Conforming is something that is expected from everyone, but who benifites from this conformity? Shavar Jeffries, Holly Brewer, and Amy Tan might have an idea. Shavar Jeffries’s New York Times article “Black Men: Stigma, Status and Expectation” discuses the historical and present racial stigma against black men in the United States. Jeffries covers the dehumanization of black people, the discrimination against them, and finally the current day prejudices and stereotypes held against them. Holly Brewer’s article “Stereotypes” addresses gender stereotypes and their effects on young people. Some key points include a list of gender stereotypes, how young children are when they are presented with their “gender roles”, and how aware yet inactive…
The analysis of Traditional, Hegemony and Black masculinity the requirement for power is absolute. Power “is not a thing, but a relation.” (michel-foucault.com). Power is created by some entity generating a condition that overpowers another individual or group. The power creation generates different types of power. Sovereign power is the obedience to the law central authority (michel-foucault.com). There is a Sovereign powers display in every visual media piece. The sovereign power displayed in visual media is suppressive to the greater good. The Birth of the Nation film created or captured the narrative that Black men are dangerous. The danger is completely linked power. The power to take is the true concern. All the Black males at one point in time wanted to take something from the central power.…
Aldente provides support for the mentors by creating at a diversity scholars program at the university of Utah which promotes academic support and retention programs for students of color. I think this is important because these mentors most likely went through the same experience of teachers assuming they couldn’t go to…
HBCUs are often not given the credit they deserve in molding young students of color into prideful and talented students ready for a workforce catered to their white peers. These students may have been accepted by HBCUs when no other school accepted them because of their race or scores, giving them the chance for opportunities found only in a college setting they were close to not receiving. The benefits of an HBCU education outweighs many of the so-called “disadvantages” many sites such as the “lack of diversity”, at least to me. I believe that through an HBCU education I will gain valuable social skills, a strong network of people in a variety of fields, and a better understanding of African American history in an environment made for students like me. From the yearly homecomings to the festive concerts to the illustrious Greek Life; HBCUs are known for their vibrant student cultures and social events.…
According to Professor Mikyong Kim “African Americans at PWIs endure a more hostile environment compared to their HBCU counterparts, these students also face a greater number of obstacles with which they must contend in order to succeed” (25). Contrary to the protective environment of black colleges, due to the overpowering majority that whites hold at primarily white institutions, African American students attending PWIs are endlessly antagonized directly with micro insults or indirectly by microinvalidism. These forms of harassment are detrimental to the psyche of black students causing them to feel unwanted and preventing them from growing on a substantial level. The rich history behind black colleges gives colored students a sense of purpose; it propels them to better themselves and achieve greater heights. Robert Palmer and Estelle Young explains that pupils in colored schools display psychosocial acclimatization, cultural acquaintanceship, heightened confidence, and greater scholastic achievements (qtd. in Strayhorn and Terrell 140).…
This study was developed due to previous research that found the campus community and other social and personal factors discouraged minority students of color to enroll to universities. The goal of this study was to find unique ways of making minority students of color feel comfortable in these universities, break down any misconceptions they may have and get them enrolled and guide them through the completion of their program. I chose this article because it is an effort that I am truly passionate about. Minority representation in higher education is a great way to move toward elevating stereotypes and really helping people to feel empowered and motivated. This article was peer reviewed and supported by distinguished experts in the field of psychology who study the trends of recruitment and retention…
Children are born with endless opportunities, or at least this is what is believed to be true. Not long after a black man is born he is judged by society. Treated like a clown during his act anticipating him to fall and embarrass himself for everyone’s enjoyment. The few that decide be different than what is expected are allowed but with strict regulations. Being a young, gifted, and black man in America in the 21st century means being held to different expectations.…
In the United States, the inequality of many different types of races and genders is very clear. Many people are treated unjustly whether it's from the police, the judicial system, or society itself. A lot of people are prejudiced towards others because of their appearance, skin tone, or who they are and it's a very serious problem. The media that we have today is arguably being used as a tool to make certain groups of people look inferior to others. Many people feel this way because of events that have happened in the last few years across the country from Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown repeatedly being depicted as thugs in the news to racist advertisements in the 1900s. Black masculinity is being manipulated by the media to fit a certain…
Oppression, a word that is commonly used in the social work profession to describe different groups of people who face hardships due to their characteristics. These characteristics include race, gender, and socioeconomic status, which leads to society labeling them as different. The majority of the people who are in these groups make up minority groups. Furthermore, power structure is the overall conflict that prevents these minority groups from advancing. This conflict leads to those who are affected becoming what society perceives them as, in other words, internalizing negative stereotypes given to their group. This analysis will be based on the perspective of incarcerated African American men. This perspective is to describe the barriers…
On the night I shared the news of my nomination as one of EIU’s 2016 Top Black Achievers with my family, my younger cousin, Diana, sent me a message saying, “Congratulations. I aspire to be as great as you. You literally inspire me to try hard to be successful.” To which I responded, “Aspire to be even better!” I was moved beyond expression. Diana’s words made me realize that by remaining steadfast in my quest for educational enrichment, I am also positively influencing young people who look like me and come from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. My quest for education is sending the message that not only can they reach the doors of higher education, but they can work even harder and accomplish so much more. Coming from a social climate that either indirectly or…
Institutional racism and social injustices have not only had lasting negative impact on Blacks but on our society as a whole. These injustices have intentionally or unintentionally provided additional barriers to retention and graduation for Black student success, in particular Black males. Most Black students enter college at a disadvantage being first-generation, low-income and/or under-prepared for the rigors of college. Black student success has been historically marginalized and considered unachievable on many university campuses throughout the US and as academic advisors we are tasked with increasing retention and increasing graduation rates for “all students”. Research has consistently shown black student’s success has been harder to…
What does Diversity and Multiculturalism mean to me? I believe that diversity has become so much more than just the basic qualities of race or gender. It now includes all qualities that make everyone unique, as individuals or as part of a larger group. It is also the acceptance, respect, and understanding of these unique qualities that makes diversity work in a given society. Multiculturalism is the system that is centered around the respect for and the promotion of ethnic and or gender diversity in the society. Multiculturalism is the status of several different ethnic, racial, religious or cultural groups co-existing in the same society. Today, in the U.S. we already live in a diverse, multicultural world, where popular culture has introduced us to others’ foods, music, histories, customs, and more. Moreover, the predictions that a multiplicity of infusions from culture to culture will continue unabated – and that we must develop a respect for others if we are to be active, engaged participants in the new world order (Green, 1998).…
ideology, “that education is the solution to most social problems; Education paves the road to…
In 2002, African-American males composed only 4.3 percent of the males enrolled in higher education, which was the same number in 1976 (Harper, 2012). Furthermore, African-American male completion rates are lower than females and the lowest among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States (Harper, 2012). The six year graduation rate for African-American males attending public colleges and universities was thirty-three percent compared to 48.1 percent of other students (Harper,…
I am writing about black men in America. Today's black men have a struggle. They are struggling with colored men and stereo-type. The one thing about black men in America is that they are fighters. They won't give up without a fight. They will try to prevail in anything that they want do.…