Final Reflection

This class, African American Family, has had a profound effect on my life. I cannot say that it is one particular article, film or discussion. They all seem to be magically woven together, just like our lives. Yes, I have learned statistics, data, and aspects of the African American culture that I would not have known. I have read numerous articles on finding a mate and struggles of marriages, lack of competent African American psychologists, the importance of faith and the church, struggles of young women of color who dislike their skin tone, the pathology of privilege and more importantly, the oppression of the African American people.

I have sat in this class, often fighting back tears, as I listen to the amazing stories of struggle and triumph of my peers. Sitting in a classroom, where I am the minority, has been enlightening and eye opening. I found myself often unable to participate in discussion, not because I wasn't welcomed, but because I had not had the experience of being a person of African American descent.  I frequently found myself feeling intense pain for my classmates as they shared their struggles of adjustment to the academic environment, the lack of preparedness, the inability to get needed help from professors, and trying to be an agent of change for their friends and family in their hometowns.

Because of the classroom environment that Dr. Gilbert creates, respectful, emotional and sometimes painful discussion occurs. It is in those moments, hearing the stories of others, that have been the most impactful for me. And what will I do with it?  As I head to grad school, I hope to continue to raise awareness of privilege and fight for equality for the oppressed and hopefully impact the lives of, if not many, at least one other person. I will continue a dialogue with friends, strangers, peers and classmates about the Tim Wise film, his work on "white privilege" and also what I have learned about the negative stereotypes that African Americans have faced and continue to deal with on a daily basis.

I look forward to hearing and seeing what my peers in African American Family will do with their lives. They are all bright, articulate young men and women who have a passion for change, social justice and bringing awareness. The future looks bright for each of them and I know they will do great things to further the cause for change.

The Achievement Gap and "Acting White"

Seeing the film, the Boys of Barack, cemented the concept of struggles in Quadrant 4. Seeing the boys find success away from their home environment, drives home the point of how difficult it is to be successful when you are dealing with factors such as, parent drug addiction, parent imprisonment, and struggles that a young person shouldn't be having while trying to excel as a student. Our expectations for academic success are unrealistic under these conditions. We need to find ways to improve life for these kids so that they can achieve!

The article "Closing the Gap" addresses the issues for African Americans in the classroom. They are not in quadrant 4 and do not have the same struggles from an economic standpoint; and yet, some of these kids are still not achieving. Is it the attitudes of the teachers, thinking they don't care, not caring themselves or is it the kids are truly struggling and don't want to acknowledge that. From the outside, it could appear to me all of the above. It is difficult to say I am doing all I can and still I am not understanding. It is hard for a child to be working extremely hard and feel it isn't enough. I am also able to see that a teacher has the power to help that child feel safe and help them be the best they can be. Each of us knows that teachers have this ability to make a difference. I can see, as an educator, if you have an attitude of they don't care, you might adopt that same laissez-faire response. The answer in this situation is not an easy one and one that I hope educators will continue to explore for the success of students everywhere. I think it is also important to look at each student as an individual and find out their particular situation and other aspects of what may be contributing to their failures/successes.

"Acting White" because I am white has not been a particular issue for me nor my peers; however, I have, in the past few months, become increasingly intrigued by this concept. I was especially challenged by the articles and how the accusation of "acting white" for African American youth and the detriment that can be for them. I also have begun to think more deeply on the stereotypes of "acting white" and how we have come to label each other, why we label and the negative connotations of labeling.

Racial and Ethnic Identity

Being a white female and recognizing I am a person of privilege, it is unfair to say that I could identify with the students in the article "Family Life and School Experience: Factors in the Racial Identity Development of Black Youth in White Communities" by Beverly Tatum. It further helps me recognize the struggles of my peers and classmates as they maneuver through their lives, the struggles of race, oppression and transition.  I grew up in a predominately white community until the age of 14 when I moved to three high schools in three years and in more diverse area. Any area of struggle for me during those years was more about being uncomfortable in new environments than being racially oppressed. It would be erroneous of me to connect those dots as being equal or near the same.

I would hope I am at a place in my life to be in the immersion/emersion stage and also working toward autonomy. Trying to make others aware has been an agenda for me the past few years. As I become more aware of oppression and race, I want others to acknowledge the existence. I can say this fully embracing that I am white and I have many privileges due to my skin color. Although I am grateful, I am also fully aware that gender, class, and color all play a role in each of our lives. 

Choosing to do the Tim Wise film was, for me, an integral part of my journey in life and in this class. I long to draw attention to this issue and making others aware. Knowing the Tim Wise video brought continued awareness to me, I felt it was a way that I, being a white female, could have an impact on others. It seemed to be the best way for my voice to be heard. In a sense, I feel, as a white person of privilege, I can in some way be Tim Wise, whether it is sharing his passion or finding my own podium to address this from. I  long for the day when I can see people of color stand up and share in the same way, having the same impact as Tim Wise.