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"Coolest monkey in the jungle”

       Not long ago, H&M was involved in a controversial topic involving race when they chose to run an ad that involved a young black child wearing a hoodie with the words “coolest monkey in the jungle” labled in the front. The ad sparked like a wild fire causing so many to backlash against the famous clothing store, while many celebrities, such as the weeknd and G-Eazy, did the same by cutting whatever connections they had with the company. It is understandable for many people to have reacted the way they did with the company, as they chose to disregard the comparison that many racist people have made comparing black people to monkeys. Ugh, I cringed as I wrote that last sentence.

       The idea that a company with so much influence can run an ad like the one above without taking into consideration the times in which we live in is irresponsible! They deserved every bit of the backlash that they received. However, In response, H&M has since then apologized for their ad and has gone as far as to hire a diversity leader to help guide them in future ad campaign decisions. Taking responsibility for their actions in immediate response to the controversy was most definitely the right approach to the backlash. But is this enough to look past the drama? How about the fact that the mother of the young boy featured in the ad took no offense to ad? What then?

       Just the other day I found myself in H&Ms $8 t-shirt section. I’ll admit, the controversy did not cross my mind at the time. I looked between the shirts on the rack trying to find my size for the shirt I am currently wearing as I write this blog. Do I feel guilty for wearing one of their shirts? No. But that is the thing that I now think about sitting here as I write this piece. Am I supposed to stop shopping at the store? Should I discourage others to do the same? I believe that we as people, as human beings, do what is most convenient for ourselves. As I looked around the store trying to find what else I could get, I saw so many people around me doing the same. Many of them black male and females. 

       I guess the idea is to forgive and forget right? This is where the convenience sits in us. From personal experience, I choose to shop there because they have an $8 section that happens to have nice clothes. It’s up to each of you on whether or not you decide to shop at the clothing store. But hating on others for shopping at the store doesn’t sit well with me either. It isn’t about race for me! It is about convenience, as I am sure it was about convenience for the black male and female customers in the store that day. H&M chose a very poor way to reveal that hoodie, there is no doubt about that. But, I can’t say that it will be my last trip to an H&M store. What do you think?

Check out this link for more information: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/01/19/hm-faced-backlash-over-its-monkey-sweatshirt-ad-it-isnt-the-companys-only-controversy/?utm_term=.bb41dbf2addb 

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I Believe in the Power of Surveillance

        Are you familiar with Edward Snowden? If you’re not, let me tell you a little bit about who he is and why his existence is significant. Edward Snowden is a 34-year old male who worked for the US Intelligence Community, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency.  His significance, aside from the obvious impressive resume, is that he is currently being persecuted by the United States government for stealing government property and violating the 1917 Espionage Act. In other words, he exposed classified government information for the world to see. He is currently residing in Russia where he has been granted asylum through their government so that he is not extradited back to the United States. Why does his story matter? It matters because he has given our opposing countries and enemies one of their greatest tools in causing us potential harm: he has given them our vulnerability.  

        I believe that Edward Snowden was not only wrong, but he has placed our government at a disadvantage. Our government is what places the structure and order we live by on a daily basis. So, I believe it is important to protect it from people who will try and hurt it and it is why we must think of the bigger picture. We must embrace our governments surveillance! It has become such a vital need to the security of this country. Like most of you, the feeling of security is an essential part of what allows us to wake up each morning without the fear that many have tried to inflict in us through acts of war or terrorism. Therefore, I have felt the need to really think about the actions that people like Edward Snowden have taken against our government. After all, an act against the government in this manner is an act against our security and we are a crucial part in safe keeping that security.

       Steve Chapmen from the Chicago Tribune, has expressed that there is a “…vital interest at stake: the lives and safety of Americans. Snowden put them in jeopardy, through disclosures that did not justify the risk. National security is a central responsibility of our government. Many of his revelations undermined that mission.” Not only do people like Edward Snowden put our country and people at risk, but by doing so they betray it as well. Methods such as these become a sort of a cancer in our country and although at times it may be done with good intentions in mind, the individual may fail to realize that there is much more at stake. Placing people such as Edward Snowden in the wrong hands will possibly inflict a huge blow to us in the future. Now, Edward Snowden has become a liability in Russia, a country that has done everything in its power to undermine us and prosper from doing so. Think about the importance our government carries and the burden it bears with protecting its people. I am more than willing to sacrifice a little, if any, of my civil liberties to privacy in order to help maintain this country safe. In my opinion, Snowden exposed our vulnerability and we must discourage these types of actions.  

