Section: A01
Reading: Fight the Tower
Reading this reminded me of how some may see the world distinctly in black and white, and how we may easily get lost in all the grays. It is important, especially with the tone of a reading similar to this, to think outside of oneself instead of being engrossed in the immediate emotional instinct. It is important to see with both sides before determining which to agree with. From an economic and business point of view, I see it to be completely valid to let go of someone that you deem unfit for a position. Where Professor Valverde was wronged, however, was in that her mental and physical health was put against her. I do believe that we as people should be making decisions based on what is best for everyone involved, however I also believe that we should have empathy. It has always been my belief that people are worth more than money, and people should be given what they deserve. It is Professor Valverde's strong-will that allowed her, and all of her supporters, to show the University exactly that.
Though I may be legally American, I might as well be an international student, since I spent all of my life in the Philippines as Filipino-Chinese girl up until I began University. I also was raised and identify as a conservative. I've never experienced racism. If anything, in a highly-westernized Asian country, caucasians tended to be a "minority" (that in itself is a word I'd rather not use). It surprises me that in the States, we are so obsessed with categorizing people by ethnicity, referring to people as "the small Asian girl", or "the Latina with short hair", since I grew up never using that sort of verbiage. In the time I've been in the States, I still have never experienced racism on that level. The writings of Professor Valverde make me feel wary, as though I should be preparing myself for stories that may become my own reality. Perspective and beliefs are not black and white, and people have different definitions of what is wrong and what is right. From this reading, I am reminded that we must do what we feel is right for ourselves, and not let others influence us into giving up because of the status quo.
A photo showing how admissions for Asian Americans may be skewed in the Ivy Leagues.
Question: Why does the amount of diversity that the States (or at least California) has bring forth the immediate need for categorization?
1. Valverde, K. (2013). Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia. Seattle Journal for Social Justice, 12(2), 369.
2. [Image of lawsuit claims that Harvard admissions policies discriminate against Asian-Americans] Retrieved November 26, 2014 from http://www.teenjury.com/harvard-sued-anti-asian-admission-policy/
The "obsession" with race that you speak of has more to do with the dominant culture setting these categorizations and all groups internalizing it, than something inherent in ethnic groups. Political psychology and empire studies would help explain a lot.
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