well it finally has come to an end..thank god! :) lol
I have enjoyed having you all in my classes and being able share our thoughts with just about anything. I know at first we were all questioning just what exactly we were going to be doing in this particular class but now i can say, for most of us, that it was a roller coaster ride that we enjoyed. I understand now what Professor G wanted us to take out of this, and i can say i have done just that. I've learned to look outside the box and analyze more things than i did before. I've become more aware of what social justice is and how i can do things on my own to start a movement and promote change. This class has taught me to express myself in ways that i usually don't do. Overall this class was out of the ordinary but that's what we need every once in a while. I think we all can come out of this with ideas of what we can do next to make a difference in people's lives and just having a different outlook about everything in general.
From reading each others blogs, listening to presentations, and personal experiences about inequality we've all learned more about each other than we probably wouldn't have in any other class.
So good luck with wrapping up the semester and until i see y'all in the fall, I hope y'all have a great summer!
Des :)
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Group Presentations
This week has been full of interesting presentations dealing with issues affecting our community. It has brought a lot of awareness not only to me but to the rest of the class. Every group so far presented a lot of interesting facts and statistics dealing with their particular issue. It has affected me in a way that i want to participate with every issue that i have seen so far.
Project H had a lot to say. I didn't realize the statistics dealing with homelessness around the Austin area. It was also tough hearing the stories as to why many of them were currently homeless and dealing with the issues they faced on the streets. It got me thinking about the women. What happens when they're on their period? Or how do they protect themselves on the streets from the aggressive men It was scary thinking about what these women face. I knew that if i was in that position I wouldn't know what to do or who could help me. I became thankful for everything i am blessed to have and the people i have in my life that if i were to be put in that position that i would have somewhere to live. After listening to their presentation i felt myself wanting to not only help the women but the other homeless people that occupy Austin. I would love to work with them in the future.
After Work Activism is a group that basically puts everyone's desires to help the community together on a website that puts out awareness to the public so they can become apart of it too. I found their presentation very entertaining and quite shocking after watching the videos that they posted. I couldn't believe some of the things i heard about the education system from some of the people running for representation. I'm glad i know that information now and my vote will not be for them. This group is like a melting pot of ideas that every group can present their information and action plans that they want to pursue. It gives everybody the perfect opportunity to get the word out and they did a great job with this.
Executive Orders was also another interesting presentation. Ok I'm not going to lie i have no idea what an executive idea and if i wanted to know i would just search online for it. But after the presentation i found that it's not as easy as i thought. You would think that you can find EVERYTHING on good but obviously that is not the case. I found their interviews funny and interesting to hear what other people had to say about the issue. Overall they had a great presentation.
Educational Disparities was my group. We found that the community does play a role in the outcome of the student's education. Comparing a very poor area that contained Reagan High school to the wealthy area of Bowie High school just showed you the obvious differences. It was shocking to find out that the teachers at Reagan were using history textbooks that were outdated by 6 years. yeah i said it, 6 years!!!! can you believe that? the only reason for that is because they don't have the finances and resources for new material. Now at Bowie that was not the case. Of course they had the newest edition of books and many other services that prepared them for college. I mean Reagan had prep programs for college but kids there really didnt take it serious as the kids at Bowie did. It just shows you how the education system is now a days. Hopefully we can change that one day and we plan too. Me and Caty plan to go all out with the program Suena. Hopefully it proves to be a great success!
Overall these past couple of presentations have been full of information leaving with you the potential to help out the community and make a difference. I cant wait to hear what the other groups have to say!
Project H had a lot to say. I didn't realize the statistics dealing with homelessness around the Austin area. It was also tough hearing the stories as to why many of them were currently homeless and dealing with the issues they faced on the streets. It got me thinking about the women. What happens when they're on their period? Or how do they protect themselves on the streets from the aggressive men It was scary thinking about what these women face. I knew that if i was in that position I wouldn't know what to do or who could help me. I became thankful for everything i am blessed to have and the people i have in my life that if i were to be put in that position that i would have somewhere to live. After listening to their presentation i felt myself wanting to not only help the women but the other homeless people that occupy Austin. I would love to work with them in the future.
