In November of 2013, there was a typical occurrence with an unusual subject matter. Simply put, a Youtube video went viral. In my generation, that’s a common enough occurrence; nothing to raise brows or start a controversy. But this was no ordinary viral video of cats playing the piano; for once, someone in our generation used his voice to talk about what matters. Sy Stokes, a black UCLA student, wrote and performed spoken word about the myth of individual merit the year after affirmative action was removed from the admission process. Stokes and the rest of the “Black Bruins” originally intended to reach the community of UCLA, but the video spanned worldwide and started a petition for change. Stokes asks the viewers to notice the relationship between races at UCLA, and how the black students are used to benefit the university where it sees fit, but otherwise are oppressed in a white-dominated culture.
Stokes opens the performance by saying:
“We learned that white mixed with anything makes it brighter / but we wouldn’t dare mix anything with brown or black or else our entire creation would be ruined” and then later, “…the untouched dark section of / the paint brush pallet became the symbol for the melanin in our skin/ The painter only used us to write the words that were dark enough to / be noticed on a white background.”
He’s using the paint brush as a metaphor for the relationship between races not only at UCLA, but in America (or quite possibly, something on a larger scale). In addition to all of that, the percentage of black students at the school is decreasing and Stokes describes it as looking like “just a second hand on a clock” when it’s shown through pie charts. At this point, they viewer realiz...
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...d to ruin / how the hell am I supposed to be proud…to call myself…a Bruin.”
“The Black Bruins” shows that discreet signals can have a large impact on the audience. By not explicitly stating that he was using the opening titles, color and clothing to convey racial distinctions the information had time to slowly sink into the viewer instead of smacking her in the face. The metaphors in the piece also painted a very distinct picture for those that didn’t realize the extent to which racial boundaries affect students on an emotional level. Overall, Stokes provided an excellent source to study the white dominance in the academic world and the restrictions placed on black students (and I think it is a reasonable leap to consider faculty in that comparison as well). In conclusion, this viral video voiced problems that needed to be addressed and started a debate worldwide.
Although some like Conor Friedersdorf, of the Atlantic, categorized students as “intolerant bullies, (34)” meaning that the reasons for protests were not really reasons at all. Chang argues that the issues students are expressing need to be improved upon as if not, we will continue to go round and round in this vicious cycle. The addition of the apartheid in South Africa backs up Chang’s argument as there is a consensus of it being a serious issue. This explains why he included this piece of history and how it relates to college campuses. Encouraging critics to listen to students, just as Meyer did to those of color, is the only way to prevent today's youth from bring up the same issues in future years. Just as Chang predicted, the next school year brought protesters to hundreds of colleges and universities. What happened at Mizzou was just the beginning of a country wide movement for racial justice on campuses that hasn’t stopped
Discrimination is still a chronic global issue, and drastic inequalities still exist at the present time. Thus, the Affirmative Action Law is an important tool to many minorities most especially to women, and people of color, for the reason that this program provides an equality on educational, and professional opportunities for every qualified individual living in the United States. Without this program, a higher education would have been impossible for a “minority students” to attain. Additionally, without the Affirmative Action, a fair opportunity to have a higher-level career...
W. E. B. Du Bois traveling widely in Europe, was delighted by the absence of color consciousness and impressed by their mellow civilization. Still, he knew that his life's work was at home, a...
Critical race theory (CRT) is a framework that may be useful for examining how racial climate impacts the undergraduate experiences of African-American students on college campuses (Murphy, Gaughan, Hume, & Moore, 2010). CRT draws from a broad base of literature in sociology, history, ethnic studies, women’s study, and law (Murphy, Gaughan, Hume, & Moore, 2010). CRT consists of five elements: 1) the centrality of race and racism, and their intersectionality with other forms of subordination, 2) the challenge to dominant ideology, 3) the commitment to social justice, 4) the centrality of experiential knowledge, and 5) the transdisciplinary perspective (Murphy, Gaughan, Hume, & Moore, 2010). Applying CRT to education is different than other CRT applications as it challenges traditional paradigms, methods, texts, and separate discourse of race, gender, and class by showing how social constructs intersect to impact on communities of color (Murphy, Gaughan, Hume, & Moore,
Walking into the auditorium, conversations about the excitement of the Brown sisters giving a talk about the historical decision, politics, sports, and other everyday conversations could be heard. The auditorium filled with people of different ethnic groups, mainly Caucasians but several African-Americans came to hear the true story behind Brown v. Board of Education. I would have to say about 60 percent of the people were Caucasians, 25 percent African-Americans and the other 15 percent were either Asians or Hispanics. People of all ages came to hear what the Brown sisters had to say; some as young as the age of seven and some as old as in their late 60’s. Children, undergrad students, grad students, professors, as well as people with other professions filled the auditorium, with undergrad students making up most of the people who attended. However, the auditorium was not full or as filled as one would expect knowing that the Brown family was going to discuss the Brown v. Board of Education decision, a disappointing reality.
Affirmative action has been a controversial topic ever since it was established in the 1960s to right past wrongs against minority groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, and women. The goal of affirmative action is to integrate minorities into public institutions, like universities, who have historically been discriminated against in such environments. Proponents claim that it is necessary in order to give minorities representation in these institutions, while opponents say that it is reverse discrimination. Newsweek has a story on this same debate which has hit the nation spotlight once more with a case being brought against the University of Michigan by some white students who claimed that the University’s admissions policies accepted minority students over them, even though they had better grades than the minority students. William Symonds of Business Week, however, thinks that it does not really matter. He claims that minority status is more or less irrelevant in college admissions and that class is the determining factor.
According to West, “the attitudes of white scholars in the academy are quite different than those in the past” (West pg. 303). In the dilemma of the black intellectual Afro-American intellectual often known better as “black’s” have a stressful time in being acceptance in whites universities and find themselves in one of the black educational institutions for potential black intellectuals. Many black’s begin their intellectual career with hopes of self worth and self confidence in a way that is in alignment with certain values. Under the effects of their own emotional pain however, some black’s become removed from those values, removed from the purpose behind their intellectual. Black’s can feel like a ship in stormy seas, floundering with nothing solid to anchor to. When black’s make demands, use criticism or labeling to be taken seriously as potential scholars and intellectuals in our universities and colleges to vulgar perceptions fueled by
Green, Makiah. “I’m a Scholar, Not a Criminal: The Plight of Black Students at USC.”
The preconceived notions we tend to burden can have a snowball effect, ingraining the same potentially damaging ideas into our children, grandchildren, and so on, especially because there is likely no recognition of an issue present in the first place. The white guy habit we carry in our mind, generally unbeknownst to us, impairs the learning environment and too easily discredits qualified professionals that are women or of color. The bias we have towards white men in the classroom only contributes to the structural gender disparity that is apparent in the world, and particularly in the United States. Messner points out that nonwhite male professors are not only judged by students comparatively worse, but that judgements of white male professors are simultaneously boosted up in the student’s mind without their awareness.
In 1994 Renown College Professor Nikki Giovanni published a breath taking book that contains guidance to black college students on how to academically apply their selves in College, and she teaches them how to deal with the ignorance of white people from sharp tonged comebacks to gaining a Professors respect. Along the way The Article “Campus Racism 101” states Giovanni has acquired a tenure, she has a teaching position for life at the predominately white student body Virginia Tech. (Writing on the River 11) Nikki Giovanni’s “Campus Racism 101” gives advice to black students on how to succeed in College, appeals to Giovanni’s credibility, and appeals to the emotions of racism all in order to educate how black College students need to deal with ignorance on a College campus.
Imagine this; the year is 1836. You are a 17-year-old student interested in learning more about the world around you; however, such an opportunity won’t come your way because you are black. Due to this fact you have no hope of furthering your education past the reading, writing, and arithmetic their slave masters taught your parents. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. The minds of many African American’s go to waste due to individual ignorance of their people and thus of themselves. Historically Black Colleges and Universities were put into effect to educate the black mind and eliminate the ignorance. The discussion of whether Historically Black Colleges and Universities are still necessary in the 21st century has taken place in recent years. Within the discussion many debate that due to the fact that the world is no longer like it was in the 1800’s, the time period in which Historically Black Colleges and Universities were created, the purpose of them no longer exists. However, the cultural significance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities seems to be overlooked by those who argue their importance and relevance in a time where blacks have the option of attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The purpose and grounds on which Historically Black Colleges and Universities were developed are still being served. The need to increase efforts to not only rouse, but support Historically Black Colleges and Universities is necessary now more than ever in order to preserve our past, fulfill the purpose of our present, and ensure our future.
... The "unprecedented access to higher education and employment" (African American np) that African Americans have been party to since the Civil Rights Movement speaks strongly to the opportunities for change that this country affords its citizens. However, the value of the struggle cannot be lost on us. We must recognize that such fundamental change does not manifest itself overnight: it is achievable only where a lasting commitment to it is available. Change is not beyond us. Action, however, is its necessary predecessor.
Landesman defends a view called color skepticism, that nothing has any color, neither bodies nor appearances. He came to the conclusion that colors do not exist. In making the case for his "color skepticism," Landesman discusses and rejects historically influential
Notwithstanding, it wasn't until the point that 1856 that spray painting was credited to being more than just markings and was additionally delegated chronicled documentation (Sheon, 1976). It was first seen that spray painting was simply writing and there was no point behind it. Individuals took it at confront esteem. After it was resolved that spray painting was something beyond markings, numerous history specialists began to investigate the more noteworthy significance behind these announced gems. Charles Baudelaire, examined the notable and expressive issues engaged with spray painting. He reached the conclusion that spray painting was not just about the craftsman or the piece but rather that it included the spectator and their contemplations and reaction to the picture (Sheon, 1976). This viewpoint found that spray painting does in certainty affect both craftsman and gathering of people, inferring that spray painting in all structures is made with basic intentions in a particular gathering of
The scholars expounds that Black athletes were commodities on the playing field to help win games and bring in revenue to their respected schools. However, the schools were just as eager and willing to leave their Black players behind and dishonoring the player as a part of the team. Therefore, not compromising the team’s winning and bring in profits for the school. Sadly, Black athletes at predominately White institutions (PWIs) who believed that they were bettering the live of themselves and their families members by going to college and playing collegiate sports to increase their post secondary careers. However, these athletes were only “show ponies” for their schools. Unfortunately, Black athletes had allegiance to their school; however, the school turned their backs on the athletes to protect the profit and notoriety of the school and the programs. Money and respect from White fans and spectators were more important to the PWIs than standing up for the respect of their Black players. Racial bigotry in sports was rampant and it was only going to get worse.