ge did not change; however, students\u27 comfort level did increase significantly: On average, 50% of students reported feeling comfortable addressing microaggressions, which increased to 95% of students after completing the 30 minute Ouch! program. The prese nt study\u27s participants were primarily White students living in the mid south. This research indicates that students, especially those who identify as White, would benefit in their comfort level when exposed to diversity educational training on a college c ampus. Keywords: stereotypes, microaggressions, training, higher education

Developing Cultural Competence among 4-H Leaders

Access, equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential elements of 4-H’s goals related to positive youth development and organizational sustainability. The 4-H organization has impacted over 6 million youth worldwide and continues to grow every day. At the county, state, and national level, 4-H programs have grown more diverse, making it essential that 4-H programs encourage and highlight cultural similarities and differences through education. However, training in cultural competence for 4-H leaders is lacking, which is the bridge to connecting diversity and inclusion. Cultural competency is an awareness of one’s own cultural identity and the ability to interact effectively and appropriately with people from other cultures. This project utilized a multidisciplinary and collaborative effort to deliver cultural competence training for 27 4-H young adult and adult leaders in a mid-South U.S. state. All participants completed pre-assessments of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), participated in 2-hour training sessions on cultural competence, and completed post-IDI assessments three months later. Overall, most 4-H leaders scored in the Minimization orientation, which is the most common orientation among adults. In order to advance beyond the Minimization orientation to the Acceptance orientation, 4-H educators need additional educational opportunities, which may aid them in understanding crucial differences between cultures. The cultural competency model of the IDI provides a valuable framework in preparing culturally sensitive 4-H educators to construct settings where equity, access, and opportunity are available to all youth, allowing 4-H members to better reach their potential as capable, caring, and competent leaders of today and tomorrow