After Work Activism is a group that basically puts everyone's desires to help the community together on a website that puts out awareness to the public so they can become apart of it too. I found their presentation very entertaining and quite shocking after watching the videos that they posted. I couldn't believe some of the things i heard about the education system from some of the people running for representation. I'm glad i know that information now and my vote will not be for them. This group is like a melting pot of ideas that every group can present their information and action plans that they want to pursue. It gives everybody the perfect opportunity to get the word out and they did a great job with this.
Executive Orders was also another interesting presentation. Ok I'm not going to lie i have no idea what an executive idea and if i wanted to know i would just search online for it. But after the presentation i found that it's not as easy as i thought. You would think that you can find EVERYTHING on good but obviously that is not the case. I found their interviews funny and interesting to hear what other people had to say about the issue. Overall they had a great presentation.
Educational Disparities was my group. We found that the community does play a role in the outcome of the student's education. Comparing a very poor area that contained Reagan High school to the wealthy area of Bowie High school just showed you the obvious differences. It was shocking to find out that the teachers at Reagan were using history textbooks that were outdated by 6 years. yeah i said it, 6 years!!!! can you believe that? the only reason for that is because they don't have the finances and resources for new material. Now at Bowie that was not the case. Of course they had the newest edition of books and many other services that prepared them for college. I mean Reagan had prep programs for college but kids there really didnt take it serious as the kids at Bowie did. It just shows you how the education system is now a days. Hopefully we can change that one day and we plan too. Me and Caty plan to go all out with the program Suena. Hopefully it proves to be a great success!
Overall these past couple of presentations have been full of information leaving with you the potential to help out the community and make a difference. I cant wait to hear what the other groups have to say!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
ageism and adultism.
Both ageism and adultism are a form of oppression.
Adultism is the oppression of young people by adults and elders.
Ageism is the oppression of elders by youth and adults.
I had no idea that these two terms existed before this class. It was as though it was considered normal. I mean i was always told to respect your elders and such but i never knew that there were terms out there for this such thing.
Personally, i catch my self at times stereotyping and oppressing the older people. You know there's always that slow older woman at the light that is taking her sweet time turning when you're in a hurry to get somewhere. We've all had that moment. Maybe myself having more than others :) haha. There are some older people that are capable of accomplishing many things just as they did when they were younger but there are also some that you know don't need to be doing the things they're trying to do.
On the other hand older people tend to have that mentality that young people of today aren't capable of accomplishing many things. I've experienced it a couple of times because of my age. I guess they would feel more secure if someone of older age is more capable and they might think that they are more knowledgeable as well.
All in all everybody just needs to give everyone a chance. Don't assume things. Just see how it plays out and go from there. Who knows one day when were in that position we might feel the same way about young people and young people might feel the same way about us "older people."
To lighten up the mood, my friend posted this video on facebook to cheer up our day. I thought it was hilarious. so enjoy!
Adultism is the oppression of young people by adults and elders.
Ageism is the oppression of elders by youth and adults.
I had no idea that these two terms existed before this class. It was as though it was considered normal. I mean i was always told to respect your elders and such but i never knew that there were terms out there for this such thing.
Personally, i catch my self at times stereotyping and oppressing the older people. You know there's always that slow older woman at the light that is taking her sweet time turning when you're in a hurry to get somewhere. We've all had that moment. Maybe myself having more than others :) haha. There are some older people that are capable of accomplishing many things just as they did when they were younger but there are also some that you know don't need to be doing the things they're trying to do.
On the other hand older people tend to have that mentality that young people of today aren't capable of accomplishing many things. I've experienced it a couple of times because of my age. I guess they would feel more secure if someone of older age is more capable and they might think that they are more knowledgeable as well.
