Author: hopkins.963

Text Review: All American

by

All-American-Season-4.jpg (1200×630)

The show “All American” encapsulates the life of African American high school football player, Spencer James. “All American” takes place in a city near Los Angeles called Crenshaw, which is a poorer, more dangerous area of town. Just a few cities over is Beverly Hills, which is one of the richest cities in Southern California. The show starts off with the football coach of Beverly High School coming to recruit Spencer to play for their team. Spencer then moves in with the coach and the coach’s family so he can transfer there. One of the main themes of the show is the cultural differences that are represented between rich and poor. It shows how socioeconomic status can greatly influence the way a person behaves and who they interact with. Another big issue that is presented in “All American” is race. It is obvious that race is a factor of one’s financial situation, as Spencer’s hometown, which is poor, is primarily black, but the city which he moves to, that is very wealthy, is made up by mostly white citizens.

One of the other important characters to be analyzed is Spencer’s teammate, Asher. Asher grew up very differently from Spencer, as he has lived in a rich town his entire life. He puts himself on a pedastal compared to Spencer, one, because he is rich, and two, because he is white. However, later in the show it is revealed that Asher’s family went bankrupt, since his mom left and his dad was a drug abuser. He continued with his impression of being better than his peers because he thought he had to maintain his reputation of being rich, since most people at the school who go there are rich. It makes Spencer the ‘Other’ in the show, because he does not fit in compared to his classmates and teammates. He is not in the upper class, and is also African American, which makes him a minority in his school.

source for picture: https://gizmostory.com/all-american-season-4-expected-release-date-new-cast-plot-and-trailer/

How COVID-19 Has Affected African Americans – Systemic Injustice Showcase

by

Over the last year and a half, COVID-19 has affected every nation in the world, especially the United States. Our economy has plummeted due to company lay-offs, which in turn has taken a huge toll on the healthcare system. The group that is most affected by this phenomenon are African Americans. In this instance, they are considered the “Othering” of society. What does this mean exactly? Unfortunately, many minority groups have a lower rate of being able to afford any health care. So, amid all this chaos with the pandemic happening, many African Americans are seeing it from a different approach because they are not in the same situation as white people. There was a study done recently that showed that approximately 97.9 out of every 100,000 African Americans have died from COVID-19, which is a higher rate than any other race in the U.S., according to Vasquez Reyes, a medical social worker who does research on poverty and inequality issues. 

Historically, many African Americans and other minorities have been given poor medical care since health care in general is so expensive in America. Those people who are stuck living in poor conditions are not able to receive the care that they need and subsequently end up with worse health conditions. There is already a built-in prejudice against African Americans, yet in hospitals they are receiving no special treatment or benefits during the pandemic to flatten the curve. According to the National Association of Social Workers, “The preponderance of Black Americans…that increase exposure to the novel coronavirus is not accidental but grounded in the historical and modern-day structural violence of racism.” This suggests that they are more prone to becoming affected by the virus due to their status on the socioeconomic ladder because of their race. The idea that more African Americans have died from COVID-19 in America more than any other group is a horrible reflection on racial injustice.

What this also has suggested over the past two years is systemic racism has ceased to go away. The coronavirus has affected everyone in more ways than thought possible, and especially minorities like African Americans. They are the ‘Other,’ in this scenario compared to white people. This is because they have less resources to help them combat this issue. The fight is not over, however, as more and more individuals are seeing this with African Americans and higher COVID rates and are adamant about putting a stop to it. Here, in the image below, it shows a group of African Americans wearing their work uniforms fighting for their equality. The need for racial equality is crucial now more than ever because society has the same goal to combat coronavirus as well as economic instability.

Works Cited: 

Bright, Charlotte L., “The Two Pandemics.” Social Work Research, vol. 44, no. 3, 12/2020, pp. 139-142, doi:10.1093/swr/svaa012.

