#joa21

[drcknowledgeandpower]

The Price of Nice Nails by Sarah Maslin Nir

I got my nails done a nail salon for the first time this past June for prom. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to show off my french tips. However, after reading Maslin’s The Price of Nice Nails I felt a twinge of guilt. The experiences that these women endured from their bosses and coworker was unimaginable. The wages they were paid were incredibly low. I had previously never thought that these women, and sometimes men, went through such things. Everyone thinks that once immigrants get a job they are set and everything is fine, but that is not true in many cases such as these workers.  I read and reread this article all the way through. Something about it disturbed me so much. The unfair things they endured after getting to America and also getting a job seemed wrong and showed how cruel life is. I currently face dilemma of whether to get my nails done support them or to boycott nail salons altogether...

[drcknowledgeandpower]

No Problem With NPR

Prior, to this plenary, I had never heard of NPR, National Public Radio. Actually, I thought that nobody listened the radio anymore. However, Pam Fessler really helped break those beliefs during her plenary. I always thought radio was boring and was only for old white men. However, Pam’s plenary introduced me to the interesting side of the news reporting. NPR delivers the news plain and simple and in a way that I thought previously never existed.

Pam Fessler’s work with the homeless in America is truly inspiring. However, the segment she played about the experiences of being 15 and female in different counties around the world really touched me. I was brought to tears during the segment she played. During the plenary, I was hoping that she would play more segments about what they report and talk less about how they report, but overall I have no problem with NPR. Since then I have actually started listening to podcasts.

[drcknowledgeandpower]

I Can’t Wait to Eat.

Wendy Cai-Lee is probably one of the best speakers I have ever heard. Her humor and ability to relate were completely appreciated, yet also unexpected because of her job involving finance. Also, being a minority with strict parents that constantly demand greatness, I connected instantly with her childhood stories. Her charisma, love of greatness, self-improvement, and women empowerment were contagious.

 One piece of advice from Wendy Cai-Lee gave that really stuck with me was “Get to the table first”. Many women want to make a change but sometimes we do not realize that we need to be the change. If woman wants to change how a company operates she needs to be in a position that allows her to make those changes (like Wendy said on the board, CEO, VP, etc). So many of the great women in history were trailblazers in their respective fields and that’s why they were and are so effective. Before this plenary, I was a little bit discouraged about what my place would be in the workforce as a woman and if I would even get into the workforce as a woman. However, now I have renewed faith that I can make a change by being it. By working hard, encouraging others, always striving for greatness, I will be just fine.

I have so much hope for my future now, even as I hope to  enter a male dominated field. I want to be that change and I want to be heard. First, I am going to get to the table and then I am going to eat. 

[drcknowledgeandpower]

The Hunting Ground

I am a huge football fan. I even shed a tear when the Denver Broncos lost horribly during the 2014 Super Bowl.  So, even though I love football, I couldn’t care less about the NFL draft and that is why I never bother to watch it each year. But this year, I should have. If I did, I would have known that the number one draft pick was Jameis Winston and a rapist. 

When his victim and survivor came upon the screen during “ the Hunting Ground” screening and stated the details of her attacker, I was astonished. Jameis Winston is now a millionaire professional athlete facing not a single repercussions of his actions despite all the evidence being there. That moment made me realize how horrible these survivors are treated by the very institutions that claim to protect them. 

I have always stood with sexual assault victims, but I felt helpless as I heard their stories. The two amazing women  Andrea Pino and Annie E. Clark that spearheaded the amazing initiative to reform how college campuses handle sexual assault cases using Title IX, have truly challenged me. While institutions play a major role in the handling of sexual assault cases, society and specifically student bodies also play a role. The student body needs to support the victims and survivors of sexual assault no matter what status, position, or team membership the attacker holds. Ultimately, I applaud Rutgers for screening this documentary. Many courageous women stood up and bravely stated that they were sexually assaulted.The turnout was amazing and included the general student body, athletes, and fraternity members. There is a long road ahead for the this topic but at least the conversation has started. 

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Unacceptable

      I was simply stunned, to say the least, when Lauren Rankin, began to recount the horrible incidents that she had witnessed and endured as an clinic escort. That type of hostile behavior coming from groups of people that claim to be Christians and Catholics is just unacceptable. I grew up in a Christian household and to this day still consider myself a Christian. I always thought it was a myth that crazy people scream obscenities at women (and men) entering abortion clinics and that the media just painted Christians and Catholics that way. However, through Lauren giving first hand accounts, it is clear these type of people really exist and once again it is unacceptable.The Christianity I experienced and was taught growing up preached of helpfulness and doing unto others what you would want done unto you and quite frankly, the support and understanding shown by clinic escorts like Lauren demonstrates more Christ-like behavior than those who harass the patients. 

    I am undoubtedly pro-life. However that means I am pro-life and health of the baby and the mother regardless of her decision and I firmly believe that that harassment coming from “Christians”, “Catholics”, or anyone else is simply unacceptable.