All in all everybody just needs to give everyone a chance. Don't assume things. Just see how it plays out and go from there. Who knows one day when were in that position we might feel the same way about young people and young people might feel the same way about us "older people."
To lighten up the mood, my friend posted this video on facebook to cheer up our day. I thought it was hilarious. so enjoy!
Friday, April 13, 2012
ableism.
Ableism or disability oppression is the term used to describe the all-encompassing system of discrimination and exclusion of people who live with development, medical, neurological, physical, and psychological disabilities.
Many who have been considered disabled have faced many challenges throughout their daily lives for somewhat years and many of those have faced discrimination. So much to the point where they just can't live with it any more and decide to end their lives.
When i was in late middle school early high school my great-grandma became really sick and would have to go to dialysis almost every week i think. I didn't think anything of it because well she was getting old and i kinda just knew, well maybe this is what happens. I would go with my grandma sometimes to pick her up and this one time i went i will never forget. Supposedly one of the nurses wasn't watching her right and she began to pick at where the needle was and she began to bleed. The other patients next to her began to call for the nurses but after a couple of minutes had gone by and the nurses finally said something. My grandma was furious because no one was watching her and then the nurses tried to blame it on my great-grandma! All hell broke loose after that! My grandma let everyone nurse in that building have a piece of her mind and all i could think about is why wouldn't you be watching? why wouldn't have more consideration for the patients that have to come here? I remember talking to my great-grandma once we got home and she told me that she was just tired and wanted to leave. Oh and the nurse that tended to ignore her got fired so we were happy about that.
I couldn't believe that that had happened. I didn't understand. I guess now that i think about it she was just feeling as though she couldn't take the dialysis anymore. Facing the discrimination at the doctor just made it worse. My great-grandma ended up going there for a another year i think and we would have a nurse come to my grandma's house to just check on her and stuff. Then when i was a sophomore she passed. She passed at my grandma's house and i believe she was at peace. At peace from not having to go to the doctor and dealing with her pain. It was a sad couple of months, especially going to my grandma's house and not expecting to see my great-grandma there. It effected everybody but we all knew she was at peace and that's all we could ask for.
I guess people who are considered disabled due to any reason go through a lot and we as their family and friends just have to be there for them in any way possible, even if they don't want comfort at the time. Trying not to make them feel as though they are considered disabled will also go along well in their daily life struggles.
Many who have been considered disabled have faced many challenges throughout their daily lives for somewhat years and many of those have faced discrimination. So much to the point where they just can't live with it any more and decide to end their lives.
When i was in late middle school early high school my great-grandma became really sick and would have to go to dialysis almost every week i think. I didn't think anything of it because well she was getting old and i kinda just knew, well maybe this is what happens. I would go with my grandma sometimes to pick her up and this one time i went i will never forget. Supposedly one of the nurses wasn't watching her right and she began to pick at where the needle was and she began to bleed. The other patients next to her began to call for the nurses but after a couple of minutes had gone by and the nurses finally said something. My grandma was furious because no one was watching her and then the nurses tried to blame it on my great-grandma! All hell broke loose after that! My grandma let everyone nurse in that building have a piece of her mind and all i could think about is why wouldn't you be watching? why wouldn't have more consideration for the patients that have to come here? I remember talking to my great-grandma once we got home and she told me that she was just tired and wanted to leave. Oh and the nurse that tended to ignore her got fired so we were happy about that.
I couldn't believe that that had happened. I didn't understand. I guess now that i think about it she was just feeling as though she couldn't take the dialysis anymore. Facing the discrimination at the doctor just made it worse. My great-grandma ended up going there for a another year i think and we would have a nurse come to my grandma's house to just check on her and stuff. Then when i was a sophomore she passed. She passed at my grandma's house and i believe she was at peace. At peace from not having to go to the doctor and dealing with her pain. It was a sad couple of months, especially going to my grandma's house and not expecting to see my great-grandma there. It effected everybody but we all knew she was at peace and that's all we could ask for.