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The Social Experiment

          It is not unusual for us to walk into a classroom and begin observing the people around us. Analyzing the people to our left and to our right, in front of us and behind us, almost to the point of becoming judgements. Majority of the times, we do this because we don’t know the people who are sitting around us. It is almost as if we attempt to make up our own stories and ideas of who these people are, obtaining our own glimpse into the life’s these people might be living. Many of us do this, no matter the setting. From my own experience; it’s because I am trying to gain an understanding of the people around me. Basically, we form our own inferences of these people without really getting to know them. This is why the social experiment we did in my Intro to Communications class was amazing, and something I was not expecting. The results of the experiment proved to all of us how we each share different experiences, different from the one we might have assumed.

           The idea of this experiment was to ask specific questions to the class, all being answered by a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. The instructions? Everyone was instructed to stand in one line, all equally horizontal – one next to the other. We were instructed to look at the people around us, with the intention of remembering where each person was. Next, we were asked to step forward, for a ‘yes’ response, and backwards, for a ‘no’ response, without looking at our fellow students’ responses. Questions like: “If you identify as male, take one step forward.”, “If you identify as LGBTQA, take one step forward.”, “If you own your own car or home, take one step forward.”, “If you feel like you have ever been a victim of racial profiling, take one step backwards.”, “If you have ever been harassed take on step backwards.”. Questions of this nature went on and on. Asking one question after another that involved the true experiences that these people lived or are living. Nothing was off the table. Questions anywhere from race, gender, social class, and sexual orientation were asked in order gain a deeper understanding of the experiences people live, while keeping in mind the challenges we faced based on these things. The results were amazing.

           For the first time, I truly gained an understanding of the lives my fellow classmates were living. For the first time, I saw how wrong my inferences were. The people who I assumed would be furthest from the starting line, were closer to the beginning of the line than I was. I was truly shocked by this. I never truly comprehended where I was going to place in this social experiment and I was oblivious to the things I assumed. This social experiment was an excellent experiment that put into perspective just how influential our thoughts can be, while understanding just how wrong we can be about someone. How wrong we all were! I believe this experiment could be useful in many classes and I look forward to seeing where we all stand in my future classes.  

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Where I stand

          It’s interesting how much we have learned in class this semester. From the many stigmas, micro-aggressions, stereotypes, and everything in between that make a group of people feel unwanted and confused. Leaving people to question where they fall, in a world that lives by branding and grouping its’ people into thinking that they belong to one group over another. So, after many lectures and many thoughtful conversations with classmates, teachers, and friends, I have found myself feeling a sense of confusion myself. I have repeatedly asked myself: “where do I stand in all of this?”. Through many blogs in this class, I have tried to mirror the experiences of other people by sharing the stories and experiences I have heard in my classes, and even those outside of the classroom. Yet, during the two to three months of this course, I never once bothered to question my own challenges and experiences over my ethnicity and race. I want to change that in this last blog. Finally, answering where I fall into all of this.

           You could say that one of the most significant reasons as to why I never questioned this, is due to my own ideas. I have grown up in this world seeing the many labels and divisions that have lead this country into supplementing these ideas with more labels and more division, becoming an endless cycle. Because of this, I have done everything in my power to assure that I don’t fall into the same repetition. In other words, I convinced myself of living in my own idea of a liberal and judgment free world. However, by doing this, I somehow managed to numb all of my own pressures and challenges, ignoring what is so clearly around me. Living in a world where I neglected and suppressed my own feelings of confusion in this world. In my head, all I ever heard was: “I’ve never had to deal with that!”. Until recently I’ve realized that this is impossible, and worse than that, it became a lie I kept retelling.

