Week 5: Selma and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

This week I watched two incredible movies Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom which follows the events of the anti-apartheid and selma which follows Martin Luther King Jr's leadership in the civil rights movement. These two movies were powerful and raw leaving me as one big emotional mess. 

In the past when learning about these movements via text or lectures the events that took place were always sugar coated in one way or another. To see what they had to go through angered and saddened me. It made me very uncomfortable and forced me to acknowledge that this was once people's reality at one point in time. These movies forced us to look at the real stories that took place and appreciate all that has been accomplished in the past, along with what still needs to be done. But the progress, leadership, and resilience of the people in both movies gave me hope. I really enjoyed both movies as they gave me insight and helped me see the progress that can happen as we continue to fight for equality even in the face of adversity. I am really excited to continue learning more about the history of these movements and how we can individually help in the present day with the knowledge we have gained within the past weeks.

Week 4: Two Men with the Same Agenda

Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. were two very similar men with the same agenda. They both sought to end the racial discrimination that plagued their society and they were both natural born leaders, who took on very important leadership roles when the time called. Even their plans to end racial discrimination were similar at first. They both planned to have a peaceful protest, but as time pass Mandela was forced to change his original plan when he realized that passive resistance just wasn't enough. Besides that, they both stopped at nothing until what they were fighting for was achieved. What they did, pushed for change. The quote below from King represents both men's dedication...

“No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for.”

                 

-Martin Luther King Jr.

These two men knew their purpose and why they were alive for. They had strong principles and stuck with them, throughout everything. Mandela and King sacrificed themselves for others. Their whole lives revolved around their fight for equality. I think the quote above represents both of their dedication and willingness tom make their dream of equality a reality, and they did just that. 

Today we are living in a world that King probably could not even imagine and that Mandela only dreamed of, and they helped make it happen. There is still more work to be done, but I am looking forward to be learning and seeing first hand the works of Mandela when we head to Cape, Town to see how our generation can push for change in today's society and make a difference. 

Week 3: Getting to Know South Africa

Seeing that I will be spending a month in Africa, I feel that it is necessary for me to get to know the culture and history of this foreign place. All throughout high school it was very rare that the details of Africa's history and culture were brought up. Since our primary focus was the United States history, my image of Africa stems only from what I saw on tv or online, but after reading this weeks readings, I was able to form a better image on today's South African Society. 

The readings when into depth on the history of South Africa. The way that the Natives where forced out of their homeland parallels the way Native Americans where forced into reservations in America. Plus, much like the United States, the racial segregation and discrimination played a huge role in the development of the country. Similarly minorities, particularly blacks,  had to fight for equalities and their rights, much like what happened during the Civil rights movement. To think that 87% of the land was not available to the minorities a few decades ago baffles me. What also baffles me is how recently their rights were restored. It was just 25 years ago when the apartheid policies where renounced, but in that short amount of time the country has progressed immensely.
Still, the apartheid regime has left a lasting impression on the country, creating a separation between blacks and whites. A majority of black lives live on the outskirts of cities in poverty and struggle with the high crime rates that plague the country. The separation stemming from the apartheid regime left many in despair, which leads me to my question for our guest speaker this week, David Gilmore, the Deputy Assistant Security in the Bureau of African Affairs.
 I would like to know how the United States is helping facilitate progression within the underdeveloped areas, otherwise known as townships. Specifically I would like to know if and how the United States is helping South Africa create a better security system for their citizens. I look forward to this week class to hear what Gilmore has to say and seeing what role the United States has within the progress of South Africa.

Week 2: Our Privileges

This week I was assigned two readings, "Unpacking the Knapsack of Privilege" by Peggy McIntosh and "Who Am I" by Beverly Daniel Tatum. McIntosh accounts the inequality, that is prevalent in todays society, on the innate privileges people have and are unaware of. Tatum touches on the complexity of identity and how the role the "dominate" groups effect subordinate groups when identifying themselves.
After reading both readings, I had to do a little self-reflection. Being a female hispanic, I don't have white or male privileges that put me at an advantage, yet this doesn't mean I don't have any privileges. If you think about it I have many "privileges". I contain the able-bodied privilege, christian privilege, heterosexual privilege, etc. Acknowledging these different privileges allows me to see the world from different perspectives. Knowing these privileges, allows room for change. It allows me to change the way I communicate with people and the way I think. If everyone were to acknowledge their privileges, we may be able to redesign social systems and reconstruct power systems just as McIntosh states.
Finding out that race is a modern idea, makes the idea of redesigning the social system more attainable. Since we as a society created "race", we as a society can get rid of that idea. Yes it is going to be difficult, but I believe we, as a society, can make it happen.