After reading and viewing the required materials for this week, answer the 3 questions below:
- Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
- After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
- Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
Remember to reply to at least 2 classmates.
52 thoughts on “Discussion Board Post 6”
Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
I am proud of my ethnicity of being a Caribbean Jamaican native. I am especially proud of this identity because Jamaica is such a beautiful country and my people and culture is amazing. I love to identify myself with this ethnicity because honestly we a lot of people in the world that has put my country on the map especially when it comes to music , ( Vybz kartel, spice, sean paul, shaggy ) and when it comes to athletes ( Elaine Thompson, Usian Bolt, and Shelly ann fraser pryce to name a few). I love our food, especially the jerk chicken and our national dish, ackee and saltfish.
I am not proud of my body image. I am not sure if that’s something to Identify with but sometimes I do not feel comfortable in my own body. I feel like I am often judged on my image and I’ve struggled with maintaining my weight over the years. I often find myself struggling with the tease and disappointing stares.
After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
I learned a few new things while reading the article. I’ve learned that most of the latino in school were born in the US and are US citizens and are our responsibility and how we view them will determine to a large extent how we choose to educate them. This statement alone had me in my thoughts on the fact that others view latino as immigrants and that their parents “Snuck them across to the border” when in fact they were mostly all born on American souls. Not only that, Latinos fall far behind both white and asians students in academic achievements and educational attainment. They don’t get to start school early and attend preschools like their peers. Additionally , after 2 year college most of them do not attend four year colleges because they are more likely to work while going to school because they have insufficient funds. They also have at home trauma, because more than likely there is an illegal family member at home that could face the risk of deportation. This saddens me because some latino dont have the benefit of being wealthy to can afford to pay for 4 year colleges and often have to work long hours all while going to school and to top it off they don’t want to part from one of their love ones at home and it could be that same love one that is motivation for them to do well in school and to keep striving, with them leaving and going back to their origin country might discourage them from even wanting to attend school.
Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
The main argument in the video “What Being Hispanic and Latinx Means in the United States” by Fernanda Ponce TEDx is that all hispanics are being stereotyped as coming to America and stealing things from Americans. They are being considered as “Nobody”.
The reason that they used it was that the speaker was trying to say that Latino are somebody. That they are important because they make up a huge population of the US.
My personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video was that Latinos need to be viewed with more attention because they contribute so much to the American populations especially when it comes to jobs, food and votes. They are vital in our society and should be treated with respect and the same courtesy as any White born Americans.
I like how you talked about body image, i also have struggled with that also. My whole ive looked so down at myself but knowing how other people are going through similar issues as me, makes me feel like im not alone. the stares part really got me because i feeel the exacccct same as you do. just know it gets better, and one day youll love youself moe than anyone. if we cant love ourselves how do we expect other people to love us
I loved how you talked about body images as well I believe that a big issue that happen often with anyone especially us women. I also like how you speak on your culture and music and included the athletics.
I love how you talk about which parts of your identity you are very proud of, and when you started talking about body image I could not agree more because it is an issue which a lot of people struggle with.
I love the way you answered the question about your proud identity, and I can relate because I love my culture and heritage, and most important the land where my mother and father came from. It sits in a special place in my heart because no matter what, I love carrying on my parent’s live for their culture as well, and nothing will make them more proud.
Wow Elecia thanks for bringing up body image because for me this was definitely an issue growing up. As a Latina, at home and within my family I did not have the image problem because Puerto Ricans come in all shapes and colors, so I was comfortable with that. For me it was more of a problem outside the home because every billboard I saw reflected a white skinny person, which I was not. I should add of course that I am older than most on this board so, my memories of this may be different from others because we are living in a USA that is more diverse today, but yeah, that’s the image I had to compete with every day.
▪ Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
One identity I feel the most proud of is being puerto rican , there is a lot of history around puerto rico that I’ve heard about and my grandparents origin from puerto rico and I got to travel a lot to puerto rico when I was younger its a part of my childhood and I’m proud of it some struggles to it is I often get asked if i speak Spanish or I don’t look puerto rican , From experience my mom has darker skin and me and my dad are light skinned so my mom gets often thats she’s black or Panamanian or some people ask is that your mom since we are not the same complextion. Other than that Im 100 Percent Proud to be puerto rican.