           I noticed this idea recently, after learning more about the Hispanic and Latino stigmas in class and having many conversations with a friend. You see, I have always ‘struggled’ in identifying myself in the world as a Mexican male in America, apparently. According to my friend I’m not proud enough to be Mexican because I am not knowledgeable enough as a Mexican in America. I can’t disagree with half of the argument though. I don’t know much of the things my friends know because not only did we grow up in different times, we also grew up differently. Our stories are not one in the same. Everyone has a different story to tell, so I thought. You see there is a pressure here – between people of the same culture and ethnicity – that is being placed by people of similar backgrounds. Imagine, there are so many other issues going on in this world for my friends to focus on, but instead he chose to focus on such an insignificant idea; building up the idea of what a Mexican male is supposed to look like. Although I didn’t notice it at the time, I can see so clearly what was happening in those moments. I for one, will never be the perfect Mexican.

             Instead I choose to be who I am based on my own ideas and the experiences that have shaped me. Breaking away from all of the labels and divisions did me a lot of good, but blinded me from a lot of things at the same time. Through my experience in this class, I have gained a deeper understanding of the challenges that surround me, even when I am completely unaware. For that I am thankful. My future experiences will be filled with more than just an understanding of my surroundings, but also an understanding of where I stand in all of it.

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Becoming a Part of The Whole

         The Hispanic and Latino community is the largest minority group in the United States. But wait! There’s more. The Hispanic and Latino community is expected to double in size in just half a century. The numbers have been validated by many different sources, including by this county’s own census research studies. It’s interesting though, speaking of a minority such as this one. How so? Because although a minority group like this is considered a ‘minority’, based on the numbers, it has grown more than half (54%) of the total U.S. population growth from 2000 to 2014 than any other group. Yet, this group remains one of the most persecuted minorities in our country today. After many attacks from our very own president, it’s not a mystery as to why there is such confusion and hatred towards this group of people. Think about it! Hispanic and Latinos have been, literally, helping us built this country for as long as we can remember. Why is there so much anger towards these people? Don’t get me wrong. Trump didn’t begin this avalanche. Hatred towards a minority group, in general, has always existed.

           The media has played such an important role as to how Hispanics and Latino people have been portrayed in the U.S. Although, there has been a decrease as to how they are addressed in the media – and take this with a grain of salt-, there is still, more than ever, such a negative light being shed to this group of people, specifically to the people of Mexico. In case it isn’t clear yet; Trump had a lot to do with this. But again, it is important to emphasize that the media planted a seed that has bloomed to become the bases of racism towards Mexicans. Through the use of negative cognitive words and metaphors, the Mexican people are seen as animals. And this is no surprise, 66% of the stories told in the media over Hispanics and Latinos deal with problems of immigration and crime, using rhetoric and imagery negatively.

           In the media, words like ‘hunting them down’, ‘Mexican rapist’, and ‘druggies’ became very familiar words for news outlets to use when addressing the Hispanic and Latino community. It is no wonder that the American people themselves began to see them in the same way. In Hollywood, Hispanic and Latino men have had a history of being portrayed in a hyper violent tone. Murderers, rapist, and gang members became a Hispanic and Latino males’ prime role in Hollywood. Women were hypersexualized and hot-tempered in their roles, usually portraying the sexy maids or angry women who had no sense of controlling herself during her famous Hispanic/Latina rants. This became the Hispanic and Latino identity. For many decades, this was all this country offered to us.

           It saddens me though. We had come such a long way since all of this first began, constantly fighting the stigmas placed onto us. For a while we were on a roll. Until recently, it was like a flood of hatred and anger began to drown us - and for this I do blame Trump! He once again opened a door that flooded us into the dark thoughts that we, the Hispanic and Latino people, have fought so hard to rise above. Through many accomplishments, we have come to such lengths of finding our own identity in this country. But instead, we have been forced to take steps backwards and our people are constantly being attacked. There is no “We, the people…” in this America. There is only “They, the people…” But make no mistake though, we are growing and we are becoming an essential part of this country, with or without you, we are becoming a part of the whole!

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“Get Out!”

