Untitled

[eam27-blog1]

[eam27-blog1]

What does it take to stand up for what’s right?

Is it fighting racism?

Or is it protesting?

Or is it overcoming stereotypes?

Or is it working to gain equality for all genders?

The problem is

These struggles may be fought in vain.

Will any of these changes end the segregation?

Will any of these battles change the way minorities are viewed?

We have to try.

[omgmonast-deactivated20190910]

“American culture lies to create the assumption that whiteness brings excellence. The truth is that our country’s standards for white people are so low that most of our problems—including the unrelenting violence against people of color—can be traced to those low standards.”

-Mitchell, “Low Standards”

[eam27-blog1]

This culture has never truly changed in America. The low standards that whites are held to have not changed due to little legislation or a societal push to push for the equality of standards for all races.

[jqbmore19-blog]

American Oxygen

“Chasin’ this American Dream We sweat for a nickel and a dime”

-Rihanna

[jg004-blog]

Rihanna describes the American dream as working for what you make. The American dream is starting from nothing and making it from nowhere. Her lyrics are different than what is showed in he music video.

[eam27-blog1]

Rihanna might be using the contracting images in her video with the lyrics to show that the American Dream is not necessarily a reality for many people including immigrants and people of color.

[erinms5-blog]

It doesn’t take much at all for a white person to be considered good. As long as they avoid killing someone themselves, no one is going to demand anything else of them

“Low Standards for Whites. That’s What’s Killing Us.” Koritha Mitchell (via erinms5)

These standards for white people show a great divide in the perspective of whites and people of color in society. Whites can be seen as good citizens by simply not killing anyone, which should not be the standard for judging the morality of an individual. People of color, however, often have to have  successful careers, a stable household, and live in a nice neighborhood just to be considered good by society.

[jqbmore19-blog]

Low Standards

“…but do we truly change anything about American education? No! Heaven forbid that white teachers would have to do better. Heaven forbid that they’d have to keep growing and learning. Heaven forbid that they be held accountable when whites are the only students that typically blossom under their guidance.”

- Koritha

[eam27-blog1]

This excerpt details an important problem that is hindering the growth of education in America. Teachers, especially white educators, often are given a pass for a lack of growth in their approach to teaching. These white teachers often do not make an effort to change their teaching styles to help students of other races learn because they see the success they have with students of their own race. White educators should be held accountable for their stagnant teaching methods just as teachers of color often are.

[eam27-blog1]

“#Ferguson: Digital protest, hashtag ethnography, and the racial politics of social media in the US”-Bonilla and Rosa

The use of hashtags such as #HandsUpDontShoot, #IfTheyGunnedMeDown, and #NoAngel speak to the long history of inaccurate and unfair portrayal of African Americans within mainstream media and to the systematic profiling and victim blaming suffered by racializied bodies.

[eam27-blog1]

“Ferguson, MO”-John Oliver

His colleagues claimed he said things like “Let’s have a black day”, and “Let’s make the jail cells more colorful”.

[eam27-blog1]

“American Oxygen”-Rihanna

Chasin' this American Dream We sweat for a nickel and a dime Turn it into an empire Breathe in, this feeling American, American oxygen

[eam27-blog1]

“Blackness as the Second Person”-Sharma

“He looks like me.” I didn’t want to say yes, because I didn’t want to align him with a person who had passed away. So I said nothing. And then he said it again, he said, “He looks like me.” So at that point I looked at him and looked at the photo, and he did look like Michael Brown. And I began to think, I wish there was a way to stop him from identifying with somebody who is dead. But the real understanding was that he too could be dead, at any point. He just stood there. He was a teenager. 

[eam27-blog1]

“from Citizen”-Rankine

When the door finally opens, the woman at the door yells, at the top of her lungs, get away from my house! What are you doing in my yard?

[eam27-blog1]

“To the Man Who Shouted ‘I Like Pork Fried Rice’ at Me on the Street”-Franny Choi

i am greasy

for you. i slick my hair with msg

every morning. i’m bad for you.

got some red-light district between

your teeth.  

[eam27-blog1]

“Dear White People”-Justin Simiean

But you’re supposed to be better than alright. Since when do we lose elections Troy?

[heathero15-blog]

All Falls Down

It seems we living the American dream ~ But the people highest up go the lowest self esteem ~ The prettiest people do the ugliest things ~ For the road to riches and diamond rings

[eam27-blog1]

This verse from Kanye reveals that people will do anything for fame and prosperity. He points out that individuals who seem to be most powerful and influential like celebrities are really the people that are the most insecure about their lives.

[eam27-blog1]

#BlackLivesMatter Kitchen Talk-Richael Faithful

The levels of violence against a people whose ancestors were subjected to the largest forced migration inhuman history—in the belly of intercontinental slave ships—is shameful beyond word.  

[eam27-blog1]

“All Falls Down”-West

Man I promise, I'm so self conscious That's why you always see me with at least one of my watches Rollies and Pasha's done drove me crazy I can't even pronounce nothing, pass that versace

[eam27-blog1]

“Black Masculinity”-Ross Gay

My last man? He never even met his father. Four women, six kids. Three of whom are named after luxury cars.