I guess people who are considered disabled due to any reason go through a lot and we as their family and friends just have to be there for them in any way possible, even if they don't want comfort at the time. Trying not to make them feel as though they are considered disabled will also go along well in their daily life struggles.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
what do you consider yourself?
Today's class discussion was on transgender. In the world we live in today this topic is very uncertain on just exactly what this means. To many people this means that you're just ignorant of what god made you. You're either gay or lesbian. You're confused as to what gender you are meant to be. You feel as though you were born in the wrong body and nobody knows what you're going through. All in all transgender people will face problems to the extreme that most of us will not even come close too and as human beings we need to respect them as such.
Transgender: Identified with a gender other than the biological one.
You are classified as to what gender you are when you're in the womb. From then on society plays off of that and accommodates everything to your specific gender. For example, when your parents find out you're either a girl or boy everything becomes either pink or blue, sport themes or princesses, dresses or pants, and so on. So what happens when your parents tell you you're a boy when inside you feel like a girl? In your mind everything tells you that you were meant to be a girl but you were born in a boys body? You won't understand what that feels like unless that personally happens to you. I can just imagine the pain and ridicule you will face. I feel for the people that are in this confused process but i also applaud the people that take action in order to fulfill their needs as to what gender they feel that they truly are.
There is so much discrimination and hate towards these groups of people. So much that many are forced to quit their jobs, not able to find jobs, unable to compete in pageants, sports, and many are killed because of what they consider themselves as. Many are stared upon by others who are trying to figure out just exactly what they "are". Many don't know whether or not they should call them a "he" or "she." Many are just confused.
So what do we do? We, as human beings, need to consider their feelings and problems that they're facing. We need to respect their choice and decision as to what they need to do for themselves to feel complete as a person. We need to understand that what they're going through is something that you will never know and you need to respect that. DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!
Below is a 3 part serious done by Barbara Walters that looks into the lives of 3 children who are 6, 10, and 16 years old who are facing transgender issues.
Hope you enjoyed my post! I leave you with your thoughts!
Transgender: Identified with a gender other than the biological one.
You are classified as to what gender you are when you're in the womb. From then on society plays off of that and accommodates everything to your specific gender. For example, when your parents find out you're either a girl or boy everything becomes either pink or blue, sport themes or princesses, dresses or pants, and so on. So what happens when your parents tell you you're a boy when inside you feel like a girl? In your mind everything tells you that you were meant to be a girl but you were born in a boys body? You won't understand what that feels like unless that personally happens to you. I can just imagine the pain and ridicule you will face. I feel for the people that are in this confused process but i also applaud the people that take action in order to fulfill their needs as to what gender they feel that they truly are.
There is so much discrimination and hate towards these groups of people. So much that many are forced to quit their jobs, not able to find jobs, unable to compete in pageants, sports, and many are killed because of what they consider themselves as. Many are stared upon by others who are trying to figure out just exactly what they "are". Many don't know whether or not they should call them a "he" or "she." Many are just confused.
So what do we do? We, as human beings, need to consider their feelings and problems that they're facing. We need to respect their choice and decision as to what they need to do for themselves to feel complete as a person. We need to understand that what they're going through is something that you will never know and you need to respect that. DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!
Below is a 3 part serious done by Barbara Walters that looks into the lives of 3 children who are 6, 10, and 16 years old who are facing transgender issues.
Hope you enjoyed my post! I leave you with your thoughts!
