I found McIntosh’s reflections on what we as white people take for granted, to be really eye-opening. I have thought about many of these ideas before, but she mentioned some additional things that I had not thought about. It is one thing to be aware of overall themes, but to actually have specific examples spelled out, makes it seem all that more real. As white people, we can read this article, but then go back to our normal lives and not have to live with realities of bias everyday. I hope that we can really hold on to these ideas and absorb them in order to actively change who we are and who we become as teachers and citizens in our everyday lives. I have thought about how my race has given me so much advantage in life. I remember constantly going with my immigrant friends from Mexico to advocate for them with things such as renting an apartment or seeking legal counsel. There were things that they could not accomplish and as soon as I, “the white educated woman,” went with them, they were looked upon differently and had more power. The perception by people in authority was “Wow, these Mexicans know this educated white woman, so we had better be careful about how we treat them so we don’t get in trouble.” Having been married to a Spaniard with an accent, there were so many situations when he would say, “Honey, you go and talk to them because they will listen to you more and respect you because you don’t have an accent.” This means that not only does race distinguish us in this culture, but ethnicity does as well. I do, however, still think that African-Americans receive the worst treatment of all in our society. There was a program on CNN last Sunday called “Obama in Africa,” hosted by Anderson Cooper. The program spent much time focusing on Ghana because of its role in the slave trade. Cooper interviewed an African-American woman who chose to relocate to Ghana because for the first time she felt she “belonged.” Apparently there are about five hundred African-Americans that have gone to live there because they feel more at home and respected and they do not have to deal with all the subtle negotiations of daily life as a black person in America. Even though colonialism had impact in Africa, it was not the same as slavery in our country. Mostly everyone in Ghana is black, so there is more equal treatment and not much disadvantage. The video “Boys of Baraka,” shows the destitution in which black boys live in Baltimore. I don’t think any of us can imagine what it is like to be afraid of violence all of the time. Until I was a mother, I never contemplated how powerfully I could love. A mother’s protective mechanisms are so strong, that she could literally do anything to save her children. The thought of my children being in real danger everyday, just makes my stomach churn. The compassion I feel for the mothers of these at risk children is immense. I really hope that my awareness of systemic racism in this country will help me to take action in the future in as many ways possible. Honestly, I have a lot on my plate now, but I want to continue making a difference for those who are disadvantaged.
I found McIntosh’s reflections on what we as white people take for granted, to be really eye-opening. I have thought about many of these ideas before, but she mentioned some additional things that I had not thought about. It is one thing to be aware of overall themes, but to actually have specific examples spelled out, makes it seem all that more real. As white people, we can read this article, but then go back to our normal lives and not have to live with realities of bias everyday. I hope that we can really hold on to these ideas and absorb them in order to actively change who we are and who we become as teachers and citizens in our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about how my race has given me so much advantage in life. I remember constantly going with my immigrant friends from Mexico to advocate for them with things such as renting an apartment or seeking legal counsel. There were things that they could not accomplish and as soon as I, “the white educated woman,” went with them, they were looked upon differently and had more power. The perception by people in authority was “Wow, these Mexicans know this educated white woman, so we had better be careful about how we treat them so we don’t get in trouble.” Having been married to a Spaniard with an accent, there were so many situations when he would say, “Honey, you go and talk to them because they will listen to you more and respect you because you don’t have an accent.” This means that not only does race distinguish us in this culture, but ethnicity does as well. I do, however, still think that African-Americans receive the worst treatment of all in our society.
There was a program on CNN last Sunday called “Obama in Africa,” hosted by Anderson Cooper. The program spent much time focusing on Ghana because of its role in the slave trade. Cooper interviewed an African-American woman who chose to relocate to Ghana because for the first time she felt she “belonged.” Apparently there are about five hundred African-Americans that have gone to live there because they feel more at home and respected and they do not have to deal with all the subtle negotiations of daily life as a black person in America. Even though colonialism had impact in Africa, it was not the same as slavery in our country. Mostly everyone in Ghana is black, so there is more equal treatment and not much disadvantage.
The video “Boys of Baraka,” shows the destitution in which black boys live in Baltimore. I don’t think any of us can imagine what it is like to be afraid of violence all of the time. Until I was a mother, I never contemplated how powerfully I could love. A mother’s protective mechanisms are so strong, that she could literally do anything to save her children. The thought of my children being in real danger everyday, just makes my stomach churn. The compassion I feel for the mothers of these at risk children is immense. I really hope that my awareness of systemic racism in this country will help me to take action in the future in as many ways possible. Honestly, I have a lot on my plate now, but I want to continue making a difference for those who are disadvantaged.