Post-Reading Week 13: PIC

• In my own words, Prison-Industrial Complex is owned and operated by big corporations. They make money off from prisoners that they are underpaying. I thought this was interesting because I never knew that some american brands didn't need to outsource to save and sell it in a regular price. Plus the more the people that are incarcerated, the more money the government gives the private owned jails. I didn't know that the CSUs are getting furnitures, chairs that we use in school by prisoners, and I didn't know that Victoria's Secret agreed to get cheap labor off from prisoners. So that's why it's called Prison-Industrial Complex. 
• The motivation for the Prison-Industrial Complex isn't to stop crime, but to make money off from prisoners. I feel that it's like a modern slavery, because they enslaved people giving them lower income then making them pay for their bed space and the food that they eat. I thought they had a good life in prison. Some people told me that they get free everything until we looked in depth at the Prison-Industrial Complex and they were wrong about the prisoners getting all the freebies. 
• Incarceration creates a "racial caste system" by putting the African Americans below the hierarchy from the beginning. They were not given the privilege like white folks to start off so of you were born black then you'll have a higher chance to be incarcerated. For example, Police officers are mostly to hang out in "ghetto" places so that why black that does drugs is most likely to be caught and incarcerated. Same goes with the differences between "crack" and "cocaine". They have the same content of drugs but they have different prices. Crack is cheaper than cocaine and so the poor black people are purchasing crack because they didn't have the money to buy cocaine, and rich white old men are the ones that purchases cocaine. 
• The industrial part of the Prison-Industrial Complex is the cycle that the big corporations make money off. It goes like a circle, first African Americans that are caught using drugs are incarcerated, money from the government. Then they are forced to work for other corporations, money from the corporations and from the product that they built. Then when they are free from being incarcerated, they go back and they experience life discrimination because of their criminal record, they most likely go back to jail because they can't have a fair life and money to provide for their family. It goes back and forth like a big cycle that private corporate jail owners benefit from. 
• I think The New Jim Crow resonated me the most because it was divided into parts of how the Prison-Industrial Complex work and how the African Americans are discriminated and incarcerated most of the time. As I've watch the new every day, there are blacks that are incarcerated for felony, or other crimes. 
• Yes PIC can be related to colorblind racism by the "racial caste system", people assume that because they are African Americans that it is normal for them to be caught with illegal drugs. It's in our racist society that blacks are seen that way, that's why they can't start off where the white folks are usually starting off. I remember the game theory, blacks don't have the choice but to start in a difficult level than white people does. 
• No more questions. 

Word Count: 566

Post-Reading Week 12: Hip-Hop

• I think I liked the video because it is not the everyday hip-hop music videos we usually see. Lupe Fiasco did a good job portraying the "good bitch" to the "bad bitch". Some of the points made by Lupe Fiasco is the hierarchical level of being the "Bitch Bad" being the bottom level, after "Women Good", and the top part of hierarchical level is the "Lady Better". The way he uses bad to good to better defines the hierarchy of the women portrayed in the society. Lupe Fiasco's music is critically conscious because of the lyrics that explains the point of view of the boy and the point of view of the girl. Also, the video shows the actors of the hip-hop music video that they did and the minstrel shows at the very end of the video which shows that White folks dominates minstrel shows and they carry all the money. The black woman and the man didn't really like painting their faces even darker with charcoal because they're humiliated by white folks. 
• The article "Thoughts on Lupe Fiasco's "Bitch Bad" connected to me the most not because we discussed it in class but because it gave me broader insight of what is happening in the video. The article is also a pro for Lupe Fiasco's music video because of the story and the confusion most kids think about when they were little and when they grow up they basically follow what they see online or with their parents. With the boy Lupe Fiasco pointed out that "he is in reality" because he sees his mom doesn't dress like a "bitch", while in the girl's "malleable" mind is portrayed with the music video of the mom in bikinis showing her butt. I understand more about Lupe Fiasco's "Bitch Bad" because the author did a really good job analyzing the video. 
• The connection between Jamila's point of view and Lupe Fiasco's video is that it's not about the feminism's view of how the women dress in a music video but also how they can help in order to stop or lessen the "stupidity" that women most of the time show in a hip-hop music video. Lupe Fiasco's "Bitch Bad" music video portrayed the life of the mother in order to live and raise his son by his own. She had multiple jobs in order to please the people that pays her to act in a bad video and in a minstrel show. Jamila is also pointing out that we need to be aware of how the producers or the people behind the music video portrays the body of a woman or women included in a hip-hop video. 
• I believed that hip-hop is a movement against white supremacy and how they see black men as inferior to the white folks. Hip-hop too is getting in the popular culture amongst the youth to show their own oppression in their lives. It can be socially responsible because most people listens to hip-hop and most of the billboard hit makers are hip-hop and rap artists.
• According to Clay there are a lot of things that you can do with hip-hop. It can be a way of communicating to people that are experiencing the same oppression as you. It can also be a way of showing emotions in performances. It can also be a way to make people aware of the problems that faces their society. Yes most of the time. Some of the hip-hop songs that I listen to contain messages that impose awareness in the society.

