Vince Olanda
Section 1
Week 1
In her article, Fight the Tower: A Call to Action for Women of Color in Academia", we follow Dr. Valverde through her experiences and finding out the strenuous journey it took for her to be where she is today. Detailing the hardships she underwent in the process, she opens up with her very touching anecdote which allowed me to connect myself to her on an emotional level, as well as appreciate her presence that much more. Her story led me to strongly believe that she was put on this world for a reason, and that she was meant to accomplish big things. To make a difference.
Contrary to this belief, however, some people do not feel the same way as I do. In fact, the rest of the article entailed Dr. Valverde's constant struggle to prove her self-worth and competence to her own colleagues. To think, all of this stemmed from her being a woman of color. Though most of these acts were not direct enough to be considered blatant, the fact that she had these experiences shows how immature we are as a society. What's saddening about this is that this is Dr. Valverde's only one of many victims. The fact that these subtle acts of racism go unnoticed and overlooked by the public both undermine the accomplishments people of color achieve as well as add salt to an already open wound that racism itself had created in the first place. Unfortunately, we have a long ways to go until any signs of growth can be seen.
This article reminded me of something I came across back in high school. This really resonated with me because it highlights how much achievements can be undermined simply due to a racial standpoint.
Question: What type of steps need to be taken to better the current racial situation in America today? What can I personally do to bring awareness to this situation?
References:
Summer Al-Saleh - http://foothilldragonpress.org/affirmative-action-stop-conceptualizing-as-reverse-racism/
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