Friday, March 30, 2012
sexism.
obviously this topic well talked about and well know throughout the world. it has been around for ages and sadly is apart of our society. it has affected many lives and changed peoples perspectives on certain things. its like with this we wouldn't be able to declare who we are as a person.
sexism can affect many people. mainly women because we are the victims of it. as soon as the doctor tells our mothers, "its a girl" we are instantly labeled with well as being a girl. certain restrictions and expectations that we need to live up to as women. we cant do certain things because were girls and we don't want to get hurt because its a boys sport or game. were to weak to lift things that boys are strong enough to lift. when we grow up it all becomes more real. were not good enough to get paid just as much as men. we don't get many jobs that we deserve because its best suited if a man takes the job. we are seen as only house wives that take care of the children and the household. and even seen as not smart enough to run this country. sometimes daily stereotypes affect us on being women.
today i worked the texas relays, which was my first time ever attending and let me just say it was quite interesting ;) haha, anyway i was recording times and this older guy was taking measurements and i would write them down. simple job. then the next shift a women was taking the measurements and a thought came to my mind, "ahh i hope she knows what she's doing. i rather have that guy doing it because i'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing." with that i realized what i was doing. i was already assuming that this women wasn't capable of doing a good job just as the man had done. i assumed that the man would do a better job than this woman becuase well, it's what society shows and tells us. it automatically makes you think that a man would be capable of performing this job better than this woman. i felt bad because i didn't even give this woman a chance to show me that she can do this job just as well as that man.
turns out she knew what she was doing. actually more accurate than that man. i was like, ahhh your stupid for thinking she wasn't going to be able to handle it. when she flipped it on me and did a great job. situations like this happen on a daily basis and it just shows you society views on sexism.
i personally will no longer conform to this sexism society. i think i'm capable of accomplishing things just as men can. just because i'm a woman doesn't mean anything. just the fact that i'm smarter :D but like i was saying with more and more people taking on this sexism world we live in, one day it will change and WE will be on top. starting with ruling this country. yea thats right i said it. one day there will be a woman living in that white house and she will NOT be the first lady.
sexism can affect many people. mainly women because we are the victims of it. as soon as the doctor tells our mothers, "its a girl" we are instantly labeled with well as being a girl. certain restrictions and expectations that we need to live up to as women. we cant do certain things because were girls and we don't want to get hurt because its a boys sport or game. were to weak to lift things that boys are strong enough to lift. when we grow up it all becomes more real. were not good enough to get paid just as much as men. we don't get many jobs that we deserve because its best suited if a man takes the job. we are seen as only house wives that take care of the children and the household. and even seen as not smart enough to run this country. sometimes daily stereotypes affect us on being women.
today i worked the texas relays, which was my first time ever attending and let me just say it was quite interesting ;) haha, anyway i was recording times and this older guy was taking measurements and i would write them down. simple job. then the next shift a women was taking the measurements and a thought came to my mind, "ahh i hope she knows what she's doing. i rather have that guy doing it because i'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing." with that i realized what i was doing. i was already assuming that this women wasn't capable of doing a good job just as the man had done. i assumed that the man would do a better job than this woman becuase well, it's what society shows and tells us. it automatically makes you think that a man would be capable of performing this job better than this woman. i felt bad because i didn't even give this woman a chance to show me that she can do this job just as well as that man.
turns out she knew what she was doing. actually more accurate than that man. i was like, ahhh your stupid for thinking she wasn't going to be able to handle it. when she flipped it on me and did a great job. situations like this happen on a daily basis and it just shows you society views on sexism.
i personally will no longer conform to this sexism society. i think i'm capable of accomplishing things just as men can. just because i'm a woman doesn't mean anything. just the fact that i'm smarter :D but like i was saying with more and more people taking on this sexism world we live in, one day it will change and WE will be on top. starting with ruling this country. yea thats right i said it. one day there will be a woman living in that white house and she will NOT be the first lady.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
colbert report,
the case on trayvon martin has skyrocketed across the nation. alot of people are speaking up about it and has brought alot of attention to this issue.
i ran across this video on facebook about the case. of course its the Colbert Report but it sort of gives a humor side to whats going on and how ridiculous this case is.
so check it out!
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/411137/march-26-2012/the-word---dressed-to-kill?redirect=true
thanks!
i ran across this video on facebook about the case. of course its the Colbert Report but it sort of gives a humor side to whats going on and how ridiculous this case is.
so check it out!
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/411137/march-26-2012/the-word---dressed-to-kill?redirect=true
thanks!
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