Word Count: 593

Post-Reading Week 11: Hip-Hop

• The most interesting thing I learned about the video that we watched in class is hip-hop can be defined in intersectional theory. It doesn't only degrade female but also sexuality. Hip-hop can also be just a business to white folks, but they didn't really care about the content of the song and as long as the beat is an attention getter to consumers. 
• I agree to all of the statements. First, the violence found in hip-hop is a reflection of the American culture is true because action movies that are made by Whites also contains violence and with the concept of guns as masculine in dominant males. Second, Hip-hop is both homophobic and homoerotic; hip-hop being homophobic is when they criticize males that cries, like when Jarul cried 50 cents called him a "bitch ass nigga" (excuse me for the term). Also, hip-hop can be homoerotic is when they always say "Me and my homeboy" and when rappers are oiled on their body and models in a magazine naked, it makes a connotation that not females can do sexy photos but also males that have six packs or eight packs. Third, I believed that company CEOs or producers are responsible of the content of the song that they are supporting and producing, and what I think about this statement is that white folks benefit from these genre of music but in the end people of color are also criticized by the foul language or the violent language that they portray. Fourth, hip-hop degrades women because they see them as sex materials and not human beings. Women who are dressed revealing are called "bitches" instead of "sisters" and even though they are dressed properly they are also called names. Men feels the power to degrades women because it is needed for their masculine image that they are trying to perceive. Lastly, hip-hop uses black masculinity to sell to white consumers; I agree with the statement but somehow I'm confused on how to answer this question because I really don't understand how black uses their degrading language and masculinity to sell to the records and be in the top hits. 
• Well hip-hop is one of the famous genre of today in the society. Most of the artist that makes millions of dollars out of violent songs are people of color and behind it their entertainment companies that they belonged to. Videos of women wearing just bikinis are also portrayed in hip-hop videos to show that the women are all over one men and can also prove their masculinity. 
• Race intersects with gender for black masculinity when it comes to being homophobic because hip-hop makes a clear statement that they're always hanging out with their "homies" instead of their "girls" which then strengthen the argument about masculinity. In class, race intersects by people of color having to rap and sing explicit language because most of them just finished high school and not college, as oppose to whites who are seen most likely like CEOs of big companies and not having to do degrading music to live life. 
• I think that hip-hop is homoerotic because like what I stated above that they portray their naked oiled bodies on magazine. They love themselves so much that they didn't really care about females. 
• I think hip-hop can be problematic by its use of violent language that most of the time degrades their fellow male and can also degrade females as sex materials and not normal human being like them (like being inferior over men). 
• Yes, in some way I feel like hip-hop can be socially responsible but I also think that the American culture is also responsible for showing violent scenes in the media. 

Word Count : 618

Pre-Reading Week 11

• When I think of hip-hop I think of people of color, mostly black people coining the word hip-hop and making it famous around in our American society. So when it comes to hip-hop, race can be considered one factor of hip-hop. Hip- hop can be also associated with social justice. Some singers or song writers writes music or hip-hop music that contains social justice and every people can listen to it which then gets the point across. 
• I think of the purpose of hip hop is one way to rebel against inequality in the society. Also, hip-hop can be a way to educate people about the Black people's lives, how they live it and how they encounter differences amongst their race, gender, and their beliefs in their own society. Its goal or agenda can be to educate and let people know their hardships that they've been through and also their life story. It can also be about their emotions which then can be expressed through writing songs. 
• As I've said in the first question, I think hip-hop plays an important role in race because mostly Black people are the ones involve in any type of hip-hop whether it's a song or dance they are the ones that are familiarize in hip-hop. Also when someone said hip-hop most people see a picture in their head of Black or African Americans emerging in that industry. African American are the majority when it comes to hip-hop artist, although other race and people of color can be a hip-hop artist. The consumers of hip-hop are racially diverse because all of us listens to hip-hop songs whenever it comes in the radio. I see white folks buying CDs of Chris Brown, or Trey Songz because it's catchy and they like the music. My mom like Bruno Mars, not because he's half-Filipino and half African American but because his songs are catchy and most of the songs have meaning on them.
• I didn't know hip-hop can be problematic. I'm not sure about this portion of the question because I didn't know hip-hop can be problematic. I think people still buy or listen to hip-hop because most of them either like the tone, the beat, or the rhythm of the hip-hop music. 
• Well white artists are (I think) not that problematic than hip-hop. Like Taylor Swift, she can write good quality songs but she has never been in a controversy that her songs are racist or sexist or any kind of problems before. I think white artists are different from Black or hip hop artists because they can't be that problematic. I'm not also sure about this question because I haven't really looked in depth of what hip-hop is and how they can be problematic.
• Now I understand why people are stereotyping rap or hip-hop because they think that it's not art at all. People think it's garbage like what Rock said in his speech. Rock feels like he needs to defend Rap because people still doesn't care about the rappers. It can also be that the government hates rap. For example that Rock has given in his speech, Tupac was shot at Las Vegas in front of circus circus and there were no suspect, police reports, and no one ended up in jail. The use of bad language is one problem that a rap or hip-hop has. 
• Most problematic of hip-hop is its use of graphic language. I think people that hates rap thinks that it's bad to listen because of its explicit language. 
• The role of women in hip-hop is that they are always described as 'bitch' (Sorry for the language), or they are often described as 'sex' materials that man use. Most of the hip-hop music I hear nowadays always describe women in a bad image. In my opinion, I think hip hop or rap can be misogynistic because they give women a bad image calling them names like 'bitch'; I think it degrades women in the society. 
• Gender intersects with race because in hip-hop, white folks degrades African Americans because they think that their music is all about 'sex' and other bad language. While in gender African Americans that are rappers or hip-hop artists degrades women by describing them as 'sexual materials' in their songs. 
• Jay Smooth thinks that rappers should identify the problems first before they look at other aspects of hip-hop, and rappers should be aware of the choices they made because they are still responsible for the consequences in return. 

