Week 6 Blog

This past week I attended one of the Black History Month events hosted on campus. Soledad O'Brien, a CNN commentator, was brought to campus as a speaker. My only reference of O'Brien was from seeing her host the "Black in America" documentary on CNN. After listening to her introduction, I learned that she did three segments of the "Black in America" documentary, as well as a "Latino is America", and a few other documentaries I was not familiar with.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from hearing O'Brien speak. I remember when the "Black in America" documentary came out; a discussion was hosted on my undergrad campus to talk about it. One of the things that I remember being repeated several times was, "She don't even look black..." At the time I definitely agreed, so I guess in some sense I wanted to hear her speak so I could understand what this woman could tell me about being Black in America when she didn't even look black.

I can tell you that I was not disappointed. No, she didn't choose to focus on her genealogy, explaining to the audience what made her "black". She shared that her mother was Cuban and Black and her father was White and Italian, Irish, (I can't recall). After that, her conversation moved on to much more important topics. I felt that much of what she spoke about that night was related to many of the issues we are currently discussing in class.

She talked about leadership and how we are all able to be leaders. She noted that MLK Jr. was not some amazing man that no one else can ever be. She shared that he was a just a regular man, someone who would rather talk about his kids than work, but when the time came for someone to step up, he did. This made me think about chapter two and three in Soul of a Citizen. She shared a quote from Dante's Inferno, that the hottest place in hell is reserved not for those who made the decision to do something wrong, but for those who simply stand by and do nothing (paraphrased). This made me think about our bystander discussion in class. She talked about how one day she saw her mother stay after school at the school she taught, standing in the hallway as several White administrators were having a discussion with a young Black boy. She shared that at this time desegregation was still occurring, and it was apparent that no one really wanted the Black boy in their school. O'Brien’s mother stood in the hall way with these administrators and the boy, not moving after they told her she could go, just because she recognized the power she had as a witness to whatever injustice may have occurred to that young man. This made me think about the power we each have to make a difference if we effectively use the skills we have.

I felt that overall, O'Brien's message was powerful and inspiring. Her message was essentially simplistic but it resounded with me. She really made me feel as though I can make a difference. One thing that stood out to me was another quote she used, this one from MLK. She shared the he said once we have found our skill, we must use this skill to make a difference, use it like G-d has ordained us to do so. I agree. I'm not sure what my skill is yet. But I know that I have one. I know that once I recognize this skill and begin to hone it, I will be able to make a difference. I hope that I begin to do that soon.

Week One Blog



These are all descriptions of the person I identify myself to be. These identities define me and many times affect the way I act or the way I think.  I believe that my cultural identity is shaped by the characteristics that I portray in relation to the experiences I’ve had. There have been some great and some bad experiences associated with these identities, but they make me who I am today.

Week Five Blog

Week Five Blog

                So I’ve been meaning to watch the Erin Brockovich movie ever since it came out but just never got around to doing it. I finally watched the movie tonight, and I must say it was an excellent movie to watch. There were a few ideas that we have read in the text that showed up in the movie. I think one chapter that stuck out in my mind as I watched the movie was Chapter Three. Loeb writes about  the power of conviction that occurs when citizens take a stand for their beliefs. In the movie, Erin faced several deterrents that could have stopped her from reaching her ultimate goal. Family issues, threatening phone calls, lack of respect and knowledge, etc. were all issues that she encountered as she tried to make a positive change. She found within herself the conviction necessary to make sure she kept the promises that she made to each of the clients she was working with.

                I think that in the movie you see Erin go through a growth as she learns and matures. While Erin never really changes who she is as a person, she begins to learn and understand more overtime. She commits herself to doing the necessary background research in  order for her to understand what was going. I was impressed that instead of simply ignoring the inconsistencies of having medical and real estate files together, she did more background research and looked into what was going on. She went to the university and found a professor who could explain to her the information she found. She went to the factory site and gathered evidence to prove her points. I feel that many times we don’t want to the dirty grunt work necessary in order to even begin tackling the major problems.

                I also really respected Erin’s commitment not only to making a difference but to her clients as well. She went to each of their houses and got to know them personally. She knew their stories. She met their families and developed relationships with each of them. It was not just about the money. She wanted to make a difference in these individuals’ lives because they deserved the opportunity to live a better life than the one they were currently enduring. Even when she was sick, she went in to the office to work because one of the client’s husbands called her. I think that amount of dedication not just to the theory or a cause but to the individuals being affected is astounding. Sometimes I feel that we get so overwhelmed with the bigger picture that we forgot about the individuals who are being affected by our actions.

                I thought that the movie was inspiring. I feel that Erin is a regular individual like me. Sometimes movies have a way of making these heroes seem smarter, better, more mature, more focused, etc. than regular everyday individuals. I felt that the movie did a great job in keeping Erin a regular down-to-earth person who makes mistakes. I thought it was great that we got to see how her job had an effect on her children and relationship with George. It helped me to realize that everyone faces issues such as those while trying to bring about change. I can truly say that this movie really opened my eyes.

