My Project
1097 words by inspiration04
Honestly, this week I am clueless about where to begin. I have no idea how I can change any one of the problems that I blogged about last week by myself. Discrimination is such a large problem that I know one person can not change it alone. The only solution to such an enormous problem must begin within each individual on this planet. We have all at one time discriminated against another race, gender, class, faith, or another group. We probably will never admit it, but we do it all the time. We stereotype people’s behaviors based on judgments we make about their culture as we compare it to our own. There have been many attempts to solve the immense problem of discrimination by many leaders in the world. Though the United States has come a long way in remedying this problem, there is still a long way to go. The status in our country, however, is not like that on the international stage. Countries that are given the label of developing usually have problems with discrimination. Women are often repressed in these nations. While we, the people of the United States, think that our country is so advanced (especially with political and social affairs). America, however, has a history since the nation’s discovery and creation of immense discrimination, more specifically, racism. This problem is so widespread, I am not sure if it can ever be resolved. There have been numerous attempts to remedy this problem in the United States. Beginning with the emancipation of the slaves continuing with such rulings like the Brown v. Board of Education and the Affirmative Action Act as well as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, America has made strides to endeavor in solving race relation issues. Great people such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and Rosa Parks gave of themselves tirelessly to try to mend our nation’s racial wounds. When suffrage was granted to women and Roe v. Wade was passed, women in America felt like there were some steps toward equality that were made. Courageous women like Susan B. Anthony took huge risks so that women would be treated fairly. I feel, however, as an American woman that there is still a great deal of discrimination that I deal with and will be forced to face in the future. In my opinion, discrimination is a learned behavior not something that a person is born to do. Unless we can teach every child in this country to treat everyone equally from his or her birth, there is no way to change the way people feel in their hearts about other people. Even if every person could be trained in this fashion, there still is a risk that he or she will be influenced by the media and some other outside sources in the future. Though I hate to seem pessimistic, there seems to be no conceivable way to solve this widespread dilemma. I am not sure that I can change the other problems that I mentioned in my blogging assignment last week. The other two large issues that I discussed were teenage pregnancy and disrespect of adults (but more specifically parents). These two occurrences are matters that I believe can be solved by parents. These problems often start at home. If some people began to take responsibility for their actions, the trends may not be so common. I think teenage pregnancy is such an epidemic because a lot of young people do not have positive role models to look up to in their lives. Young people who become parents do not often have enough guidance to raise their children in the correct manner. Sometimes young girls that are expecting may have gotten into their situation may have felt that they had no one to talk to in the time when they were needed. Often times, girls feel afraid to talk about their changing bodies and feelings they may be having. Some girls have mothers that are young themselves and have little or no direction about how to bring up a family. The third problem that I discussed was generational disrespect. I think that this problem is a direct result of the teenage pregnancy problem that I mentioned earlier. I think that my project may be a solution to both problems. My idea is to mentor young girls that may need a positive, young female role model in their lives. In my life, I have had many positive females that encouraged me to carry myself in a respectful manner. The women that helped to raise me always taught me that being a woman was not something that put me at a disadvantage in the world. They have shown me that being a woman is something that I should take great pride in. I was taught that I could be independent, intelligent, and beautiful without having to apologize for it. One of my largest influences in my life has been the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. I was first exposed to the sorority through my older cousin, Vanessa. When I was younger, Vanessa used to watch me when my mother went to work. Vanessa was in college and studying to be a law student. I remembered that Vanessa was such a graceful, intelligent, and beautiful woman. When I learned that Vanessa was in the organization, I immediately became interested. From then on, I was in the look out for Alpha Kappa Alpha women. Now that I am finally a member of the Sorority, I feel that I can be a positive role model for other young girls. As a neophyte, I have had the opportunity to participate on a few occasions with a program to mentor girls of the New Orleans area. Through the P.E.A.C.E. program, the women of the Epsilon Tau Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, work diligently to encourage girls to do well in school and to harvest their extracurricular talents and interests. My solution to my problem is to continue working through the P.E.A.C.E. program and mentor these young girls. I also think have a girl from this area that I talk to regularly. As a big sister to this only child, I act as an inspiration for her to do well in school and also I hope to encourage her to do well in life. If there were more positive women to look up to, I think both of the problems that I can help solve are more conquerable.
February 2nd, 2005 at 4:52 pm
The issues that you listed were indeed big issues, but every problem has some sort of solution. If you couldn’t solve the problem of racism all by yourself form a plan where you wouldn’t have to. Take advantage of the fact that you are in a sorority, and do something widespread. Along with the participation of the sorority you could do big things and make big moves. It was good to list the strides of others, but that should have given you inspiration to make strides yourself.To address the other problems you listed such as teen pregnancy I liked the idea of a mentor. You won’t be able to change the whole world, but you could make a big impact on the world through the one-if only one- person that you do help. They may grow up to be president. In the other issue of disrespect start leading by example, and take it from there.
