Alan Johnson: Privilege, Power, and Difference - Reflection Response

In response to the text, as a white, queer, woman, I can relate to the difficulty in discussing social issues such as discrimination, prejudice, and privilege. In my own experiences, I have faced discrimination from both society as a whole for being queer, and from the queer community for "Not looking gay enough." These experiences have taught me that discrimination is not a one-dimensional issue but instead a complex, multifaceted problem that affects different individuals in different ways. In addition to facing discrimination as a queer person, I have also experienced gender-based discrimination. I had a short stint as an electrician, which is a male-dominated field, and faced gendered comments and biases that made it difficult for me to succeed. Despite existing as a white woman, which gives me a certain amount of power in social situations, my experiences in a work setting have shown me that being a woman can also be detrimental. The complexity of discrimination is further compounded by the intersection of different identities. As a white woman, I am aware of the power that comes with my whiteness, but I also struggle with using it appropriately in interactions with people of color. I am often afraid of exerting that power and causing harm, which leads to a certain level of discomfort and insecurity in these interactions. Moreover, I have struggled with my own biases and prejudices, including those against men. In the past, I have been hurt by men and as a result, find myself discriminating against them at times. It is an issue that I am actively trying to address and remedy through introspection and education. Understanding the complexities of my own prejudices and how they intersect with larger societal biases is an ongoing process, but one that I believe is necessary for growth and improvement. In conclusion, the text highlights the importance of using difficult language in discussions of social issues, regardless of the discomfort it may cause. Through my own experiences, I can attest to the fact that discrimination is a complex issue that affects individuals in different ways. By acknowledging our own biases and prejudices and actively working to address them, we can strive towards creating a more inclusive and understanding society.

Lisa Delpit: The Silenced Dialogue - Reflection

This piece describes the experiences of Black and Native Alaskan graduate students and teachers in predominantly white university classes and discussions about how to best serve students of color. These individuals express frustration and alienation in their interactions with white colleagues and professors, who they feel do not listen to or value their perspectives and experiences. The author suggests that these scenarios are common and that white educators often do not realize that they are silencing the voices of their colleagues of color. The author also argues that schooling prepares people for jobs and that the kind of job a person has determines their economic status and power. She also asserts that there are codes or rules for participating in power, which relate to linguistic forms, communicative strategies, and presentation of self. These rules are a reflection of the culture of those who have power, and children from middle-class homes tend to do better in school because the culture of the school is based on the culture of the upper and middle classes. The author also argues that acknowledging personal power and admitting participation in the culture of power is uncomfortable for many who consider themselves members of liberal or radical camps. The author also discusses the importance of cultural diversity and the right for each cultural group to maintain their own language and cultural style, and believes that political change towards diversity can only be achieved by pushing and agitating from the top down, rather than from the bottom up. The author suggests that students should be taught within the context of meaningful communicative endeavors.

This text was really quite eye opening for me. Throughout my life I have always lived in a middle class neighborhood, been educated at excellent private schools, and existed in the world with a certain amount of assumed power that I have not had reason to examine too closely. To consider that I have, and always have had, a base amount of power over others because of my educational background, economic status, and skin color, is something that I have always avoided looking at directly. I hope that both in this class and in my life I will continue to be challenged about my own ideas on my place in our society. It does not sit well with me that these societal constructs of racial differences have such a profound effect on the lives of people of color. While reading this, I kept pondering what made us, as a society, assign more value to some people than others and how we might at some point be able to combat that through a better education system.

First Blog Post

 Hi everyone!

My name is Anna Barnes, I am an Art Education Major in my junior year at RIC, though this is only my second semester. I transferred from CCRI after getting my Associates Degree in Fine Arts in 2020 (it was about as much fun as you're imagining to take art classes in an online format). I graduated from Ponaganset High School in Glocester, Rhode Island in 2018. Once I graduated I went into Music Performance at CCRI before finding that I much preferred the visual arts and discovered a passion for education. 

My hobbies include reading, innumerable crafts, getting sucked into the abyss of the internet on occasion, and participating in revolutionary war reenactment as part of a Fife and Drum music corps. 

Below are a couple images of my work and one of my pet rat. 

Skeletal Study

Ceramic Dragon

Sapphire