It was an absolute chaotic and baffling film. Not because the film itself was horrible, but instead, it was the writing and direction done with such thought and metaphor that captivated me. The film ‘Get Out’, address the reality of racism in Americas culture today, by applying a modern-day perspective to it all. Like my other posts before this, I don’t want to ruin such a poetic film for you by telling you the whole story. But I want to talk about how amazing this film was by its use of metaphors – something you can look for in the film, if you haven’t already spotted them. This film tackles the issues of racism in our country in ways that you probably didn’t expect, but it was how it was portrayed that forces me to tell you about it. So, I want to point out to you what I felt was most interesting about the film. Let’s begin!

           One of the most intriguing metaphors in the film was Rose’s fathers reference over Deer’s. In one scene, Chris – the main character – along with his girlfriend Rose, were telling Roses’ parents about their incident of hitting a deer while on their way to the parents’ home. Her father, addresses the incident by claiming that Deer were ‘ruining the ecosystem’ claiming that they were ‘taking over’. He went as far as to say that it was one less Deer to kill, one less Deer to hunt. Considering this film is about racism; the idea that a group of people are considered an abomination and less superior than another. What was the idea behind her fathers’ commentary over Deer? And was Deer the only thing that her father was referring to? As I watched the film, I couldn’t help but to feel that the movie was intentionally trying to send us a message here. A metaphorical message among many to come.

           Another metaphor, one that I found to be very ironic, became the exact thing that helped our protagonist, Chris, the most. As I sat there watching the film, I couldn’t help but to feel the disparity and fear that Chris was feeling, chained to a cotton filled couch that would become the very metaphor that would save his life. Right as the hypnotism began, Chris knocks out. His body, laying there as we watch him breath unconsciously, so we thought. Chris, using the cotton filled within the couch, manages to fill his ears with the cotton – avoiding the hypnotism and breaking free. Ironically enough, it was cotton that saved his life. Again, whether or not the director intended for this to be symbolic is beyond me, but It’s safe to say that this imagery and irony is expressed through metaphor as the film continues.

           If you can imagine the many stereotypical situations that minorities go through, specifically black Americans, you have a good idea of the scenarios presented to us in this film. This is why I didn’t want to talk about those scenarios, but instead wanted to point out the things you might not catch watching it. Whether they were intentional or not, I can’t say. But, nonetheless, it is interesting to note what you may have missed when you watched the film. What I have found most interesting when watching films now, compared to three months ago, is my ability to have a deeper understanding of what I am watching. This is something taught and not usually acquired in the same way you acquire genes. Fortunately, my Race, Gender, and Media class has allowed to examine material, such as this film, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the context that is presented in front of you. ‘Get Out’, was a perfect example of that understanding. So, when you watch the film, look for the things that don’t stand out. In other words, look deeper!  

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Mixing Sports + Politics

It was on November 9th, 2017 that I saw my first glimpse into a world that I am not very familiar with. In my Race, Gender, and Media class, our professor decided to show us a documentary called ‘Not Just a Game’. The documentary touches on professional sports history with many frustrating issues that have shaped and influenced our society, even today. In just a few examples, the documentary addresses the many challenges and roles that the LGBT community, gender, race, and politics in sports have faced. In the documentary, Dave Zirin, speaks about the many encounters that all of these groups of people have dealt with, and in some cases, are still dealing with. But, what has caught my interest the most in watching this documentary was how politics has played such a crucial part in all of it. To be more specific, the roles that athletes have played in politics, such as the great Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan. You see, these two great athletes, whose names will never go unnoticed, had either chosen to implement politics into their craft or chose to completely ignore politics in their professional careers. The biggest question I had after watching this documentary: should professional athletes mix sport and politics? And how did they benefit professionals like Ali and Jordan?

           What was so significant about Ali and Jordan was the way in which they both chose to address political issues occurring in their time. You see they both chose to handle their politics in very different ways. Ali faced ridicule and even jail time for taking his political stand against the Vietnam war, using his influence as a professional athlete to speak out against it. Ali did everything in his power, through his fame, claiming that the war was unjust and cruel. This became Ali’s mission; fighting not only a war on foreign soil, but the war of racism in his own country. He lost a lot during this time. Not only did Ali lose time while incarcerated, but Ali lost a lot of income form sponsorships. This is what is notably different between Ali and Jordan.

