The Micropedia

What Is The Micropedia?

The Micropedia is a free, community-driven educational resource designed to help people understand and identify microaggressions in everyday interactions. Launched in 2021 as a collaboration between Toronto-based design agency Zulu Alpha Kilo and leading Canadian diversity, equity, and inclusion organizations, The Micropedia functions as the first encyclopedia of microaggressions. The tool provides definitions, real-world examples, and educational insights to raise awareness about subtle discriminatory comments and actions that, while often unintentional, can significantly impact the mental and physical health of marginalized groups.

What The Micropedia Does

• Defines microaggressions across multiple categories including race, gender, sexuality, disability, age, and class-based discrimination
• Provides real-world examples of everyday microaggressions to illustrate harmful patterns and assumptions
• Allows users to search a growing database of entries to identify and understand specific interactions
• Enables community contributions, allowing individuals to submit their own experiences and add new microaggression entries
• Connects users to learning resources and guides for unlearning harmful behaviors
• Offers a judgment-free platform for people who have experienced, witnessed, or given microaggressions to gain clarity and knowledge

How The Micropedia Can Be Used

The Micropedia serves as a practical reference tool in several contexts. Someone who has experienced or witnessed a microaggression can use the search function to look up the interaction and find an entry explaining its harmful impact. In workplace settings, educators can utilize The Micropedia as a training resource to support diversity and inclusion initiatives. Organizations use it to supplement equity training programs and help employees recognize unconscious bias in their interactions. The resource is also valuable for individuals committed to being allies—those seeking to understand how everyday comments and behaviors affect others and wanting to unlearn problematic patterns. The tool's community-submission feature allows it to continuously evolve as new experiences and examples are documented.

Who Is The Micropedia For?

The Micropedia is designed for anyone seeking to understand microaggressions and their impact, including educators, human resources professionals, diversity and inclusion advocates, nonprofit organizations, and individuals in marginalized communities. It serves people at all awareness levels—from those just learning the term to those with deep experience navigating discrimination. The tool is particularly valuable for organizations establishing inclusive workplaces and educational institutions implementing equity training. Institutions including government agencies and major organizations have linked to The Micropedia on their diversity resource pages, and the tool has reached visitors from more than 125 countries. Visit The Micropedia