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Within our society, culture has evolved over the years and shifts within our culture are apparent due in part to social media that has influenced these changes. Over the years it has been apparent that social media has been a major influence in media channels, networking, social dynamics, and increased connections, among others. Instagram is one of many social media platforms that has been used and favored by many, especially within the last couple of years. Users of the platform can use pictures and videos to create content to reach a wide audience by marketing themselves, brands, or company to the viewers around the account. This is relevant to the course because technology is being used to display a visualization of race, ethnicity, and gender that is presented to the wide audience that views the post or content on a page. Technology is at the forefront of our society, and it has shaped our knowledge and created a “material culture.” While we are provided with social media to express ourselves and introduce pictures and videos created for an altered reality through social media. We can see just how visual media presents the “truth” of race through content and how it gives a clear description of our society and culture around us today. This relates to the course, readings, and lecture because technology, social media, and art are ways of expression towards current events and societal issues that have influence on majority of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and culture around us. Like Damon Davis’ ‘Power of Image’, the images he selected to display all over West Florrisant Avenue was more than just printed images. He used art to express the symbol of “hands up” to communicate what Michael Brown was doing before he was fatally shot on August 9. Not only did this attract the community’s attention, but the media as well. Davis used art to explain the issue at hand with the police and the issues that surrounded the case that resulted in the death of Michael Brown. Social media follows the idea of communicating race, gender, class, ethnicity, and social issues by allowing users to become immersed in content that relates to their post or is filtered throughout the platform. Through popular culture, the intersectionality between race, class, gender and ethnicity has opened new perspectives and communicated ideas that are now more than ever embraced throughout our culture.  

Works Cited

Login • Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/instagram/.

Cheney-Rice, Zak. “Ferguson Now Has The Most Powerful Street Art in America.” Mic, Mic, 24 Nov. 2014, https://www.mic.com/articles/104908/ferguson-now-has-the-most-powerful-street-art-in-america.

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The first major film that features most of the cast of Chinese descent, Crazy Rich Asians is a comedy-drama film centered around Rachel Chu and her boyfriend Nick Young when they get invited to Nick’s best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Rachel finds out quickly that Nick is a Singapore socialite because of his family’s wealth. The display of class and wealth sets Rachel apart from the rest of the socialites that are associated with Nick, and the overly jealous behaviors of the socialites and Nick’s mother’s extreme disapproval of Rachel. This film relates to our course topics because of the theme of societal and class approval that is heavily portrayed. While the film starts with setting the scene in Singapore, we can see that Nick’s mother has to prove her status by using her husband’s status at the hotel after being denied. While doing so, the hotel staff realizes who her husband is and what kind of wealth they have after the hotel is sold to them that night. As the film focuses on America, you can see scenes with Rachel and Nick blending in with society and the American culture that surrounds them. Once they step foot in Singapore, everything changes for Rachel as she is trying to grasp the concept of “fitting in”. Rachel also portrays a sense of fitting in when she and her mother are out shopping for a dress that would be pleasing for Nick’s family in order to appeal to the Chinese accustomed. This generates the conversation of ethnicity and class through the idea of moving from Singapore to the U.S, especially on Nick’s behalf growing up to adulthood. The SADDA’s Project highlights the way South Asians traveling across the country carrying history and accustoms to the U.S. This is showcased through the film to properly introduce the idea of travel and customs that are widely spread beyond the present country or city where one is from. Also, the Young family are featured in the film for having high class and riches throughout all of Asia and how they travel around the world. Throughout popular culture, you can be attentive to the fact that ethnicity and class is an important view to consider when valuing these aspects that present the narrative of the movie.  

Works Cited

“Crazy Rich Asians.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 15 Aug. 2018, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104988/.’

“South Asian American Digital Archive (Saada).” South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA), https://www.saada.org/.

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A 90's African American sitcom with a focal point on the young Will Smith from a difficult neighborhood in West Philadelphia. From the theme song, you gather information on Will as his mother got “scared” and told him that he’s “moving in with his uncle in Bel-Air.” This show displayed a more diverse means of entertainment as it presented an all-African American family unit and surrounded around their lives. In conjunction with Peggy McIntosh’s White Privilege Checklist, this show defied the list. The bold aspects of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air provided people with a more diverse means of the family while also tackling societal issues in popular culture. From an African American-based neighborhood to an upper-class neighborhood, you can see how Will carries his roots with him as he lives with Uncle Phil’s family. It is interesting to notice the environment in Bel-Air, as it portrays proper mannerisms and characteristics that try to influence Will for the better. Throughout the show, race, class, interracial marriage, class identity and prejudice make a clear stance within the episodes. This generates the conversation of how this show used class status to look at race in a different light. Prejudice of African Americans was defined as it depicted the societal issue of lower to upper-class representations. Will and Carlton represent that through the show. Will came from a rough neighborhood, this establishes his ethnicity as he portrays the persona of a carefree, young, wild, and adventurous 20-year-old. While Carlton is defined by class and proper character, an example of division of both class and race. In popular culture, this show provided the audience with insight into the idea of race and ethnicity identities that were defined clearly through the characters and the setting of the show. This exposed the audience to an uncommon family unit as white households were seen as the norm. Engaging the viewers with Will and family paved the way to talk about a multitude of issues outside of the typical white household. Socioeconomic values are defined clearly throughout each episode by pointing out the differences between Will and Bel-Air which shape Will’s character.  

https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2099166489?

Works Cited

“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 10 Sept. 1990, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098800/.

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