February 2nd, 2005 at 6:12 pm
There were many problems addressed in your blog, but I feel like maybe you should have picked one to address specifically so that you could start to come up with a concrete plan of how you might go about solving one of your problems. The idea of being a mentor to younger girls through the sorority is an excellent ideas. That is something that automatically comes along with being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I won’t go there because you already know what I am saying. To make some suggestions if you were to pick mentoring to young girls, then you could think of how exactly you would mentor to them. Would it be a set up like a YMCA type facility or what? This is our chance to be creative and think of ways in which we could change the world if we had all the capabilities to do so. Would it be only for girls or would boys be there as well? Would your program be set up just like PEACE? Would it cost anything for the girls to participate in your program? Is there an age limit? These are just some things that you may want to think about if you were to pick a metoring program? If you were to address the issue of teen pregnancy then I think that it would be beneficial to talk about both prevention and also the issues that come during and after the pregnancy. I think that there are many young girls out there that aren’t sure what they need to do first when they find out that they are pregnant (many may live with their fathers who wouldn’t know). It would be a great idea to set up some type of clinic where young girls could get treatment and even counseling. Having a baby can be a very emotional process and the girls need to have someone telling them that they support them and will be by their side during the whole thing. I think that I have said enough. Good luck!
February 3rd, 2005 at 10:06 am
I really enjoyed reading your blog. Your right, no one person can change the problems such as racism. I guess some people spend more time worring about another based on who they are or what they look like instead of looking at themself. People over the years have tried to change it, but we can not change unless we want to change. Eventhough I am a male, I agree with you about the problems women faced. I look at my mom and sister and seen how some people have tried to give over on them just because they are women. I ask myself, were they born from a women or something else. Beautiful Black Women, you have your respect from me.
February 6th, 2005 at 4:12 pm
You are abolutely right! Discrimination is a major problem in this world. I think discrimination is only necessary if you are talking about someone’s skills and qualifications for a particular task. It should never invlove a person’s race, religion, or income. I agree that a lot of the issues we have in this world are learned, which means we need to look to improve ourselves first and foremost. Whether we like to admit it or not we are constantly under the microscope by people who look up to us or have put their faith in us. As intelligent college students we have aquired some positive qualities from those we’ve admired throughout our lives, and it is essential that we give others the chance to emmulate those qualities and not our deficiency in them. I like your direction in terms of mentoring. We can really solve a lot of problems by becoming a medium between kids and their parents. Good job!!
February 6th, 2005 at 11:53 pm
I think your idea is great. I agree with you on discrimination and it would take so much to change. I agree with you about it starting in us individually. I like your idea about helping mentor young girls. I think thats wonderful because some people do not have a good woman figure to look up to. People are having kids and are still kids themselves. Even though you are in your twentys some people are not mature enough to raise a child. People just have kids like its a sport and think nothing of it and thats a reason why the generations today are not good. I think that is something that could you could help change. Good Luck!
February 7th, 2005 at 4:41 pm
I absolutely agree that racism and discrimination are very big problems in our country. However, in reading your blog I did not follow your plan or strategy for solving this problem. If you could focus in and try to develop a project that you could implement, your blog would be much better.
P.S. Congratulations on becoming an AKA
February 9th, 2005 at 12:16 am
I agree with your problems and am quite relieved that you understand the gravity of the issues. One question came to mind as I was reading your solution. There are already so many mentoring programs for teenage girls, not to degrade your service, but what makes your program so different than others. It is great that you want to help and you are providing a positive role model maybe you should modify the program or what you are doing. I totally agree with your problems and applaude your effort to get involved.
February 10th, 2005 at 3:33 pm
I agree that discrimination is a serious problem. While it is hard for one person to completely solve the problem, that alone should never be a deterrent from at least starting the solution. As seen many times in history, it only takes one voice to begin the solution. Working through the program is a good idea, but it may help if you could find one way to reach out a little more.
February 10th, 2005 at 8:13 pm
Rainier Batiste-
I really like your blog. I think that it was well though out and brought a lot of issues into play that don’t always gets addressed. I really enjoyed how you mentioned that the problem is prejudice is basically one individual at a time. Many people think that they have the quick remedy to every problem, while others remain realistic on problems that we have today. I liked how you used the fact that there have been strides made by many African-Americans to fight racism one step at a time. I liked your blog, it was good.
February 26th, 2005 at 3:27 pm
This reminds me of a story on the show That’s So Raven. Raven and her friend Chelsea went to apply for a job at the same place. Raven (African American) did not get the job and Chelsea (Caucasian) did get the job. Raven believed she was racially discriminated against, but could not prove it. She also believe she could not help the situation on her own. Raven and her friends came together to try to prove their story. They called the biggest news channel in their town and went to the store that they had both applied for. Their friend Eddie who is also African American acted as if he wanted to apply for the job. It so happened that the head manager (Played by Raven )was there so the manager has to act as if she was going to hire him. She told Chelsea to throw away the application and also told her that she did not hire Black people. What the manager did not know was that Chelsea had a camera placed in her hat. This was all placed on the news and the manager was fired. The moral of the story is, even though something may seem too large for you to change you can change it one person at a time.
February 27th, 2005 at 4:07 pm
There was a lot of reflection here. But I’m not sure after reading this what you’ll be doing exactly to take on racism/discrimination that you were not doing already. PEACE and BIg Sisters sounds like something you were doing already. Please spell out exactly what you will be doing different this semester for your project