Hi all! It's been a while, and there's not excuse about it. I've just been pure lazy. A ton has happened since I last wrote but those stories will come in due time so I'm gonna jump right in.
I'm annoyed that people aren't as honest with themselves and each other as they should be. It's a feeling, for the sake of being "polite" I subdued but now I need to say something - a la be honest with myself and everyone else. Last week, I attended a training for my tutoring gig, and the objective of the tutoring was for us to be aware of the stereotype we ourselves have about each other and the students we worked. At first I was shocked at how resistant everyone was to coming up with stereotypes about certain groups, but then I was annoyed. I flew the exercise quickly while other people struggled. When the facilitator asked why people were resistant to acknowledging/coming up with stereotypes, there was silence... I was like really, none of you talk about this. So of course I took it upon myself to start up the conversation (forgetting to check myself as I was doing most of the talking) as to inspire everyone else to talk. While it took forever, the other mentors became engaged and it was a thoughtful conversation filled with many laughs (it should also be noted that I was the ONLY who acknowledged I held stereotypes in my mind about the population we're working with).
This was the final straw that broke the camel's back in my growing frustration with America's "shocked and appalled", "really it's the 21st century", "it can't happen to me", "I don't see difference" and various other syndromes. Stereotypes are real and they come from somewhere. Though you don't "believe" them, everyone has them or at least has heard of some. And just because you're aware of them, does not make you a "bad" person (I don't believe in binding identities.). With the population of students I work with, I have to be aware of how they are perceived by others, including myself. If some of those perceptions don't paint them in a positive light, then so be it. It's our job to be informed and to use that information to deconstruct those preconceived notions and empower those affected by said stereotype. Sometimes I feel like an anomaly because I was raised to learn how to empower myself but still be cognizant of how accurately or inaccurately I'm perceived by others. I think if people were more aware of this philosophy then they would be less shocked that New York City would have an anti-abortion ad that states "The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb", or that the Tea Party tried to paint Acorn in a bad light with pseudo facts, or that the Republican party is using the government to dismantle unions, the backbone of financial and voting support for the Democratic party. If anything, these atrocities should light a fire up your ass and get you to get up, get out, and do somethin'! And that is my two cents. Use the knowledge - negative or positive - to be the best that YOU can be!
