The video that featured Lana Wachowski was the first of its kind that I have ever seen. The fact that everyone has something to say and everyone analyzes something says how much difference there is or can be that can cause unnecessary challenges for people, that can be a matter of life and death. LGBTQ who speak out for the LGBTQ community are incredibly brave to speak out and say that it is okay to be who you are. We as a global community and society need the positive, loving, and supportive vibes and messages like that to encourage the growth love and acceptance, the opposite of hate and rejection. I found so much resonance with what Lana said, “The nature of our mortal lives is the consequence of our words and deeds. The fundaments upon all our knowledge and learning rests is the inexplicable. We’re always interested, as storytellers all three of us, in the nature of that inexplicability.” And one of the actors said, “To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us unique.” Life goes in such a deep place, internally, externally, and completely as a part of existence on this planet, where many things are different than what some people believe, and there are ways in which I think we need to help spread the awareness and acceptance of what is different than what some people think are wrong. Nobody is to say what is right or wrong, or to place judgment upon anyone that is different than them based on gender, race, or sexuality. I feel like religion plays a major part in this as a bad thing. It seems like people only see people for what they do and not for who they really are. Lana said, “There some things that we have to do for ourselves but there are other things that we do for other people.” That is a beautiful truth that would make a huge difference if all people would do that. If anything causes depression or thoughts of suicide, then the factors that are causing it need to be addressed, a person should never fear for their life based on the immoral judgment of society or anyone in general.

In Adams chapter 1, the author asks, “Who am I,” and the sad fact that the answer depends on a large part of society who judges people based on their current terms of identity categories is one of the major things that needs to be addressed in all aspects of the world. Anyone has dibs on putting a person in a specific place and identity based on what the dominant group has set up, based on what they look like and do. Discriminating automatic judgment still feeds to weigh oppression on targeted groups, we need to reform society to where the dominant groups are examined and persecuted if it takes advantage of its unfair advantage while ignoring their direct and indirect influences towards targeted groups. The dominant group controls the subordinate treads, signals that is being allowed, to be learned, taught, and accepted in society, in the media, in schools, at work, EVERYWHERE. Culture needs to be changed and looked at critically, to stop the divider that stands in places, enabling the oppressor and dominant groups to keep getting away from what they are doing wrong.  “Our ongoing examination of who we are in our full humanity, embracing all of our identities, creates the possibilities of building alliances that may ultimately free us all.” I examine myself every day, it is very difficult to be prevented by different barriers that exist. Not everyone examines their lives, which dominant groups needs to begin doing so that they can help serve justice.

In chapter 26, the mention of the amount of free time that families have decrease the quality of their lives due to the systematic order that persists the inability to address educational, political, social, and many other issues that exist to keep pulling them down is certainly due to whoever is hogging all of the money. Health care as a privilege, basic human rights are neglected, all lead to the same question, “How many people are doing something about this, and how many are not?”

The speaker of “50 shades of gay” was another first of its kind that I have seen. I feel like her parents did what everyone should do, they were not condescending or forcing her to be put into a box. The quote, “We are all responsible for equality,” is true because those who are victims of inequality depend on those who have access to equality, and they keep on taking and taking from the poor. How else is everyone going to obtain equality if they are being prevented from it in the first place? The other thing that is said, “Familiarity is key to empathy,” is exactly what I feel like is another issue because people are either unfamiliar with the issues that exist and they don’t care, whereas some people who are familiar with issues are more empathetic towards the people who experience the issues. This has personally happened to myself, after learning the truth and realities of real life, my whole life changed, it is painful to bear the weight of not knowing what to do and how to help. But it is even more painful to hear one of my own family members or anyone else to be so insensitive to the inequalities that exist, whether it is due to unfamiliarity, or just plain ignorance and carelessness. I think that we have to make more of an effort to gather the good people with good voices and input to overcome the bad voices and input.

Sources:
Adams, M., Blumfeld, W., Castañeda, C., Hackman, H., Peters, M., Zúñiga, X. (2013). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice. New York, NY: Rutledge.