Week Four Blog

Week Four Blog

                This week I am to lead the discussion for the chapter review in the text book, Soul of a Citizen. This chapter is entitled “Village Politics”. After reading the chapter, I thought that the book brought up several interesting points that I agreed with. One thing that really stuck out to me in the text was when the book began talking about how a sense of community is disappearing in society. For awhile now, I have been thinking that we live in a very individualistic society. It seems that everyone is really more concerned with themselves and what’s going on in their own lives more than helping others. I know for  me this was a huge issue at my undergraduate institution. I always felt as though everyone was more focused on themselves and what was going on in their small part of the world. What about the larger issues that affect all of us? One thing that always stuck out to me was how Black students always wanted to complain that the university didn’t do anything for them. They felt that they were not being represented or that their voices weren’t being heard. I have to agree with that to a certain point. Since we are a very small minority, every program is not going to be tailored with keeping Black students in mind. I can understand the frustration though where it feels like all the major artists, programs, events, plays, etc. aren’t really trying to reach out to a diverse audience. But the way I see it, if we, Black students, aren’t involved in trying to make changes to these programs then nothing is ever going to change. It seemed like Black students found their own little communities and stayed there. I feel like we only had friends or join groups that had people who looked like us, talked us, liked the same things we like, etc. What about the larger community as a whole? How about stepping outside your comfort zone and joining the student government or programming board? I know that joining these predominantly white orgs. Is somewhat intimidating, but if we don’t attempt to develop a sense of community with everyone, we will never be involved in bringing about change. I don’t know, but sometimes I feel as though technology is separating us more than bringing us together. It’s like, if I can go on facebook and find ten black people who are into the same things I’m into and hang with them, I have no reason to step outside of the environment I’ve always know and try something new even if I’m constantly surrounded by different groups of people. I can be in a class or group with people of all different ethnicities, but if I can text or tweet or facebook someone who looks exactly like me no matter how far away they are, I never really have to develop a relationship with the people I’m surrounded by. I think it’s important to attempt to begin developing the community that has deteriorated over time. Community is important to developing the individual as a whole!

Week Three Blog

Week Three Blog

                This week’s discussion focused on the communities we belong to. As I was thinking about what community to describe that I belong to, I began to realize that I belong to a variety of different communities. Sometimes, I find that the different communities I belong to have conflicting ideas or beliefs though and that can be frustrating to deal with. For example, in my religion, Seventh Day Adventist, homosexuality is wrong. And while I am not a homosexual, I do believe that everyone  has the right to be who they are and their relationship with G-d, or lack therefore, is between them and whoever they may or may not believe in. I remember over last Thanksgiving, I was speaking to my cousin about this. She could not understand how I could say I loved G-d and believe in what’s written in the bible but I was ok with homosexuality. Another frustration I have is that in my religion, I am told that women cannot be pastors because the bible states that men should be the spiritual leaders in the household. At the same time, as a feminist, I feel that women are just as capable as any man to lead a church and serve as a spiritual leader. It’s very hard sometimes when the different beliefs of the multiple communities I belong to begin to conflict. Which side do I pick? What role should I play? If I chose to belong to one community does that mean I must adhere to every rule or social norm dictated by that community? What about communities I have not chosen to be a part of, I just happen to be a part of them? Such as being a woman. I don’t know how many times I have been told to act like a lady, where a dress, learn how to cook, etc. Does the fact that I don’t adhere to all these rules make me less of a woman? I find it frustrating sometimes that simply belong to a community. I wonder how others handle dealing with these contradictions that occur in relation to the communities they belong to.

Week Two Blog

Week Two Blog

                I think that the article this week made me begin thinking about adult education and what it means to the larger community. I feel that the community is really a place where learning can and should take place. For example, recently in my neighborhood a new community center was built for young adults. I went over to see what the community center was all about. I was told that the center was used to provide classrooms to individuals who wanted to host lessons. There were classes for young mothers, GED programs, etc. I also loved that there was a dance studio and even a record studio where budding artists and musicians could create their music. There was an art room for students to take art classes. I was told that if you had a proposal and curriculum, you could present a class to board that you would like to teach and upon approval, you would be designated a class room and time. I thought that was so cool.

                I notice that after school, many teenagers in the neighborhood used the community as an after school place to hang out. During the day, the center was used mostly by older adults taking different classes. I thought that this center provided the community not only with a different place to go but also a place to continue learning. What stuck out to me, after reading the article and reflecting on the community center, was that there are so many ways in which this center could be utilized as a learning community. Right now, since the center is still fairly new, I don’t think that it is being used to its full potential. In the future though, I can see this center becoming an excellent community to continue facilitating development and learning in members of the community. I also do not believe that learning is always simply about reading and writing, GED classes or college preparation. These things are important as well. But I think learning how to be a mature individual, what it means to be a man or a woman, how to appropriately use technology, sexual health and safety, physical health education, etc. are issues that often times ignored. I feel that these are lessons people need, especially in community. I feel that especially now schools are focused on preparing students to successfully pass standardized test so that the school doors are not shut down. Leadership, analytical, critical thinking skills, etc. are not the focus and are sometimes forgotten about. These community centers can be used to supplement these lessons. It is important that these learning communities focus on issues that are currently affecting their members on a day-to-day basis. I hope that the community center in my neighborhood provides these opportunities to individuals that have found a home within their building. One day I hope to be able to teach a class if I am able to.