           Jordan, facing a time in which racism was very much an everyday struggle, did nothing during the prime time of his fame to address the problem occurring around him. In fact, Jordan made it clear that he did not want to upset his sponsorships by speaking his mind over issues such as racism. “Republicans buy shoes too.”, this became an infamous quote from Jordan himself, addressing his refusal to endorse a black democrat who was running for office during that time – the opposite party? A known racist republican. Jordan was known for not voicing his opinion, but rather maintaining his silence.

           Did Ali and Jordan do the right thing, by either directly addressing social issues or ignoring them? And how does this benefit infamous athletes, such as Jordan and Ali? Ali was a hero, Jordan chose his own benefits over everything. I strongly honor people like Ali. Those who choose to speak up and become advocates for social issues that need to be tackled in our society are admirable people. But those who have a platform, who are admired by millions and endorsed by dozens, who choose to speak up over social issues no matter the consequences, are heroes. Ali, was a hero. Jordan chose money over everything, even covering himself with the American flag during the 1992 Olympics because he was forced to wear a Rebook jacket. Why? Because his didn’t want to upset Nike, his most important sponsorship. You see Jordan, chose to stand up for something that benefited him, going as far as to use the American flag for a personal gain. Yet, for so long he chose to ignore the constant social issues that surrounded black Americans. It’s easy to say that Ali and Jordan used their fame in different ways, but whether they used their fame righteously is one’s own opinion.

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“Hidden Figures”

           “Yes, they let women do things at NASA, Mr. Johnson, and it’s not because we wear skirts. It’s because we wear glasses.” I believe it’s more than clear what Katherine Johnson, played by actress Taraji P. Henson in the Movie Hidden Figures, was trying to say when she spoke these words. If you have not had the privilege of watching this film, stop reading this now and go to your nearest Redbox. The screen play and acting of this film is amazingly written and portrayed. Now, I am no movie critic, but there is a purpose for which I chose to make this film as the central focus for my blog today. They began a movement that allowed black woman to move forward in our society and this is why their contribution is relevant.

             The movie focuses on three young and brilliantly smart black woman: Katherine Johnson who, again, was played by Taraji P. Henson, Dorothy Vaughan who was played by the amazing Octavia Spencer, and lastly Mary Jackson who was played by the talented Janelle Monae. The movie tells the story of three woman who worked for NASA in the 1960s during the time in which the Russian Soviet Union and the United States were battling for what is known as the ‘The Race for Space’. Katherine, Dorothy, and Mary were not only dealing with the challenges of being black Americans, where segregation still existed, but also woman who were still finding their voice in the male dominant work force. The challenges that these women faced and the barriers that they broke are what make their story so real. In the quotes above, Ms. Johnson addresses only a small part of the social structures that were a fundamental part of the problem; dealing with sexism and racism. 

           I don’t want to spoil the movie for you, so I will only mention a few things that made their story so significant. All of these women played such an important role into the wave of changes that were to follow later in its future. As I mentioned, the reason their story focuses on these women are because their movement involved one the most important programs in our country, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration. These women were not only known for being the first black woman to receive significant and important positions at NASA, but they were some of the first woman to have ever taken on roles that only men were known to have had during the 1960s. ‘The Race for Space’ required some of the most intelligent minds that NASA had to offer and this encouraged these women to empower themselves in order to obtain their goals. Slowly, as the movie progresses, you see these women taking an initiative despite their challenges, dealing with people who tried to suppress them because of who they were. To them, their race and gender would not limit them. This was a mindset that was not only uncommon, but ‘figures’ hidden. Again, I am not movie critic, but this movie is truly one of a kind. 

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The Role of Gay Men in Entertainment

“…She doesn’t even go here!”, said Damian. Yes, that is the famous, or should I say ‘fabulous’, gay character we all enjoyed watching on the big screen when he appeared in the 2004 pop culture film Mean Girls. Like most people, I was intrigued by the characters personality as he, a gay male, was being portrayed on the screen before us. Like most people, I laughed at the gay character that swung his hands from one side to another making facial gestures that matched his movements just as femininely. Like most people, I kept thinking of how radicicolous this character was, because in his eyes he dreamt of becoming the ‘Spring Fling Queen’ he was meant to be. Except… unlike most people, I didn’t realize what I was laughing at. I was just 12 years old when the movie first premiered and almost 14 years later, I still laugh at Damians’ persona. However, today, I don’t just laugh at Damians’ over the top gay character, but instead, I now have a much deeper understanding of what I was laughing at: the role of gay men in the entertainment industry.