Word Count: 759

Post-Reading Week 8: Race, Education, and Disability

• There are a lot of factors that can intersect in a person's characteristics to be 'misdiagnosed', and some of the factors that plays the role are race and gender. In our reading by Knight, he presented that there are over-representation of African Americans in special education programs during K-12, whereas in college African Americans are under-represented. While whites that are enrolled as LD, they are most likely to get in college. I think for this topic, the power or the heirarchy is still measured, and it also depends on the social construct that individuals believed in. Furthermore, in Navarette's article about Hispanics being tested based on Standard that is written in English-Only. 
• First of all, we define normalcy as being white, able, and well-behaved student in a classroom. The teachers and the school are the ones who developed Learning Disabled, and Learning Disabled is a social construct which means it is made by people. So when they see a slight difference of the student to normalcy, they assume that the student suffers from either Learning Disabled, Emotionally Disturbed, or Mentally Retarded if they can't function as they're told to do in a classroom. I think normalcy is biased because they based it on whites being the normal and a well-behaved student being the normal setting in the class. So if the student doesn't behave well in class, he/she can be labeled as Learning Disable, and can be separated into regular classrooms and regular learning field. 
• As we discussed in class about the diagnosis of the children to be considered as Learning Disable, their are some biased action towards people of color, class, and gender. For example, teachers usually diagnosed people of color or minorities that have first language rather than English. So non-english speakers ended up in special education programs. The root of segregating people of color into a normal classroom setting is that they want to maintain power inside the classroom, and if a not well-behaved student is inside the classroom that usually breaks the power of maintaining normalcy in the regular classroom. Even though teachers are not doctors they use medical terms to show that what they're talking about is legitimate, and for them LD is seen as biological so therefore, treatable with further medication and help. 
• Race as a social construct is when we tend to believe that blacks are good athletes and not so good in academics. Social construct is basically what we belief or a theory. Another race as a social construct example is Asians are always exemplary in academic courses. In disability as a social construct, the society believed that disability is "with-in" the person or the student. So when a student is acting weird in class or slow in learning, then the teachers believed that he/she is suffering a medical condition called Learning Disabled. 
• Teachers that diagnosed students with Learning Disabled are believed to have it "with-in" them. So even though students are not suffering any mental deficiency, they are most likely to end up in the special education programs. For example, in the Hispanic article about students being tested in standardized way written in English-Only. What would Hispanic immigrants feel if they are being tested to the words or sentences that they didn't clearly understand. What would we feel if someone did the same thing. So I think their biased opinion about the problem is "with-in" the students hides their possession of power over the people of color and minorities in general. 
• Medical doctors are on the top of the hierarchy because they're are the ones declaring different kinds of sickness and medical conditions just to maintain normalcy in the society. With that factor racism, classism, and ableism is affected.
• Language barrier. If the student's first language is not english then it reflects to having a hard time understanding English. In class, working class, like having socioeconomic class wouldn't have the time to fight for their children's rights and might think that the school is there to help them. For race, people of color are being placed under special education because they believed that they're not well-behaved and they're not understanding the topic well. So i think we can look at different spheres to clearly understand how intersectionality works and ties in with disability. All in all, I really liked this unit of how disability can be also looked upon intersectionality.

Word Count: 729

Pre-Reading Week 8

• Some of the public facilities like schools don't have access for the disabled. In contrast to some of the places like here at San Francisco State, there are class room designed for disabled, so that they can also attain education. But I still feel that I needed more information about this topic because I feel like I'm not that familiarize with this topic. 
• Learning Disabled (LD) According to "Teens Health", Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. Their relationship to special education is that they need guidance for them to learn more or process information.
• Mentally Retarded (MR) According to Wikipedia, Mental retardation (MR) is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors. It's relationship with special education is I think the same with the Learning Disabled, they needed assistance and more attention.
• Emotionally Disturbed (ED) According to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Emotional Disturbance suffers from: An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. 
• I think people of color are over represented in special education classes because they are discriminated? I'm not sure why are they in special education classes. But I think that in the history people of color are not given the opportunity to study with the white folks and so as part of segregation they are put in special education. 
• Race, class, and gender intersects with disability by segregating minorities and people of color. Honestly, I'm not sure how race, class, and gender intersects with disability. By segregating people of color or minorities it will change their life because they are discriminated and looked down upon. 
•  I think Connor is pointing out that a normal abled-body is always white in the social construct while disabled-bodied, working class always refers to people of color. I remember the hierarchy of power always belongs to the white folks. I agree with what Connor stated because of the structural privilege, the whites are the only one accessible for all the opportunities in United States.
•  With the standardized tests, English is the only language that they use so I thin there's going to be a language barrier and minorities who are taking the test would have a difficult time answering the questions right. The example that we did in class with Paola, when we tried answering the questions written in different languages, I felt confuse and probably because of the barrier then the people or minorities taking the test might fail and be qualified in special education.
•  Word Count: 433 

Post-Reading Week 7: Domestic Violence

• In a traditional setting of domestic violence the women are the oppressed while the men are the oppressor. So in an intersectional analysis, LBGTQ people are not given the opportunity to declare themselves as oppress because of their beliefs and sexual orientation. Another example that plays an intersectional analysis in a domestic violence scenario during financial stability. As we've discussed in class that a woman who is financially stable and doesn't depend on their husbands income for survival are most likely to get their own house to move out while a survivor woman who depends on their partners income does not have an easy access to move out, and start a new life with her children. I think even in domestic violence intersectionality also occurs with the gender, cultures, ethnicities, sexualities, and other categories that we clarify ourselves in. 
• The Kibria article about the Vietnamese women surprised me the most, and also the Sewer article. First, with the Kibria article I didn't know how the Vietnamese family or in the Vietnamese community, that they handled domestic violence using gossip. I think for the Vietnamese community it works for them and it's also there resources similar to the domestic violence homes in San Francisco. For the Sewer article, since the basis for a traditional violence is that the man is the abuser while the women are the abused. I've also learned that there are no facilities or homes made for LBGTQ people because of the given example in class that they discriminate them in some way; giving the LGBTQ group the reason of not being sure what they're doing in a DV home.I think we don't hear about these examples more often because of the traditional basis that we depend on. We continue to follow that pattern and not assess it to change.
• The biggest barriers for Paola's client is the traumatic detailed report and the language barrier. The language barrier is the main biggest point in getting access to DV homes because some of the survivors are non-English speakers and there are no available translator to translate for them. Also, the traumatic effect that they have to write and recall the happenings when they write for the police report.
• I learned about the VAWA and the U-visa. So about the VAWA or Violence Against Women Act basically grants citizenship to immigrants who are married to a U.S. citizen. The U-visa gives grants to undocumented immigrants who are abused by their partner or in a relationship. Both the U-visa and the VAWA gives work authorization and they can eventually apply for their green card or resident status. In an intersectional analysis, undocumented immigrants obviously don't have power over their abusive partner because they've been threat of getting deported back to their country. Also, with the discussion in class, I remember that when the police comes into the house to investigate for any domestic violence they're most likely going to listen to the English speaker which tends to be the abusive partner. So language also plays a role in this intersectional analysis. 
• I think for the DV homes they should have some translators so in the application for DV homes all of the people with different race can be accommodated in a DV home. In addition to, a DV home should help indigenous people and Native Americans to because we've discussed in the Serwer article that legal services don't apply to non-natives. Also, concerning about the LGBTQ services, they should also be offered to people who depends on their partners financial stability. 
• I think intersectional analysis did help a little with the language barriers but I still think domestic violence is still around. Again with the immigrants that depends on their husbands income, Domestic violence still occurs. They are having a hard time leaving their partners because of their fear of getting deported or not having financial stability and home after they went to the DV homes. To sum it all up, I think this topic was very interesting because I'm only familiarize with physical and emotional abuse, and now I know that financial is an abuse also. So I think it's interesting to get to know where to go in case I encounter someone who experiences domestic violence.