“’Covid Will Not Kill You as Fast as a Bullet’: Black Doctors Go from Frontlines of Pandemic to Protests.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 10 June 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/10/black-doctors-coronavirus-frontlines-join-protests-fight-racism.

How Westernization is Incorporated in ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?’

by

The idea of westernization has been around for the past couple centuries as more capitalistic countries have risen to higher power over time. The author of ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?’, Gayatri Spivak, presents the example of Sati in India. Sati is an old Indian tradition that began thousands of years ago. When a woman’s husband died before her, she would have to throw herself on a pile of ashes and be burned along with him. However, the British banned this in 1829 when they were in control of India.

Spivak’s point in the story is not that the old Sati tradition itself should still be legal, but that it was a Western nation that took control over her country and created their own rules. Spivak uses the term ‘third world country,’ many times throughout the story, which we already discussed is not an appropriate way to address countries that are run by a colonial or imperialistic government. Regardless, she is pointing out the fact that these powerful nations have a grip on other countries that are suffering. It also reinforces the idea that white people believe they are superior to all other races.. Westernization takes form in ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?’, as the people of India, who are being controlled by the British government in the story, cannot voice their own opinions as they do not have rights. It reflects how for centuries, the desire to control lands that are less rich and powerful is a burning passion of wealthy, abundant nations such as Great Britain.

Awesome Inc. “Cultural Reader: Gayatri Spivak / ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?'” 16 November 2011. https://culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.com/2011/11/gayatri-spivak-can-subaltern-speak.html.

UK National Archives. “British Empire- Living in the British Empire in India.” 2021. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/usefulnotes/g2cs4s1u.htm.

Communication and Its Role in ‘Recitatif’

by

The idea of communicating is a key symbol in the story of ‘Recitatif’ by Toni Morrison. It plays a huge role in Twyla and Roberta’s relationship, as their lack of the ability to stay in touch throughout the years also leads to their separation in society. The two young girls became so close at St. Bonny’s as children because they discovered how to understand each other without communicating. However, this no longer serves effective when they become adults because they each end up living very different lives. One of the key elements throughout the story is their bond that they share of having absent mothers. Whenever they would run into each other as adults, Twyla would always ask Roberta how her mother was doing, and Roberta never gave her a clear answer. Once they finally reunite 20 years later, they begin communicating on opposite sides through their signs that they each made for the protest going on which no one else could understand. Twyla’s sign reads ‘Is your mother well?’ and Roberta leaves the protest.

Another example of how lack of communication is presented in ‘Recitatif’ is through Maggie. Maggie worked in the kitchen at St. Bonny’s and was mute and also possibly deaf, therefore she was physically unable to communicate with anyone. This goes further in the story than just the character itself. Many of the girls there would bully her which reflected on their own insecurities and feeling vulnerable all the time, in which they reciprocated that by preying on someone weaker than them. This story remains relevant throughout the rest of Twyla and Roberta’s encounters in their adult lives, as they cannot seem to remember what race Maggie was. They also cannot remember whether they joined the other girls in the incident out in the garden at St. Bonny’s where Maggie was physically assaulted by the school girls. Along with asking about each girl’s mothers, Twyla and Roberta also consistently pondered the question of what really happened to Maggie all those years ago.

Lastly, Morrison chooses her wording very carefully throughout the story so as to not reveal too much about Twyla and Roberta, including their race. She makes it very clear in the beginning that they are not the same race, but does not elaborate who is black and who is white. Her wording and context clues throughout the story lead the audience to decide for themselves what they think. It also reflects on the idea of racial stereotypes in a segregated society which is why the author does not communicate that clearly to the reader.

Kirkwood, Donna. “Understanding the Power of Parent Involvement.” NAEYC. 11 April 2016. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/understanding-power-parent-involvement.

Moore, Ayra. “The Effects of Lack of Communication in a Relationship.” OurEverydayLife. 19 September 2021. https://oureverydaylife.com/effects-lack-communication-relationship-25435.html.