           Innocently enough, we watch characters, such as Damian every day, who are portrayed and written into the entertainment world as the comedic relief or gay best friend we all need in a movie or TV show. Gay characters who are most likely written by people who have portrayed their own version of what a gay man in America looks like and their idea that this one-dimensional gay character is all that the we have to offer our audiences. Countless times we have seen Damians’ in shows like “Queer as Folk”, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, and “Will and Grace”, just to name a few. These roles, that have been stereotypically written into our subconscious, and have become the only roles we see portrayed in film, television, reality TV, and even radio, can be damaging. One of my biggest questions has always been why? There is just something about the super flamboyant gay character that makes them so entertaining to watch and listen to. At least that’s what the entertainment industry has presented to us.

Studies, conducted by psychologists at the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, have spoken directly about how “seemingly ‘positive’ stereotypes” can actually have a reversed effect on how we view gay men in our society. Not only can this be a danger for gay men, but also to the heterosexual mindset. Let me explain it on a personal level. I am a Broadcast Journalist major whose dream is to work in the entertainment field as a radio or television personality. Numerous times, while working on launching my career from podcasting to hosting, I’ve found myself questioning if I am just not “gay enough” to make it in my field. This might sound ridiculous reading I’m sure, but bear with me for a moment. It is not that I don’t believe in myself or that I am trying to discredit my fellow peers for their accomplishments, but being a gay man is not meant for Americas entertainment and certainly is not meant to be an act. In addition, ‘being gay’ and ‘being the right amount of gay’ are two separate challenges on their own and gay males like myself struggle in identifying ourselves in our industry. Think about it for a moment. Personalities such as, Ross Mathews from E! and Part Time Justin from the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, are pure testimonies of favored feminine gay personas. Where do I place myself in the mix? Should I act more this way? Should I talk more like this? Should I try to become someone that “they” would like to show on TV or on the Radio?  

It is important to note who or what “They” is and the responsibility they play in all of this. When I say “they”, I am referring to the obvious, the entertainment industry that began this pattern. “They” are the ones who need to begin to change the misrepresentation that the LGBTQ community faces. So, it is important to note why “they” play such a big part in this change. The entertainment industry has been responsible of sculpting the way our society views sexual orientation through their eyes. When you place one type of roll on TV shows and Movies constantly, you misrepresent the community as a whole. The entertainment industry must take responsibility for contributing in this type of favor. Because that is really what it has become, favoring one type of gay over another. This misrepresentation has become a pattern that is concerning for people like myself to feel confident in the entertainment industry. This is why I feel it’s so important to address the favoring that the industry is doing by dominantly placing one-dimensional roles across our shows, films, and so forth. Recognizing this trend will allow for a more diverse representation in the entertainment field, which is exactly what we need in order to move passed all the pre-established stereotypes.

Many organizations such as Glaad, have studied and fought for an equal representation of the LGBTQ community in TV and Film across the spectrum, which has made an impact so far. The goal is to get the idea out of peoples’ heads that all gay men are one way and that they all do not possess feminine qualities. I also want to add that my point in writing this essay is not to shame people who portray these qualities, but instead to show the flaw that the entertainment industry is guilty of by choosing and favoring specific type of gay characters and personalities over ANY members of the LGBTQ community. My point here is to talk about a pattern that has so easily slipped into the subconscious part of our minds. So that at the very least, the next time we laugh at a persona or fictional character, we know exactly what we are looking at; the role of a gay man in the entertainment industry.  

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What defines a man?

         I remember my father once telling me: “Mijo, uncross your legs. Only women sit that way! Are you a woman?”, he asked me. Of course, I immediately responded to my father with a big no. As I sat there, I remember thinking to myself that my father was a man’s man. At such a young age, I knew how to identify myself through him because my father input into me what his idea of a man was. As far as I knew, a real man never crossed his legs while he sat. A long with this, my father taught everything in between. What it meant to be the head of a household, how real man don’t wear feminine colors, and how a man should never play Barbie’s with his little sister. All of these things are a part of one big social construction that bases itself from traditional subconscious ideas that men were meant to be one specific way. So, at six years old, my father was beginning to teach me the ideas his father had bestowed onto him as a child. At six years old, I began to learn what it meant to be a man.

           Now, at the age of twenty-five, I look back at those moments and think about one specific question; “What and who defines what a man truly is?”. My generation has come a long way since those conversations took place. Now, men cross their legs all the time, young men take care of their families because their fathers walked out on them, real men wear pink, and playing dolls with your little sister is considered a sweet gesture. You see, the idea that a man is supposed to be one way over another is an idea that has been socially constructed. The ideas that are placed into our society are simply that, ideas. We as people place these constructions and restrictions onto ourselves, so these ideas will always have the potential to change if we want them to.

           I look back at my life since the age of six. My father has since walked out on my mother and my siblings, I took on my father’s role in being there for my younger siblings and my mother, and I’m now married to my husband. My father taught me what a man is supposed to be like at the age of six, while he himself chose to forget. Looking back at these moments remind me that my father was socially constructed to believe in ideas that he himself didn’t believe in. An idea, like any other, can be sculpted. In the same way, I chose to sculpt my own idea of what a man is supposed to be, not based on the social structures I was taught to believe in at such a young age. Imagine, the world I would have restricted myself to live in only to end up like my father.

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Have we been teaching our children to ignore race/racism?

     From generation to generation we have taught ourselves, family, and most importantly our children how important it is that we don’t judge someone based on how they look or the color of their skin. Most of us have been used to the idea that we are doing the right thing by not practicing these type of judgments. Which is an idea that is partially right. But on the flip side, have we been teaching acceptance the wrong way? Have we been teaching our country and its children to accept race fallaciously by purposely choosing to ignore the color of someones skin? Are we choosing to not acknowledge race, the very thing that has driven our country and its people to become divided? Race and the color of someones skin DOES matter in this America. So, it’s obvious that it should matter to us. The question we need to ask is not why, but how? How we deal with race?

     I first gained this idea when I saw a Tim Wise documentary called “White Like Me.” Yes, if you read my last blog you’ll see that I quote an idea from Tim Wise that I myself had never really thought about until recently. He says to us; “The answer is being color conscious. Not color-blind.” So, what does this mean? and how is this relevant? When I read these words, it makes me think of an idea so powerful. In my first blog, my point was to acknowledge white privilege and its level of influence when you have more White people acknowledge its existence. I spoke about how this idea has the potential to create a prominent movement towards a true understanding between people and race. So, when I think about Tim Wise words, I recognize a pattern of ignorance that must be addressed in order for us to truly understand how to wholeheartedly accept someone for who they are. 

      You see, when I look at someone and look at the color of their skin, I also have a natural assumption of judgment on who they are. Like you, however, I was taught to never judge someone based on the color of their skin or because they didn’t look like me. Just like you, I was taught that the color of someones skin should not matter. Why? Because like my mother always said in the simplest of words: “Mijo, never judge someone because of how they look!.” I know that my mother was only teaching me what she was taught to think. As my grandmother taught my mother, my mother was doing the same by teaching us something that she sincerely didn’t understand herself. To be completely honest, It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I had this epiphany. With this in mind, it has completely shaped the way I choose to acknowledge someone by acknowledging what I was taught to ignore. When I look at a young Black, Brown, and White man or woman, I judge them because of what I choose to see. When I look at them, I choose to embrace the color of their skin. For a quick moment, I see their dark complexions that have been defined by our society as the minorities we have come to recognize as such. For a moment, I see a glimpse of their struggles.

       In this lies a true power for change. Choosing to acknowledge someone because of the color of their skin is a true contributor in the fight for racial equality by helping and shaping how we choose to acknowledge the problems that are rooted so deeply in this country. If race does not matter than why do we have a problem in the first place? Learning to recognize the struggles that minorities face is acknowledging the color of their skin. Learning to recognize the struggles that minorities face is learning to have a natural presumption of who they are. The point here is not to teach our future generations to ignore the color of someones skin. Why? Im glad you’ve read this far because this is what I am trying to get to. Because ignoring the color of someones skin, is choosing to ignore the struggles that defines them. Because ignoring the color of their skin is choosing to erase the people who have fought for their rights and freedom. We almost belittle their existence. When you say to me: “I don’t see skin color.” You’re saying to me: “I don’t see you!” Let us erase this contradiction from our minds. Because this is a contradiction and a contribution to a stand still idea that ignoring race works. The idea that by ignoring race, we can move forward to a more equal America is unrealistic. This is because race and its history cannot be erased. It is too complex for that. 

      For such a long time, I myself was used to this pre-contstructed idea that by ignoring race we could strive for a more racially equivalent America. But after just a few weeks of studying the way our social structure has been constructed to believe in ideas such as these, I have seen that our society has only made conformities and not real change. We, now more than ever, need to remember that race has been a part of American history from the very beginning. If race did not matter, our history from the beginning would have handle race differently. It is because of this that we have to re-analyze how we have taken racism into our lives. Do we want real change or just conformities? Are we taking steps forward or backwards when we teach our children to ignore the color of someones skin? Real change begins with us and how we pass on traditions and customs to our future generations. It begins with how we approach racism. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge racism, its existence, how we deal with it, and how we can move forward with it. There is no right answer as to how we are supposed to deal with race/racism. But my point with this is to start a crucial conversation on how we may be guilty of subconsciously contributing into ignoring it. Again, “The answer is being color conscious. Not color-blind.”

[joelmiwa-blog]

“White Like Me”

         Look at your hands for a moment. What do you see? Stop for a moment! No seriously. Pause for a moment, glance at your hands, close your eyes and take a deep breath cause it’s about to get real. What color is your skin? “Black”? “White”? “Brown”? Generally speaking, when I look at my own skin, I sometimes forget that the tone of my skin matters. I fail to realize that I am defined by the color of my own skin. When I look at my hands and see my skin I just see hands, but when other people look at my skin what do they see? It’s not that I don't recognize who I am, but rather I don't ever think about what my skin color means or the value that it holds. To you it might mean nothing, but what if it means everything? Let me elaborate on this.

        Recently, in my Race Gender and Media class, we watched a documentary called “White Like Me.” A documentary self-titled from the novel written by Tim Wise, published on December 21st, 2004. To sum it up for you, Tim Wise discusses his book in this documentary speaking about what it means to have what is known as white privilege. In other words, he speaks about all of the things that white America fails to offer minorities in our country. Tim speaks from everything in between The Civil Rights Movement to our first black President. If his name didn’t give it away, it’s interesting to note that Tim Wise is actually a white American himself; one who recognizes his privilege of being a white straight male in America. 

        During his documentary, Tim asks a group of college students: “What does it feel like to be white in America?” Think about this for a moment! This question, that baffled the students who were asked, is asking a group of all white students what it feels like to be white. What does it mean to have what’s considered “White” and pale skin in a country where this is an ultimate privilege. Its purpose was to make these students think about what it really means to be who they are where they are. Most of the students had little to no response as they all sat there repeating the question to themselves. A question that had little to no response by them would have a completely different reaction if it were directed to a group of minorities. What does it mean to be Black in America? What does it mean to be Mexican in America? What does it mean to be Middle-Eastern in America? All of these questions have an immediate impact on all of these people. 

       Our society is stuck on an unconscious racial bias system, meaning we as people have built up a pattern in which we have immediate judgments about people based on the color of their skin and race. This is to say; we are a society that has been constructed to think differently about each other. Unfortunately, we are all guilty of it. Yes, including yourself, but don't feel too bad! As Tim Wise stated:  “The answer is being color conscious. Not color-blind.” “White Like Me” is a great documentary that reassures us that white privilege is a real thing. Learning to recognize an idea as powerful as this one can be so useful within communities and divisions amongst people.

       Imagine what can be accomplished with recognizing an Idea with this magnitude of influence! For a moment, when you glance at your hands again, recognize the power your skin color has over you. I hope this blog isn’t read and understood in just one way, because this is not at all my intention. However, recognizing that the color of your skin, especially when it is “White”, can actually make a difference in the same way that Tim Wise does because he recognizes this idea. It can make all the difference in the world when you choose to enlighten yourself and the world around you.