Word Count: 707

Pre-reading Questions Week 7

• I think we study intersectionality and domestic violence because of the myths that they're not real in the society. For example, most people believe that only whites have structural privilege, while we don't see that in every aspect of our lives we have an advantage and a disadvantage. In my last blog about intersectionaly theory, I found that I have an advantage for being able, educated, and middle class, but because my race is Filipino and my gender is women then I have a disadvantage for those categories. I thought domestic violence is only seen physically and emotionally but because of the article that I read about "What is Domestic Violence?", I learned that domestic violence can happen sexually and pyschologically. Domestic violence can happen through race by human trafficking. For example, the one given in the article is that the boss would force slavery or threatening the employee and for class I think it's the same for the boss to maintain his power over his/her employees. Domestic violence by language can be emotional abuse like making fun of a person's accent or pronunciation. Domestic violence by gender can be sexual abuse in order to maintain their power over their intimate sexual partner. 
• I've never experienced domestic violence in my whole entire life. But my suggestion about the solution for people in domestic violence is get out of the relationship as soon as possible and get some help to a specialist because by experiencing domestic violence, people can get emotionally abuse and psychologically abuse. I think this is possible for most of the survivors of domestic violence but for some I think it's impossible because they might feel that people around them can judge them and not help them to recover from such violent act. I don't really know what other alternatives that the oppressed can do because I've never experienced it and most of my friends and family never experienced domestic violence.
• Violence Against Women Act is a law signed by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994 and it is a law that "provided $1.6 billion toward investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, imposed automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allowed civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave unprosecuted" based in wikipedia resource. Their objective is "to develop and implement law enforcement to combat violent crimes against women" based on policeone.com. 
• It's important to look at intersectional qualities when discussing domestic violence because they have similarities. With domestic violence we can look at different spheres like gender, race, and class just to maintain power. Same with intersectionalilty, it makes you look at different spheres when it comes to having advantages and disadvantages. 

 Word Count: 449

Post-Reading 6: Intersectional Theory

• Intersectional theory is when problems in the society about race, gender, sexual orientation, educational attainment, age, and ability intersects. For example, the activity that we did in class today about my gender, race, ability, class, and sexual orientation. As I fill it up with my own personality I ended up not having an disadvantage for my race because I’m Filipino; my gender because I’m a woman. In contrast to having disadvantages with those categories I also have some advantages like my class which is middle class, my ability which I’m temporarily able, and my sexual orientation because I’m straight. It’s different in other approaches because intersectional theory is not about one factor that can have an advantage or a disadvantage but it’s different for diverse people and it depends on their personal issues of what category they fit in.
• Audre Lorde is basically saying that we as a human being in the society is afraid of looking into the problems that’s why we can’t further investigate to change that. We might be afraid because it can take our opportunities away or our advantages in the society. We are reluctant to look at the differences in our society that’s why it’s hard for us to approach and change them.
• We need to look at the differences of each women in the society and we have to acknowledge those differences like what she said that “As women, we must root out internalized patterns of oppression within ourselves if we are to move beyond the most superficial aspects of social change”. So in that line that she wrote, she wants us to notice the problems and act upon those for the better and for the change of oppression with women, bisexual, or lesbian in the society.
• Moraga agrees with Lorde and in her argument she basically saying the same point of view with Lorde that if we didn’t look deeper into the importance of women of color, women, lesbians, and queer then we wouldn’t have a better understanding of the society. If white men are always with the structural privilege all the time then it’s a structural inequality for women, women of color, lesbians, and queers. She’s comparing the lesbians to being poor, being brown, and being women. I think she’s saying that might as well be women or brown or poor if I’m going to declare myself as lesbian. I agree with Moraga’s argument because I think all individuals should be given the right to work or have a professional job even though they’re different from “White Male”.
• The critiques for Occupy Movement are that they are committed to change the social issues confronting movement poor work income, sexual violence, and homelessness. Some are saying that “We should focus on blaming the white males , even though the majority of them not having to do with economic meltdown, instead of the 1%.” The agenda of Occupy movement is to make a change about women having low-paying jobs and having less opportunity than men. The agenda reflects mostly on women of color.
• Basically intersectional theory can help us understand the lives of men because we can see that GENDER is a big part of the society and while men and whites have all the privilege in the society. For example, before the Feminist movements, women are not allowed to have jobs and be in the work field except for women of color. They have to stay at home or either women of color have to work like men and have low-income. So in general, If we look at different spheres about Race, Gender, Ability, and Sexual Orientation, men are set on the easiest level when it comes to the game that we talked about in class.
• No more questions.

Word Count: 633

Pre-Reading Week 6

• As we've talked about in class about white having privilege and male privilege. Peggy McIntosh's article comes back to this pre-reading homework. Back in the late 1800s only white rich man can vote so I think in the society before, women are not allowed to vote and I think they don't have as much opportunities as males do. I'm a little bit confused about 'straight white women', but my point of view about the topic is they get a little opportunity like white folks do but not as much because back then I remember discussing about male only can get education while women stays at home. Straight black men before have the same opportunities and disadvantages as the 'straight white women' do. They couldn't get educational attainment and I remember when we discussed about the census all African American males and females are considered slaves. Which then they're considered about three-fifths of a vote.
• When we make people of color bleach they're body to become white they might get the opportunity and the power to study but who would do that?! That's ridiculous. In the society, only white male have the power, unearned privilege, and the opportunity open at their hands. They are in the lowest difficulty level when it comes to having the power and doing what they wish. Probably if minorities tries to be a white person by changing their physical characteristics or their phenotype then the society wouldn't notice that they're a minority, and they might open doors for them but again as I was saying why would people of color or other minorities change their hair color, skin color, and different characteristics. 
• Yes, white women have the same needs as black women does. I think when it comes to getting educated and other opportunities like getting more job, so they can also get benefits from the government. I believed that all women have the same needs. For queer Asian men and straight Asian men I also strongly believed that queer Asian men have similar needs as a straight Asian men. They need a normal job with a normal pay as men do. They need no discrimination from the society and they also need the privilege like males privilege get. Even though women and queer men are not the norm in the society as males view it I think they should get the same opportunities as the white male folks do.
• I think people are granted only racial privilege. I remember one of Professor Elena's story about how pregnant women get the same water breaks or bathroom breaks as men. I believe that it's unjust because women especially when they're pregnant needed more bathroom breaks than males. Women most of the time doesn't have ability privilege. If all the working class people would only have racial privilege then it's going to be unfair with people who are incapable of doing a job right.
• "Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference" Questions: What if there's no classification between men and women? How can we decrease the discrimination that women can only do housework and not office work or other work that men can do? 
• "La Güera" Questions: How come women have to fight for their rights to have a job? What are some explanations that women is incapable of going to school?
• "The Combahee River Collective Statement" Questions: How come African American women can't be part of the politics? Explain what is a "Black Feminists" beliefs. 

