Reflection Paper
Introduction
Within the American class system exist a system of oppression, in which power and privilege is concentrated among a dominant group with specific characteristics. In the Adams readings he explains some of the dominant group characteristics to include being an older, able body, heterosexual, white male. Throughout my academic experience in higher education, I have bare witness to the many systems of oppression that have limit minority groups that include being discriminated in my undergraduate experience. At my current job position as a Student Program Advisor for the University of Southern California (USC), Education Talent Search (ETS) Program, I have power and privilege with my position over my students, as well …show more content…
At first when I interacted with my classmates, I would see that my privilege of being light skin and speak my English fluently allowed me befriend many people. Though, once I began to disclose my Mexican cultural and my low socio-economic up bringing, I began to notice micro-aggressions began to popup in our conversations. The micro-aggressions escalated to individual forms of racism on the part of my classmates in my discussion section that began to contextualize my intelligence and acceptance into UC Berkeley by means of affirmative action (Pincus, p.31). The individual racial comments persisted to include stereotypical associations to myself and events, such as Cinco de Mayo. Thankfully the individual racial comments were not institutional or structurally reinforce by UC Berkeley as I had professors and teachers assistance that tried to maintain a safe space environment (Pincus, p.32-33). In reference to Iris Young and her “Five Faces of Oppression”, after the Cinco de Mayo event, I had experience methods of exploitation and cultural imperialism of my socio-cultural identity through the non-mexican Cinco de Mayo parties held on my dormitory floor ( p.37-38). It was at each party that I felt powerless and marginalize for the university to have let something like this occur (Young, p.40-42). The only face of oppression that did not occur was the presence of violence as the day was not to be taken seriously though the outcome of what the day resulted with was very serious (Young, p. 43-44). The situational experience did not cause me to change “positonality” in reference to my socio-cultural identity, but it allowed me insight of how individuals forget to acknowledge their privilege when interacting with others (Crenshaw, p.1245-1257). At my current advising position with the USC Trio
Introduction
Within the American class system exist a system of oppression, in which power and privilege is concentrated among a dominant group with specific characteristics. In the Adams readings he explains some of the dominant group characteristics to include being an older, able body, heterosexual, white male. Throughout my academic experience in higher education, I have bare witness to the many systems of oppression that have limit minority groups that include being discriminated in my undergraduate experience. At my current job position as a Student Program Advisor for the University of Southern California (USC), Education Talent Search (ETS) Program, I have power and privilege with my position over my students, as well …show more content…
At first when I interacted with my classmates, I would see that my privilege of being light skin and speak my English fluently allowed me befriend many people. Though, once I began to disclose my Mexican cultural and my low socio-economic up bringing, I began to notice micro-aggressions began to popup in our conversations. The micro-aggressions escalated to individual forms of racism on the part of my classmates in my discussion section that began to contextualize my intelligence and acceptance into UC Berkeley by means of affirmative action (Pincus, p.31). The individual racial comments persisted to include stereotypical associations to myself and events, such as Cinco de Mayo. Thankfully the individual racial comments were not institutional or structurally reinforce by UC Berkeley as I had professors and teachers assistance that tried to maintain a safe space environment (Pincus, p.32-33). In reference to Iris Young and her “Five Faces of Oppression”, after the Cinco de Mayo event, I had experience methods of exploitation and cultural imperialism of my socio-cultural identity through the non-mexican Cinco de Mayo parties held on my dormitory floor ( p.37-38). It was at each party that I felt powerless and marginalize for the university to have let something like this occur (Young, p.40-42). The only face of oppression that did not occur was the presence of violence as the day was not to be taken seriously though the outcome of what the day resulted with was very serious (Young, p. 43-44). The situational experience did not cause me to change “positonality” in reference to my socio-cultural identity, but it allowed me insight of how individuals forget to acknowledge their privilege when interacting with others (Crenshaw, p.1245-1257). At my current advising position with the USC Trio