Volume 15, Number 3, Winter 2020Me and Microaggressions: A Framework for Overcoming Microaggressions in Communication Sciences and Disorders Academic Programs AUTHOR: Karen C. Davis, Ph. D. CCC-SLP, Department of Health and Human Performance, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN In light of the recent acknowledgment of social and racial injustice in this country, the discipline of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) has been reflecting on the experiences of minority practitioners, faculty, and students. I was assigned to teach a multicultural course this semester. To prepare for my course, I attended several of the live webinars sponsored by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), journals, and other special interest organizations. These webinars addressed Issues of cultural diversity and equity within CSD. Panelists that participated in these webinars shared their experiences along with recommendations for change. From these webinars, I heard descriptions of verbal behaviors that appeared to be racial, perpetuated stereotypes, and often disregarded individual’s feelings. The panelists often discussed how these behaviors were not overt, but after a while could negatively impact an individual’s well-being. The term ‘microaggression’ was mentioned. In addition to watching webinars, I researched journal articles regarding recruitment and retention of minority students in CSD. Ginsberg’s (2018) research on African American speech-language pathology students’ academic success caught my attention. She defined and discussed microaggressions that participants in the study experienced. DOI: DOWNLOAD FULL ARTICLE |