Word Count:  579

Post-Reading Week 5: Color Blind Racism

• Eduardo Bonilla-Silva refers to Color Blind Racism is "racism lite" because whites are trying to hide or erase they structural privilege with the minorities. For example, whites have a lot of disparities against minorities because "it's a natural phenomena", or because "they're just lazy and incooperative in the society or the community." One point that really hit me is that they claim "Asians got in the higher level like us, so everyone can do it too." It's basically saying that it all depends on minorities' actions and their enthusiasm to get in the level were the whites are in. Also, "racism lite" claim that we're all equal now, so all the problem about race will be gone but it's just an act, whites are still on the top on the power of hierarchy.
• Defining racist or racism means power plus privilege. So in this video that we watched in class I think it can't be racist because the girl in the video is not white, which means that she can't be racist. But with the portrayal that she did in this video she can be racist about copying how the whites act or a white girl. She's trying to prove that whites are using words that can hurt the people of color's feeling like "ghetto" and "urban", while trying to imitate how whites talking vulgarly. 
• I think whites are the ones who benefit with the colorblind racism. Adding into Wise's argument on how before 1950's and Overt Racism is practiced and now Colorblind Racism is practiced. Colorblind racism is more obvious that Overt Racism. Whites benefit from Colorblind racism because they can hide their privileges by making the society believe that it's all because of the minorities' fault and the economic disparity in the community.
• Some of the examples of using colorblind racism by whites are: "It all occurs naturally, repeating itself", "Because they're not as hard-working as we do", "Asians got it, how come you don't?", "It's because you are lazy and didn't care about your child, that's why the drop-out rates for people of color have increased over time." These are some examples of rebuttals that are happening in the society now. I think the main argument in colorblind racism is that they don't want people to advance like them because the fear of they're going to loose power when they give them the same opportunities like the whites start with. 
• Obvious indicative of CBR: At a dinner party in the suburbs, the discussion turns to the problems in urban One of the participants responds, “I don‟t want to sound racist but, it is going to be difficult to change the schools when those parents just don‟t care what their children are doing in class” This example is obvious that it tends to CBR because they're blaming the people of color that they don't care about parent-meeting and so because of that the whites tries to hide or take away their self into being targeted by people in their society. " Two students get into a fight at school. The Latino student calls the white student a „cracker‟, and gets suspended for hate speech. This was kind of confusing for me because I thought it was just straight-up racism but it's not because it's also an example of color blind racism. Whites are okay with minorities calling them names because so the people of color wouldn't see that they have the privilege of being bigots at the same time having power. 
• When people talks about diversity, it's usually a positive connotation without trying to say the word "race" in it. This is a problem because they're trying to avoid race so they won't be called a racist. 
• We study Colorblind racism because it's important for all the minorities to have equal opportunities that are actually given to them. Also, the power that relates to whites in the society. Social justice is also targeted by colorblind racism because I remember in one of the discussion we had in class, African Americans or other minorities are the ones being stopped by a police so i think that's unfair to people of color.
• I think CBR is a useful tool in understanding race because it gave me an insight on what's really happening in the society nowadays. And to understand more about the struggles of people color. 
• I feel like I'm more aware of the society now about how the claim of power is unfair to minorities and people of color. I feel more literate knowing that racism still exist in the community now.  
• Word count: 763 
   
  
  
  

Pre-Reading Week 5: Racism Still Unchangeable

• I think racism still occurs because of the inequality of different race when it comes to having the power. As we've discussed in class the definition of racism, racism=power and prejudice. Other racial groups can be bigots but they can't be racist because they don't have the power to be one. While whites are considered racist because they have the power even though they didn't want to consider themselves as racist. 
• The commentators thought that after an African American was elected to become the president of the United States 'racism is dead'. I think they thought that because it's the first African American president that racism would stop and because individuals are not used to people of color like Obama being in a power. As we defined racism being power+prejudice, people think that it violated the real meaning if racism. As oppose to commentators saying 'racism is dead', Dr. Apollon argued that it's not literally dead just because an African American is in power in the United States it doesn't mean that racism is dead. With the ongoing issues of inequality and opportunities given to different race and immigrants different from the whites, then racism is still ongoing in our society. 
• I believe that being racist is not about individual meanness but with the group and the power of the whites have. It's basically about the color of an individual or the race of an individual. The whites are the only ones that can be racist because they are the only ones that have the power. Any race can be bigots about other race but they can't be racist because again racism contains power and prejudice without the power a person or a group can't be racist. I would probably say that to the person that said 'Oh, I don't see color, I just see people individually' that it is the color of the individual. If you're white then you are considered as racist because of the power that they have. I'm not pin-pointing that all whites are racist but based on the discussions in class then whites are considered racist. 
• Diversity is basically about different race and ethnicity living in a community like in San Francisco there can be Whites, African Americans, Asians, Indian Americans, and many more different race. Structural privilege is like an unearned privilege given to whites or males in the community. They are the first pick in opportunities like education, jobs, and resources. The doors are open for them easily while other diverse cultures are set on the 'difficulty level' of the game. 
• I think the parents' idea about the undocumented students should get a 'free lunch' is fair because even though they're undocumented they should get the same opportunity like the documented students. Parents might tell their kids to ignore the issue to be tolerant about the problem. Social justice in this country is tolerated because if the law accept students to have a 'free lunch' then their making action about the inequality but because the parents argues and talks about it then I think the government or the people in power are tolerant. 
• When the people described diversity it almost tied up with the racial differences and the structural privileges. For me diverse is different but I guess in this reading it refers to a non-white race. 

