For your new blog response, read the latest three course pack articles ("China Doll," "The Handicap of Definition," and "Learning Race"). Then, write a minimum of one paragraph here about your own personal experiences regarding race and/or stereotypes. In your paragraph, make a specific connection to something that is mentioned in the one of the essays.
Due: before our next class meeting
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In "Learning Race", Kaela Hobby-Reichstein, uses the topic of her painting pictures of people using paint when she was in kindergarten. I can totally remember the same situation that I had when I was in grade school and I had to decide which color to color people with the proper skin color. I would ask myslef, what really makes me different from the person I'm coloring? It's not really the color of the crayon that decides..
ReplyDeleteMy personal experience regarding race is closest to the “the handicap of definition” article. At my last job as a commercial landscaper I was the only white person working in the field in my department. Everyone else was Hispanic. When I first started the guys in my crew told me that I wouldn’t be able to handle the work because I was white. They told me that white people work in the office and the Mexicans took care of the “real work” in the field. It took time but I think that I eventually showed them that it doesn’t matter what color somebody is, it is their work ethic that determines whether or not they can handle a physically demanding job. Another thing that I encountered while working as a landscaper was the overwhelming belief that all white people were rich, or at least well off. This is simply not true. It is just another stereotype that people use to label each other. I just feel like we need to stop looking at color and start judging the value of a person by their character and morals.
ReplyDeleteAt this moment I cant think of anything that has happened to me relating to any of these articles. Although I did get a native American Barbie when I was 9 and I kept in the box. I was so proud to have a unique Barbie. I hated Barbies as a child. She was brown with long black braided hair. Her clothes were colorful and different from the usual lame dresses the other barbies had. I kept her in her box for 2 years. One day I was upset and took her out of her box to play with her. In the article “China Doll” the author reacted differently. Its not the same but it’s the closest comparison that comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteIn the article "The Handicap of Definition," author William Strawberry discusses the negative effect that deeming certain attitudes and behaviors as white or black has on our youth. I feel this is true, as I grew up in neighborhoods with mostly Hispanic friends where it was uncool and not tolerated to act white. This basically meant disrespecting people and not listening to anyone who had any authority. It got us into a lot of trouble and we all later learned to accept each other for the way we were which allowed for some of us to move ahead in life, and everyone else to keep doing the same thing that they were without us hating on each others ways of life. This I feel is what Strawberry wanted the kids in his community to see. That the way you act isn't and shouldn't be, defined by your race.
ReplyDeleteI can in a way relate to the Learning Race article by Kaela Hobby-Reichstein because when i was younger, the color of my skin would get me in trouble with other kids of different color. me and my friend were walking down the street when two kids of a different race drove past us screaming "beaners!!" and threw a cup of soda at us. luckily, it missed us both but that was a sad day in my book.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young my brother and I were at the park playing on the jungle gym like any other kid would. We decided to go play basketball with our new friends that we made there at the park. The other kids kept telling my bro that he was supposed to be really good at basketball and were making fun of him because he wasn't. Little did I kno they were being stereotypical because he is black. My innocence led me to believe that they said that because he was a little older and taller than me. I believe that relates to the way Kaela hobby-reichstein felt when she had rocks thrown at her and her friend when they were young.
ReplyDeleteI have never had any moments throughout life that sticks out when it comes to racism. If there was an article that I can mostly relate to is "Learning race" by Kaela Hobby-Reichstein. Honestly this article doesn't have much to do with my incident but since I have to choose one this would be it.
ReplyDeleteSince I am an white/over-weight individual when I first started playing basketball at my local community center, which I now do routinely, I could tell that since I was white/overweight people were reluctant to pass me the ball thinking I was no good due to my race/size, but once I knocked down a few shots the problem never resurfaced. This was a case of a little racism and being stereotyped.