Entry 1 I am nervous and excited for this class. I want to know and understand the systemic oppression people of color face, but I am afraid, and embarrassed, that I know so little in the first place. The only background I have for this course is that I live in America and I read The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. She argues mass incarceration is the new Jim Crow. Alexander’s book was so shocking to me that I just wanted to know more, like what the social implication are of this type of oppression.…
In today’s society, what is actually considered systemic oppression? The actual definition of systemic oppression is something harsh, the way many people are mistreated in a systematic way depending on their social identity group. In today's world we have seen many situations involving systemic oppression. Simply looking at the case of Trayvon Martin, he was a seventeen year old who was shot and killed in Sanford Florida, simply by his appearance. ”Zimmerman shot Martin dead the night of Feb. 26 after following him for several minutes.…
I’m glad I had the opportunity to take EDUC 203 with you. You are an amiable person. Professor McArthur, Thank you! I must admit this class wasn’t what I expected. I definitely felt the harmony in the classroom from day one.…
The legacy of racial discrimination and oppression towards people of black descent in America, is one of inequality and mistreatment. In “Being Poor, Black, and American,” William Wilson writes about three types of forces that hinder the progress of blacks in society: political, economic, and cultural. Society’s dialogue on the current socio-economic status of most African Americans leans towards blaming blacks for their own lack of effort and judgment; however, these situations are deeply rooted in factors beyond the control of most ordinary black folk: the government’s deliberate initiatives to create of internal ghettos with project standards of living, the lack of circulation into minority communities, the transition away from a physical…
“Leaning In: A Student’s Guide to Engaging Constructively with Social Justice Content” by Robin DiAngelo and Özlem Sensoy which appeared in a 2009 issue of Radical Pedagogy. In this article, DiAngelo and Sensoy inform students about the possible difficulties that can arise in an academic social justice course, and steps a student should take in to achieve in the course to gain a higher understanding of the material. DiAngelo and Sensoy tells us that it can be difficult for students to accept and understand concepts that challenge their world view. DiAngelo and Sensoy suggest that this is because students are uninformed and have strong opinions about the topics discussed within a social justice course. Never the less, it is not impossible for…
This course has been very beneficial to my development as a culturally grounded social worker. There were four components that stood out to me. One thing that stood out to me was the article regarding the experiences of Vietnamese refugees. The article painted a great picture of the treatment of those who are from underrepresented populations. The feelings you described were raw and represent feelings of others who might feel uncomfortable with speaking up for themselves when they are treated properly.…
Systemic Oppression and Discrimination The mothers in the documentary had to go through the loss of their sons, while fighting for injustice in their community. The oppressive law makers, and police department had on individuals of different color or religion was terrible. The systemic oppression and discrimination impacted each case by dividing trust among the police, and who they are sworn to protect. There are reasons why this has happened, especially in this documentary.…
In my opinion, the biggest barrier that society must overcome is the availability of quality care for all individuals of society, especially those who are in minority groups. A few health disparities for our society include cardiovascular disease, substance use, low socioeconomic status, and being uninsured. These disparities can be significantly reduced if appropriate care is available for all individuals. Lack of funding and resources, especially in regards to these minorities groups, prevent many individuals from ever getting treatment. If every member of society had availability to quality to healthcare, individuals would be able to receive comprehensive care that can prevent the need for further intensive services for their health conditions.…
Oppression, according to Dictionary.com, is defined as the exercise of authority/power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. Oppression can come in many forms, but the most prevalent in today’s America I economic oppression. The higher class can not only rely on the labor of those in lower classes, but control the flow of the economy through their businesses, advertising, and the media. However, while this economic oppression directly effects all types of people, those who also face racism in their life have even more barriers in the economic world.…
In the Pew Study On views of Race and Inequality, researchers found profound differences between black and White Americans perspectives on race and race relationships. The article finds that black and white Americans tend to have not only different perceptions over racial equality, but also about the current and future state of race relations. Thus, this Pew survey demonstrates how exposure and demographics can cause the different views on racial issues and how these differences can be carry to maintain racism alive by enabling colorblind practices and other structural forces to cause discrimination. In the Pew Survey…
The child walks into the room afraid of all the very different and new things looking back at her. She cries profusely as her mother walks out the room kissing her forehead before departing. The little sad child looks around, and picks a quiet corner to hide away from the other kids around her. This is all happening while the mother too is behind the door crying along with her. It saddens her to leave her little girl there lost and confused in a world that is unknown to her.…
The Constitution arranged for tyranny by including separation of powers, federalism, and checks and balances. It is essential for us to see how the constitution makes preparations for oppression so we know our administration works while we are youthful so we are extremely learned when we are grown-ups. Likewise, so we could help oppression from happening furthermore to uphold it. It will the millennials of today that can change the tomorrows to come, and the restricted for America to hold on in being solid and effective is to ensure oppression doesn't degenerate the administering framework and take the country starting over from the beginning, like each one of those hundreds of years prior.…
For me, coming from a rural town in Pennsylvania, I was not even aware of some of the issues that I was presented with. I did not know about Robert Moses or white privilege, or even about how hard it is to live decently on minimum wage. So, I think that the most important thing to convey to students is that there are issues that they may not be aware of and that it is important to spread awareness. Besides focusing on specific and relevant social justice issues, I think that it is also important to convey to students the ways that a person can combat these social justice issues so that they themselves can take the next steps to combating them and helping the…
Emphasising on today 's multi-faceted society this essay will describe discrimination and oppression giving the effects it can have. It will then progress to evaluate the role of two informal measures in enhancing equality for one minority group within society. Today 's society is one that is multi-faceted. We now live in a world filled with difference, from race, to religion, from sexual preference to individuality.…
This course has already proven to be helpful because it has grown my knowledge on terms like privilege, power and oppression. It has offered new outlooks that I did not consider at the beginning of the semester. The terms and their influence exist not only in our society as a whole, but also in the classroom. It has taught me that education, even with the numerous attempts, is still not equal. As educators, especially with my focus in history, we have to be mindful of how diverse our classrooms can be.…