 Word Count:  428

Post Reading Week 4: Privilege

Section 1
This week we discussed about having the privilege especially male and white privilege and with the activity that we did in class this Wednesday I felt like in some categories I don't belong and felt lost, thinking about if I should step forward or backward with some of the questions in the activity. Some of the topics about privileges are class/income, gender issues, cis gender, race/ethnicity, religion, and age. For class/income, if your ancestors or parents own more than 50 books growing up then they have the white privilege. The same issue with cis gender, females can't peacefully walk alone at night because they feel inferior to other gender especially males while males can freely walk by themselves at night. In the McIntosh P. White reading it was listed that the standard band aid color would be the color of the flesh (flesh=white flesh). Concerning with the race and ethnicity ancestors were forced to move around and with the public utilities people of color are always the last on to use them or sometimes they are separated with the whites. I think the band aid standard was ridiculous because the band aid is suppose to cover the wound unnoticeable but the standard color is "white flesh" how can the people of color use the band aid when it's not the same complexion as their skin. I find the male privilege interesting because I didn't notice that women tend to pass by an open space and feel inferior while males tend to not care where to pass by or walk at night. Sexual Orientation is also one of the points that I didn't notice until we talked about it in class. People with same sex orientation doesn't have the right to marry. So overall, I think white privilege and male privilege are still accountable today even though to some individuals they're unnoticeable.

Section 2
Meritocracy is a simple simile for the "American Dream". The structural privilege is basically unearned privilege that can move a person or an individual into better circumstance like doors opening to them giving them opportunities. Meritocracy is believed to be achievable for everyone  but it's not because only whites and males can access the promised freedom, privilege, and opportunities. The structural privilege challenged the notion of meritocracy because it's not true to all of the people living in America.

Section 3
Jon Scalzi's "Game of Life" refers to privileges of different race and ethnicity. White people can choose the lowest level or the easiest level possible in the game, making their way to the highest level set in a game, while other race like people of color are automatically set to the difficulty level and not given the opportunity to start in the same level as whites do which then reflects to the structural or systematic privilege in the society. The McIntosh piece lists all the privileges a white male or whites can get without worrying about what other people think because they can be racist, having the power plus the privilege. In contrast to the whites, people of color and/or other minorities can't be racist because they don't have the power that whites possess.

Word Count: 530

Pre-Reading Week 4: Privilege

• Privilege for me is when you get to do something while some other people can't in your society and your community. For example, someone that has a VIP pass in a concert can get to visit the artist backstage whereas people that didn't purchase a VIP pass can't. Some examples in the society is when you're free to do your own will like practicing your own culture or beliefs or owning and managing your own business freely.
• White privilege means whites always comes first and they all have the access to anything while other people of color goes last on the hierarchy. It's like being white has its own disadvantage without earning them unlike people of color they had to work hard to earn what they can or they can't do. It also construct racial inequalities between white and people of color. Structural inequality I think refers to the white privilege; how the societal racial inequalities were in the past. Whites get all the privilege while the other race doesn't get most of the privilege like the white privilege. Structural inequality can also mean unequal opportunities and jobs in the society, where white gets to own their own business while people of color struggles to work in the farms owned by white rich people. The Advantage of having the white privilege is they are free to do whatever they want in their own country. Also, the whites can get to vote, have an education, and to own business while people of color and other race other than white only can work for the whites and can't contain educational background. The disadvantages of white privilege for the white is nothing I guess? but for the people of color all the disadvantages lies on their back. 
• Racism for me is about people of different races wanting a separation form different races and inequality amongst people of color. I think racism ties with the white privilege because of the social construct that white are on the highest level of hierarchy while blacks/people with color are on the bottom of the social hierarchy. Racism can be linked to the definition of privilege because by separation of race and the inequality of opportunities and roles between the white and the people of color. 
• I'm not sure about people of color being racist because I've never encountered that question before so I think they can be racist because they are their own race like the white people. They can be separated with the whites also if they wanted to be separated with them. 
• Whites have some advantages in the U.S. because they thought that they have been here before other racial groups and they controlled the U.S. before so because of that they are free to do whatever they wish and have an advantage than other minorities living and migrating in the U.S.
• Racism is not stable or permanent like race and it changes over time with the influences of the society as a whole. In Colonial America, separation and racism is a big issue with white being able to control and have the power while minorities doesn't. At the beginning of the 20th century, people started to become more equal as we approach democracy. 

Word Count:  539

Latino as a Race and Ethnicity

• Hattman stated that because of the barrier between the race and ethnicity, people confuses themselves into what ethnicity and race should they be in and sometimes forcing them to be in a race that they don't define theirselves into. Race is bioligical and immutable while ethnicity is defined as fluid and malleable. The difference between the two is given in Hattman's dicussion about the directive 15; how the census counts people numerically and socially based on their status in America. Hattman argues that we should remove the barrier that differentiates ethnicity to race but being aware of the drastic change and the complex ways of the change itself. I agree to Hattman because it's unfair how the "Latinos" are not considered a race just because they didn't come from one race and they have shared views of the world. In class, I notice that one of the student when we did the census check the "Other Race". It doesn't really show what his race is while others confidently check their race because they know they belong in that type of race.
• The Census started to take place in 1790 when whites were the superior group of people (with their three different choices like Males of Sixteen years and upwards, Males under sixteen, and Females including heads of families). Free white rich men can count as one vote and when slavery is common. The census needed the slaves count because they're counted as 3/5 of the vote. Then in 1930 census Immigration in Southern and Eastern Europe became common like Irish, British, Romanian and etc. The 1930 census asks for "color of the race", "place of birth", and "mother tongue" because the real whites wanted to be separated with the immigrants from Europe who considered themselves as racially white. In the 2000 census, it became more complex because of the Hispanic, Spanish, or Latino ethnicity and race. At first an individual is asked about if are you Hispanic, Spanish, or Latino in ethnicity and if so what's your race and Latino is not included with the choices. 
• Probably I will suggest to check their ethnicity first then tell them to check other race because I don't want to force them in checking a race that they don't feel comfortable about or they don't want to belong with in that certain race. I'm probably going to say to check the 'Some Other Race' box so that they won't feel the force of checking white or indian or african american. 
• The three approaches of Flores about in understanding the Latino community are demographic, analytic, and imaginary. Demographic is about the the numerical count of each Latino individual and also the census is under the demographic approach. In analytical approach Flores argues about immigration and labor market of the Latino community. And in the Imaginary approach he argues about the Latinos' personal identification; of what race they identify themselves in. It is important that we look at these three approach to show how the Latinos can be considered as a race that can be marked in the census as a race and not an ethnicity only.
• Hispanic came from Spain while Latino is considered as mestizo, which a mix of Spanish, American Indian, and African American. As a society as a whole Hispanics and Latino are the same with their culture and beliefs and it's not because of white racism but because they clasify themselves as Latinos and not Hispanics. 
• The census reflects on the racial categories in the United States including non-whites and of mix color by naming mostly of the race that are found here in America except for Latino and because they classify Latino as an ethnicity and not race. I think the census right now doesn't clearly make racial categories here.