HRC. (2012, October). Lana Wachowski Receives the HRC Visibility Award. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crHHycz7T_c

Wright, T. (2012, December). Fifty Shades of Gay. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/io_tillett_wright_fifty_shades_of_gay

The film assigned for this week was something that reminded me of my experience in school. It says a lot about the world that we live in if many students are in difficult situations that prevent them from succeeding in school and in life. To me, it looks like it is all connected to capitalism that controls the rising standard of living, causing drastic struggles to find security in food, warmth, care, staff, resources, that creates opportunity gaps, lack of confidence, and the absence of participation in every force of education. The money is there, it exists somewhere, it may exist out of nothing, as something that was created from nothing and put into controlling everything, but the money is there. If these issues continue to exist, it is because those who have the most power and money are not taking the steps to improve the factors that cause deteriorating schools, poverty, unemployment, crime, drug abuse, and whatever else is decreasing individuals and families chances of success.

It seems like America founded itself on selfishness, the privatization of hope in those who had as much as they needed to gain more and more from the free or cheap labor of those who were forced to work or were desperate to make a not even a minimum wage to survive, the rich did not care about anyone except themselves, and it is still that way today. The fact that social categories emerged and still exist, shows that there have been systems in place to organize society in terms of only benefiting the few that control the many, which seems to be by consumerism. There is so much more that we could do with our lives but we have been integrated into this world where we now have choices to make, that are so limited, based on where we are, who we are, and who we can actually be depending on a wide variety of factors. If capitalism, government corruption, power, oppression, privilege, and racism could just vanish from our lives, I believe that the world could be a better place, and we could all work together more efficiently towards achieving the goals that would assist and aid everyone to attaining the American dream of equal opportunities in the land of the free, which is not free at all like it used to be in the very first place as Native America was.

One other thing that I have also started to think about is the word "race". I wonder if whoever came up with categorizing people to a specific race in terms of color, did so in terms of which actual race was superior or inferior in their opinion. Like, did the white race think it was going to win and the other races were going to lose? I have started to dislike checking the box on any application or form that asks which race I am, like they are trying to see what race I am in, as if I am in a particular race; I am not in a race, I am in a body that is driving to succeed and live as God intended me to do. If anything, I like to think that I am a part of the human race, with a soul that is from a whole other dimension, of such magic or divinity, which I believe that we all are. But in the world that we live in today, race can determine a lot of things, unfortunately. Acknowledging this has helped bring me closer to my finding my calling on earth, the journey of my soul. I will not stand in solidarity with the white race, I will do the best that I can do to be involved in achieving justice and equity for all other humans that are considered other races, because it’s like, we are all in the same race; to live life the best that we can, to be happy, and succeed, and nothing should be stopping anyone from doing so.

I have tried to stay positive within this blog, despite the insanity that has took place, but racism has got to go one way or another. Zinn shares a part of a quote in one of the chapters of History is a weapon, “Under such conditions even the slightest display of humanity between the races might be considered evidence of a basic human drive toward community.” One way to pave the road toward community is if we work to help make the community accessible to everyone by putting better schools and education that teach the truth, that lead to better systems of successful employment, wealth, housing, and healthcare. There is no reason for this not to happen but it doesn't. This means we have to replace the people who make these systems of oppression continue to exist, let’s find out ways how we can efficiently do that.

Had I paid more attention in the past, maybe I would have caught on faster. But like Adams says, “We aren’t, indeed, taught a lot of things.” The readings for this week are elaborate and honest, the realities and tragedies committed against Native Americans and African Americans, which I continue to question, WHY? Out fear and dogma for profit and salvation? I have found other interesting literature and it questions everything that I have known. Books are an amazing source of knowledge to gain information and truth from, but it is the total opposite if books are not telling what really happened, which seems to happen in schools all the time.

Feelings of uncomfortableness have become unbearable. This is not for pity, but I have become ashamed and embarrassed of my skin color, how dare white people act superior and create a discriminating system all of these years. I look around my life, outside, inside, thinking about the whole world. I remember a conversation with my Aunt, and she says even though it was so awful, it had to happen so we could be where we are now, or else we would still be in another country, or something like that. I thought to myself, that doesn’t even make sense. She is a Christian, so I assume she believes that God has a plan for everything. I have begun to question Christianity for about a year now. I believe that there is a God, there is a purpose in life, and everything will be okay in the end. But to live everyday doing nothing while knowing that there is suffering due to ignorance, neglect, and all of the ism's, does no justice.

The questions of how to fix this, the answers seems to be in community. Kids are growing up in neighborhoods that are deteriorating, schools are not meeting their educational needs, families are struggling to find good jobs, pay bills, buy food, clothing, healthcare, the solution is obvious. There is money that exists in the hands of millionaires, but they are not willing to help others. People in the community have to come together as a whole, whether that is protesting, advocating, calling, emailing, going on strike, boycotting companies, teaching people how to grow their own food, make their own clothes, or any other form of trying to make change. However, I personally understand that some people don’t have the option to do these things. In order for there to be a change, white people and those who have more money than all of us combined, have to speak up for the rights of people that are oppressed. If not, then we have to try to reach out to as much people as we can, in hopes that they are on our side, and are able to help too. 

The whole system needs to be changed, starting with laws and education that have proved to be unworthy, especially if many cannot access education that will lead them to productive and equitable lives, and the laws constantly order injustice. Children need to grow up knowing what is right and wrong, so that they can break the systems of oppression. I imagine buildings that consist of law making authorities, and time is being wasted, money is being stolen, created out of nothing, while millions of people work hard for money, while money is just a game to others who can play recklessly. We can fix the system by making a new one and establishing changes that are required by engaging community as a team, and if those who have privilege make the effort to help do so.

References

Zinn, H. Drawing the Color Line. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from History Is a Weapon, http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinncol1.html

et al. ], M. A. (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice. New York: Routledge.

The readings that were assigned this week included the same questions that I have been asking myself for the past few years. It is reassuring to know that I am not the only one who thinks and wonders about why things are the way that they are in this world. The video, “Love Has No Labels” brought tears to my eyes because it is beautiful and means so much to see proof that love has no labels. Imagine the world without any labels, how different life would be. Hate, stigma, dogma, and discrimination against different beliefs seem to be one of the major influences of injustice.

I don’t remember the first time I read the Cycle of Socialization in class but I think it was last summer semester, or the year before. Reading it again is for sure worth the time. It makes me think of how much difference there would be in the world if all people began to appreciate differences and treat each other with respect, and how much I wish that was possible. As each of us are born into a specific set of social identities based on gender, ethnicity, skin color, first language, age, ability status, religion, sexual orientation, and economic class, it makes me wonder, how on earth did these categories come to exist? As if there was no other way to go about these differences in a better form or fashion instead of letting these things fall in hierarchy positions in society. In a way it’s like, aren’t these things just imaginary made up labels that cause problems by dividing the people?

The chapters assigned this week are helpful in directing me to finding out where I can begin to make a difference. I understand that I need to analyze my privileges and how I can help others who don’t have the same opportunities that I do. I acknowledge that I am beyond fortunate to be able to go to college, have a place to live, a baby sitter, Medicaid, and food stamps so that I can work on graduating from college, get a job, and be able to hopefully afford to raise my children without major financial struggles that I face now. It bothers me as I acknowledge that many people do not have the ability to go to college or access to equal opportunities for many different reasons that prevent them from doing so. The Park Avenue film totally explained to me exactly what I had suspected all of this time. I thought I was just being paranoid into believing conspiracy and quick to point the blame at the rich, but it is true, they are the ones responsible for the wealth and income inequality that forces people to suffer from poverty. I am just totally dumbfounded at how this is still happening, people blame those in poverty for the tax dollars that go to food stamps and Medicaid, when really, it is just not their fault. I feel like the government could do a better job at protecting the American Dream as well as the whole entire planet itself.

I do experience guilt as I have privilege and I fear not finding out what I can do to help others gain the equal opportunities that they deserve. But that is why I am majoring in social work so that I can learn what it is that I can do so that I can make a difference. It is a bit intimidating knowing how hard I will have to work to brainstorm, research, read, investigate, and explore the dualism, hierarchy, competition, individualism, domination, colonialism, and the scarcity principle that stimulate the root causes of inequality in society.

The Cycle of Liberation has totally described what I am feeling and it explains exactly why I was drawn to social work. I didn’t know what I wanted to major in college after I graduated from high school, but as I took a career exploration class in my third semester at ACC, I decided social work was the field that I wanted to go into. Taking all of the basic core requirements kind of wore me out, especially with kids, and I became confused as I didn’t understand why I was going to college anymore. Now I wish I had paid more attention to all of my classes as each subject does relate to social work in a way to where all things are connected, and influence one another in some shape or form. Starting the major social work classes have stimulated a lot of new feelings by the readings and material that I have been waiting so long for.

These chapters helped me see a little more into how we as a team can help uplift the oppressed. The ideas of how we can all come together, aware of how we are all different in ways of privileges and differences, and understand that love has no labels, give hope and inspiration that equity, justice, and world peace could be more of a possibility. There is so much more that we can do for others who face inequities 24/7, we just have to stand together, work together, and coalition together for the improvements that we wish to see and people deserve.