Racial microaggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color (Sue et al. 2007).
Three Forms of Microaggressions
Microassault - most similar to what is traditionally thought of as “overt discrimination.” Microassaults can be verbal, nonverbal, or environmental:
Microinsult - a comment or action that communicates insensitivity or disregard of a person's identity
Microinvalidation - a comment or action that ignores or dismisses the thoughts, feelings or experiences of a member of an oppressed group
For more information see the following videos from PBS: