Cultural Autobiography part 2

Taking this class changed my story since the beginning of this course. When I first started this course the beginning if the semester I was not really fond of other races. I was only used to being around people of color and people of my own descent. This part of me was not done by choice; it was my parent’s choice to enroll me into African American immersion based schools, which lead to that. But taking this course changed that. I’ve never been surrounded on a regular basis by a group of diverse individuals. I’ve learned that if I had the option I would have definitely preferred a diverse campus/environment instead of my parent’s decision of African American immersion schools. This course gave me the opportunity to develop a wider perspective and way of looking and thinking of other races. Before this class I’ve never thought that any color skin made one better than the other of have I ever had negative feelings about another race not only because I’m not a racist, but because I’ve never had to really interact with them. During the course of this semester I’ve gotten many different insights and thoughts of other races that I probably would have never realized or found out if I never took this class. At the end of the day I’m proud that I declared my minor of ethnic studies.

The islamerica event was one that I attended. It also placed a change on my cultural autobiography in a few ways. The first was presenting me with a great amount of knowledge and a greater feeling of what other people have and are struggling with today. It’s like now that I’ve experienced all that I have this semester I now have a heart and a feeling for other races than my own.

 

 

Minority Inequalities Blog #5

The research that I am presenting in my final research paper is dealing with minority women in the workplace. While conducting my research I ran across an article titled Minority Women face double jeopardy of workplace harassment. In summary this article was a study done at the University of Toronto. The researchers were interested in two theories of harassment: additive and multiplicative. The study consisted of surveying workers at three male dominated manufacturing plants and three female dominated social service organizations. In conclusion the author proved that minority women are harassed more than others. This article applies to my research because as I stated before my topic is minority women in the workforce and how they are perceived, valued and rewarded. I hope to use this research to continue with my findings that there are gender as well as race inequalities on the workforce against African American women.

Blog #4 the Indian Question

  While reading the Indian question there were a few things that stood out to me.  The first thing that amazed me was not surprising that the white men again were raping people of their freedom and human rights. The fact that the Indians and their spiritual dance actually scared and threatened them is a joke to me. I’m still not sure or clear how in the world men who are thought to be so bold and daring can be threatened by individuals who just danced! I feel like it’s just another one of their ways of making an excuse to be the greedy individuals that they have always been. The Indians never interfered or attempted to do anything that the white men did or had, so it upsets me that they were treated the way that they were treated for no reason at all. It was always the white man’s duty to try and make everyone civilized, or in other words like them! I don’t believe that they ever accepted anyone else’s ethnicity or culture but their own. The Indians tried their best to defend themselves and their land but nothing worked. The whites knew that they didn’t stand a chance at war with them and still attacked them with full force and no mercy. Not only did they attack the men but killed babies, children, and women. How cool is that?!  They even tried to run and the whites knew that but didn’t cared that just made the attack much easier, “they shot us like we were buffalo’’ page 230. This chapter was apparently very disturbing for me, and left clear images of torture in similarity to the chapter borders pages 191 to 221. The question that I would like to raise is who if anyone would ever be able to be equal to the white man?

Deeper Than Skin

The issue that I would like to raise is one that I find quite fascinating! While doing my reading I found out that the Irish and the blacks were somewhat on the same boat back in history. It was even said that they shared some of the same characteristics such as '' their subservience, their flattering, their lying, and their pilfering..." (page 149) both groups of people were considered ''outcasts", and sometimes the immigrants were described as ''Irish niggers'' (page 150) the point imp trying to get at is that the Irish and the blacks were so much alike in so many different ways. I feel like with the population and work force consisting of mainly blacks and Irish that they could have stuck together and fought for their rights that were not properly being given to them and overcame the harsh and unruly treatment that they both were receiving from the whites. once upon a time the Irish and the blacks treated one another with sympathy and saw each other as equal but that was only to last a short time. The whites did what they did best and that’s brainwashed the Irish and basically turned them against the blacks and into one of them! It was quite sad for me to read that the Irish turned on the blacks (page 152) only to be neglected, mislead, and manipulated! After the Irish turned on the blacks it was like they were never even equal or shared sympathy for them at all. It was like they forgot where they came from and I think it was a poor shame. Its one thing to grow and overcome an obstacle but it’s another to forget where you came from. It was once a time in history where the Irish were hired to do dirty hazardous jobs because the slave masters didn’t want to risk the lives of their slaves. '' Its dangerous work", "a Negroes life is too valuable to be risked at it, if a Negro dies it is a considerable loss....."  But yet and still the Irish turned completely against the blacks with hoping that the transformation from their ethnicity to another would place them in a better situation. Fact is they were wrong! And in some instances the Irish even regretted their situations!   If the two groups of people were so similar to one another what was it that the blacks didnt have for them to be accepted as well! To conclude I’m raising the question why couldn’t they come together instead of give in to the "white" people?

Entry #2

An issue discussed in the reading that i decided to blog about was one that captured my attention from the beginning. i discussed this briefly in class in response to reading the chapter but Ive decided to elaborate upon it more. For starters the chapter clearly explains that slavery was established well before we were all made to believe so, and the story in great depth explained and elaborated and clarified s much for me. the thing that bothered me the most is that the black slaves were treated like the scum of the earth. Not only were they belittled from the start but it fascinated me that there ere also white slaves and even while slaves they were still treated differently from black slaves. the black slaves cost less, and had to work the most. In the book when blacks and whites attempted to escape but were captured it was the black slave who was actually penalized. the blacks were treated as if they were animals, i in fact believe that in the minds of their masters and the other white people they were animals. "A colonist in Massachusetts attempted to breed his two African slaves" pg 58 I guess what I'm trying to say is that blacks were never thought to have their freedom or be treated equal no matter what the circumstances were! I also discovered not only were the Africans treated without dignity or respect but so were the Indians. In chapter 4 "Toward the Stony Mountains" the Indians were forced to leave the land that was meant more than the world to them. " To do what they (whites) called civilizing us, getting rid of our old ways and  language and names would make us like white men. But why should we want to be like them, cheaters and greedy?...." pg 104  I find it very disturbing that the whites pretty much tried to take over everything while not realizing or considering the lives and generations they are punishing, and not even giving credit to the Indians or the Africans at all!  My question to you is What made them so much better than everybody else?

Me.. Me.. and more me...!

My name is Dynasty Hill. I was born December 18 1989 in Milwaukee Wisconsin. My parents’ names are Sarah Ivory and Derrick Hill. Neither of them was born here but we just so happened to be stuck here. Growing up was hard with my older sister and younger brother. Ten years later my little sister was born and life got even rougher.

To back track a bit I attended Robert m Lafollette Elementary school. I was a great student i loved math, played basketball, and had great attendance and the whole nine. After elementary school came middle school. I attended Malcolm x academy where I continued to play basketball and develop into an even brighter student. I graduated number one in my eight grade class and proceeded to high school. High school was where I realized that I was a scholarship student and looked no where but up to the sky. In high school I maintained a 4.0 grade point average and everyone in my family was so proud of me. I was also on the track team, tutored students, was apart of student government, and so much more. I guess you can say that I was a pretty popular kid. I won homecoming queen, prom queen two years in a row, and was a role model to many young girls from the student body. My senior year I was enrolled in advanced placement classes and graduated number two in my class.  After high school of course I went to college, it was expected of me. I chose uw Parkside because it wasn’t far from home and I heard that they had a great criminal justice program which is what my major is, with a minor in ethnic studies. Also my older sister was already a sophomore here so I felt I would have my role model and best friend when ever I needed her. I’m a junior now and I must say I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything. I am a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority incorporated, treasurer of Black Student Union, general member of Sisters and Action, and the criminal justice club. My expected graduation date is December 2012 and I’m so excited to become a well established parole officer.

A little more about myself.... my favorite color is pink, I love to eat preferably hot and spicy food and shrimp, I love to play basketball read write and do hair. I also enjoy watching movies and bowling. I also like to dance, cook, and much more. I have eleven tattoos and four major piercings. I’m a very outgoing person so I’m usually up for all sorts of fun unless it’s illegal.

From the outside looking in one would probably assume I have lived a perfect life but in reality my happiness has just begun. Growing up both of my parents did drugs, and so did everyone around them, so one cannot imagine the struggle, pain, neglect, and hardship that I have experienced. I can’t even begin to explain the things that I have seen, and witnessed. So therefore I wont! But I can say that God has been with me through it all and without him I don’t know where I would be without him. Having a rough life not only allowed me to learn how to overcome and break any obstacles in my path but also helped me to develop into the strong ambitious hardworking determined independent woman that I am today. Both my parents are clean now and I’ve been proud to say that for almost three years now. Now there are less worries and less stress in my life and as I stated before, my happiness has just began.

During my 21 years of life i cant say that ive really been a victim of racism personally. i mean i know that it still remains within todays society and around my school campus. but when things are not important to me they go un focused upon. ive always been very diverse considering i have been into sports all my life, so ive associated with people of all colors shapes and sizes and still plan to do the same in the future. my family is entirely african american so thats all i really grew up around. i mean i have people in my family that was around during the civil rights movement and who were a part of slavery so of course they have lots of things to say to me about the "white man". it was always up to me to live by those sayings or live by my own experiences, and living by my own experiences is what i will continue to do.

In what ways have your families views shaped the way you deal with experiences with other races/cultures?