Word Count: 631

Post Reading Week 2

• Race involves people with the same physical characteristics, a social construction, and can't be changed unlike ethnicity. Race is determined in physical characteristics and is defined as an identity of a person. Ethnicity on the other hand is group of people that share the same history and culture within the population. Also, ethnicity is changeable, meaning if a person choses to stop believing in atheist then they can change into being a catholic or any religion possible and now one is going to judge that person. Ethnicity is a feeling of "being in a certain group that believes in one point or another."
• Yes my beliefs changed since I watched the video and discussed in class. I thought race was biologically real but it's not because people assume that they are in the same genetic code of a person that has the same race as them but they thought wrong because they have an interracial blood from other parts of the world they thought they wouldn't have. For example, mitochondrial test of DNA can prove that people can be part chinese even though they didn't have any characteristics of a chinese person. In addition to, I thought people in the past didn't practice eugenics but in the video and class discussion, it's one of the biggest point that white supremacy has taken place before. Also, I thought Latino/a is a race but it's not classified as race. 
• Race and Ethnicity can have similarities and differences but mostly they can be interchangeable and I think thats why people can be confused of what is race and ethnicity. Some individuals gets confused because they don't know that meaning and the differences between race and ethnicity.
• I think race affects people because of the power the society influences. Whites are in the higher hierarchy of the class level while Blacks on the other hand is in the lower level of an American hierarchy. Furthermore, whites get to identify and define people because they're always thought of being powerful and potent. Immigrants or other racial identities thought that being white can get them more benefits than being an inferior minority. I think everyone has the right to identify themselves because it's a free country, it's their own identity, and people are the ones who know what race and ethnicity they are qualified in. 
• The society sometimes tend to pin-point the race of a person without asking a person what race do they identify themselves as, basing on the physical structure or the skin color of the person and their capabilities of being superior in actions (like Blacks tend to win over the Whites in a run race because they are genetically fit for the sport) which tends to lead in racism and/or oppression. Also, whites get to identify race because of the power that they posses in the level of hierarchy. 
• Racism is a belief that a person of certain race can be superior in a certain activity or thing. For example, Asians tend to excel in Math, Blacks tend to be superior in running etc., while ethnocentrism is somewhat the same as racism except the people are comparing the superiority between the culture, behavior, and religion. 
• Asians tend to be smarter in Math and Science than other race. Indians tend to work more on computers like information technology in Silicon Valley. Whites tend to lose over blacks in a race. Whites are better in swimming than any other race.
• My race would be Asian or Pacific Islander (I'm not actually sure about this). My ethnicity would be Filipino. My nationality would be Immigrant. Yes I think that these categories match what I identify myself in because all of them are true and these categories I think of myself as. 
• In Abdulrahim, I classify the article as racial identification as linked to power and oppression because the Arab American that classifies himself as "white" believes that he would contract power and benefits for declaring his race as "white". In Strum's article, race as a social construct made by the society to identify how Cherokee a person is by their practice of religion, language, and social behavior. Also, an Indian American can be classified as a Cherokee on how he looks which people believed in on how to classify a person as a Cherokee. 

Word Count: 626

Pre-reading Week 2

• I define race is based on color of an individual. It's more like a classification of individuals in a certain place. Also human beings can be define based on their color, physical characteristics (e.g. short, tall, hair color, skin complexion, etc.)
• African-Americans (people that originated from Africa or their background history is from Africa). Asian-Americans like Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Thailand, Malaysian, etc. (minorities migrated from the Pacific Ocean and Middle Eastern part of the globe). Latino-Americans (group of individuals that came from the southern part of America). Chicanos are also preferred as U.S. citizens of Mexican decent. White (I see this every time I fill out an application and it's always the first choice in the given choices of ethnicity or race; Whites that are from north east part of the the globe).
• Certain individuals can also be in a race if they share the same skin color, hair color, physical features, and characteristics. Some people can  be in two different culture or can speak two different language. A person can be half-half in their race, meaning the person's mother can be Filipino and his/her dad can be White.
• I think categorizations vary from society to society, it might depend on their beliefs about the race or the culture of group of individuals. I originally grew up in the Philippines and migrated to United States when I was 14 years old and for me it seems that the classification system is the same. 
• Ethnicity of a certain individual can be based on their share of common culture, beliefs, religion, language (mother tongue). 
• I'm not sure about the difference between the race and ethnicity but i strongly suggest that race is about physical characteristics like hair color, skin color, height or other characteristics that can define a person in a certain group. In contrast to, ethnicity is about cultural characteristics and their beliefs.
• For my race as a Filipino decent, I have black hair, tan skin color (sometimes other people categorizes Asians that have yellow skin, but not because they have Hep A or B it's just in their genes to have yellowish skin tone). As for my ethnicity as a Filipino, we strongly believe in religion and Christ/Jesus as holy figure, the one that we worship. 
• Sometimes people do tend to think that I'm half Chinese and half Filipino because I don't have a tan skin tone. In some occasion they identify me as Filipino which is the correct race or ethnicity. People that identified me correctly as a Filipino probably new how the Filipinos look like and have an understanding or an overview of the culture and beliefs of Filipinos.

Word count:441

Post-Reading 1

• By reading the essay about the strike at San Francisco State University, it gave me a clearer point of view of the importance of Ethnic Studies in our lives. Not only the minorities but whites as a whole. 
• Yes. With the Arizona state, House Bill 2281, government are trying to ban books that promotes the overthrow of U.S. government because the 'whites' or Americans didn't want minorities or other ethnicities to think that they're the bad people. In some case like history books, there are some part about the minorities but mostly about 'whites and their good deeds'.  As I can see today there are some similarities of what the students faced in 1968 and today. With the students' stand on criticism about the studies on their own race and color, they mostly achieved the freedom to study history on their own culture and to cultivate their race but not all. 
• Ethnic studies is basically the study of variety of one's culture and history. It wants to articulate the respect that we and other race are suppose to implement on minorities. Ethnic studies course is also a way to understand minorities coming in this country, not only by their culture but also by their values as a human being. As the government criticizes higher lever of education, minorities are not given the chance to study or have a better education and as people with their own culture steps into the middle class level they took a stand for their own freedom to teach and learn their own culture. 
• Legislators of House Bill 2281: Okay we'll give you your freedom to study and teach your values except you have to follow these rules: Do not use teachings that overthrows the U.S. government, Do not implement resentment of your own race, Only minorities of that culture can learn in class, and Do not advocate ethnic solidarity. 
• 1986 student on strike: That's still unfair for minorities. 
• My past history classes were about the U.S. government or the good deeds of the the United States itself. Rule number 3 would be violated in a traditional history class in high school or in college because if only people who are white can learn the in the class then why does the government or school facility allows minorities to learn U.S. history, which is a pre-requisite or general education in order to graduate. For rule number 1 it is appropriate because it doesn't implement the overthrow of the United States government. For rule number 2, it doesn't promote a resentment toward a race or class of people. Also, for rule number 3, a history class is not an example of ethnic solidarity and students's are treated as individuals.
• Horne is opposed to teaching ethnic studies at Tucson Unified School District because it separates minorities within their own ethnic group because of rule number 3 in the House Bill 2281, which also creates outraged and anger by other race. Also, he wants students to learn diverse culture and race.
• Dyson's argument is about how Ethnic Studies constitutes White-American history. Horne only targeted Chicano studies and not other race. Also, Dyson argues that White-Americans benefit from ethnic studies of other culture (E.g. Civil War). 
• Some of the benefits in taking ethnic studies course are to know other's culture and history of struggles in order to give some respect to why people do what they do in their culture. By ethnic studies, student's can also learn more about the struggles to fight for democracy, minorities right and freedom (e.g. Martin Luther King Jr. Cesar Chaves, etc.)
• My take on the controversy is there's nothing wrong about taking Ethnic Studies class. It's a way for me and for other students with diverse culture to learn about the social injustices that was present in the past and I would like to learn about who and how we got democracy in this country that we and other minorities benefit from. 

Word count: 658

Pre-reading 1 Re-do

• Ethnic Studies based on the name itself is a study of racial profile and ethnicity of diverse people with different kinds of culture. Ethnic Studies can be similar to sociology and anthropology because it relates to the study of discipline amongst individuals with different culture and traditions. 
• Ethnic Studies was developed as a discipline to illustrate the struggles, stories, and success of people with their own color. It's unique because students get to know how racial profiling can affect people's lives. Also, Ethnic Studies illustrates the history of people with color, like Martin Luther King Jr. I'm interested in tackling other racial discrimination about Asian-Americans and Latino-Americans.
• I think everyone benefits from an Ethnic Study course because after taking this course, students have a better knowledge of the triumph and the sacrifices for civil rights and freedom for African-Americans, Latino-Americans, Asian-Americans and for all immigrants. Also, with the students better understanding of Ethnic studies, they learn how to respect each culture in a diverse country. 
• Arizona and other states are considering banning Ethnic studies because the government feels that it promotes the overthrow of the U.S. government and it also promotes resentment to a specific race. 
• It helps Mexican-American decent or other ethnicity prove their self-esteem in the class. Also, Ethnic studies provides knowledge of an individual's own culture and their heritage. While others believe that it made students that doesn't belong to the culture uncomfortable. Students who weren't Mexican-American decent are uncomfortable discussing ethnic studies because they might feel 'out-of-place' or they're race might be the reason of racial discrimination that happened a long time ago. 
• Probably Americans or other race may be resistant to teaching Ethnic Studies because it doesn't enhance their own culture but it teaches other cultures. The groups that may be in favor of ethnic studies are groups that have different race like African-American, Latino-American, Filipino-American, Asian-American and other ethnicities because this studies is also a way to know more about oneself's culture and also to gain knowledge about other cultures as well. This question I'm not sure about and I'll be able to find this answer at my Ethnic Studies class. 
• The benefit of learning history through ethnic studies is understanding more of the different cultures around us. A diverse country like us should be more aware of some cultures that we can interact with and socialize with. The drawbacks of this studies might be if students learn about other race's culture, they might take advantage and make an issue or discrimination big. 

Word Count:419

Pre-reading response 1

• Ethnic Studies based on the name itself is a study of racial profile and ethnicity of diverse people with different kinds of culture. Ethnic Studies can be similar to sociology and anthropology because it relates to the study of discipline amongst individuals with different culture and traditions. 
• Ethnic Studies was developed as a discipline to illustrate the struggles, stories, and success of people with their own color. It's unique because students get to know how racial profiling can affect people's life. 
• I think everyone benefits from an Ethnic Study course because after taking this course, students have a better knowledge of the triumph and the sacrifices for civil rights and freedom for African-Americans, Latino-Americans, Asian-Americans and for all immigrants. Also, with the students better understanding of Ethnic studies, they learn how to respect each culture in a diverse country. 
• Arizona and other states are considering banning Ethnic studies because the government feels that it promotes the overthrow of the U.S. government and it also promotes resentment to a specific race. 
• It helps Mexican-American decent or other ethnicity prove their self-esteem in the class. Also, Ethnic studies provides knowledge of an individual's own culture and their heritage. While others believe that it made students that doesn't belong to the culture uncomfortable.