▪ After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
What I Learned from the article that I wasn’t aware of is Latinos fall far behind both white and asian students in academic achievement and educational attainment which means us latinos are behind in the education system and I feel like we all deserve a higher education and extra help to those who don’t learn the same way we do or need extra guidance.
I’ve always wanted to take a trip to PR ,It looks like such a beautiful country filled with proud hispanics. Was Spanish our first language?. I’m so sorry you had to go through that especially the ” you don’t look puerto rican” as if there is a specific look for it. Some Africans are of White complexion and consider themselves to be African. I don’t believe that a origin of people from a spefic country should look a particular way. So I command you girl, be proud of your heritage !.
I like how you talked about how Latinos often fall back in class, i feel like there are for sure reasons for that. I completely agree with how you said everyone deserves higher education, i always wish more people looked into that. there are ways everyone can achieve higher education.
I like how you talked about how Latinos often fall back in class, i feel like there are for sure reasons for that. I completely agree with how you said everyone deserves higher education, i always wish more people looked into that. there are ways everyone can achieve higher education.
I have only been to Puerto Rico once for a week vacation and it was so beautiful and made me more proud to say I’m Puerto Rican. I wish I could have explored and learned more and visited more places! Also, it is incredibly rude for people to ask if that is your mom I am sorry you have to go through that, but i definitely relate to this because my mom is white and I was way darker as a child and am still darker compared to her so people always get confused when they find out she’s my mom.
I love how you wanted to explore more of puerto rico its beautiful and its just so peaceful for sure. I love how you talked about your moms experience as well which is similar to mine its sad that people are like that nowadays.
Natalie, I encourage you to go back one day just try to stay away from going in October and November when politics are very high on the island. I made that mistake once and never again. In reference to what you said, we as Puerto Ricans are such a mix of peoples and lands that you never know what you’re going to get which makes the comments people make about how we are perceived we should look, so ignorant. I have five children and they are all of different shades, when I would have me two youngest whos skin color is much darker than mines, I would often be told how cute they were and then asked if I was their nanny. It never amazes me that sometimes people don’t think about what they are actually implying, before they talk.
When I heard about my grandparents and their origin it also made me proud of being where I am from also. Learning about your culture and history really makes you confident. And I also was shocked to learn how behind Latino students are. I believe they should receive the right support and help when it comes to their education. The education system should help all their students no matter their origin.
Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
One identity that I am most proud of is being Muslim. Islam is the first religon to actually give women rights. People often mistake Islam as a religon that holds their women in lower regards. However, if you actually pay a close attention, you can see how much women are respected in Islam. Also, Islam is a peaceful religion. Violence is frowned upon. The thing I love most about Islam is how forgiving Allah is. Which makes our people forgiving too.
One identity I am not proud of is how I overthink. I don’t want this to be one of my identities however I feel like it is. I tend to over think about even little to little things, which often affects my brain a lot. Whether it’s about grades or whether it’s about words that people say. I’ve always been a pretty sensitive person, maybe that’s where I got the overthinking from.
After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” one new thing that I learned is when the author said “Similarly, researchers have found that those immigrant students “who had even one native English-speaking friend were able to learn English more rapidly and make a better adjustment to school.” Another recommendation stemming from these studies was to offer extracurricular activities during the school day, so that all students could participate in something in which they had a particular interest with peers who shared that interest, but that did not involve additional cost or time after school, when they might be expected to help out at home or at work”. This was new information for me because i didn’t think know that when you have a friend who speaks english, your english will get better too. I guess it does make sense now since you would be picking up English from them. However, I did know how extracurricular activities help you. I remember taking some extra courses to improve my English too. Also, I understand why a lot of Mexicans can’t do extra activities. They have little siblings to take care of often, or get a job to support the family. Even when the parents work, sometimes it isn’t enough for everyone’s means..
Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
“What Being Hispanic and Latinx Means in the United States” by Fernanda Ponce main argument is how Hispanics and Latnix are stereotyped so much. The reasons that are used to support this argument is how she gives the example of the lady who was stereotyped as a “nobody” or how the person said “go back to your country”. Another stereotype she talks about is how people confuse the terms spanish, hispanic, and mexicans. I feel like no one should be stereotyped or discriminated against. It’s 2021, if we can’t stop now, when are we going to. I was shocked when she said no one stood up for the women who was being stereotyped as a “nobody” or “somebody who doesn’t belong in this country” isn’t this country for everyone? Isn’t that what America is, after all it is the “dream” land. We as people need to improve, maybe this generation will change everything.
I love this throughall explaination of your religion because often people can be so sterotype towards muslim. Your islamic religion sounds so peaceful and spiritual! I love that for your cuture. Especially with the fact that woman has so much respect and are actually looked up to ,definetly not what I had initially thought. And let me not get started on the overthinking, not sure if you beleive in Astrology but I am a taurus and overthinking is a hobby of mine as my partner like to say. I personaly don’t think anything is wrong with overthinking. It keeps me on my toes and always one step ahead. There is nothing wrong with have “what if” because then you’ll be prepared for anything that comes your way !.
I love how you explain your religion and what makes you proud of Islam and the examples you use have enlightened me more on the religion itself so thank you for that. Also, I find it brave of you to become vulnerable and tell us about your overthinking and how it is something you are not proud of. I have always felt the same about overthinking I have learned to work with it more and more over the years and I got to remind myself to not go down the rabbit hole.
I do not think overthinking is necessarily a negative quality. Of course there is an aspect of not taking risks and always hesitating when making decisions, but it could also be an attribute to caution, weighing your decisions, making smart/best choices, considerate, etc.
Hi Marryam,
Great post and thank you for sharing. There are way too many misconceptions about Islam. I appreciate your insight. I am not well versed in Islam and did not know it was the first religion to give women rights. That is amazing to learn. This has peaked my interests and would love to do some research and to learn more.
Your thorough explanation of Islam is really good because many people assume stuff about it but you explained it here and the overthinking part is something I deal with too so I can understand where you coming from.
Hey Marryam, I totally agree with you on the part you talked about how Islam, how women are respected in that religion and how Islam is a peaceful religion. I agree because I am Albanian, I personally am Catholic but today for example all day long I was with my Muslim Albanian friend. That currently is my closest friend, I go to his house and meet his parents also vice-versa. Another thing is that we never look at each other in a different way because of religion, and also him being my friend I also get to learn more about Islam. By the way worth mentioning we have something in common which is that I am also an overthinker.
I agree on the 3d post, people should start to value more other cultures, languages, traditions. These stereotypes keep passing and happening through generations, the hate and prejudice never stop. People should really be more open-minded when it comes to culture, religion, ethnicity. No one has a right to decide who belongs in this country or not.
I am proud to be Puerto Rican from my dad’s side. I grew up with my Abuela’s cooking either for holidays or when she had to watch me. When I hear stories of my grandparents when they were in Puerto Rico or just the memories we made growing up with the food they showed me and the history they have taught me along with being able to say I am Hispanic is something that makes me proud. I am not proud of how I never learned Spanish, as a kid I was what my family would call lazy because I didn’t take the time to learn it or when my family would speak to me in Spanish I would just say I don’t know what you’re saying instead of trying to learn. However, all my cousins didn’t learn it either. When I got to high school I tried to learn and even my first semester of college but languages don’t seem to stick with me. Since I never learned or was able to speak it, a lot of friends I had growing up to this day call me a “fake” Hispanic, which makes me feel like they are pulling a part of my identity from me. It’s like i had multiple friend groups whether in school or my neighborhood all from different backgrounds and the ones who were Hispanic or African American would say I’m too white to be Hispanic and the ones who were white would say I’m too dark so I’m their Spanish friend.
I learned that ” Research shows that Latino students, more than students from any other
group, tend to enroll in less-selective colleges, even though they actually qualify to attend more selective ones,
usually because of financial concerns.”
I was shocked especially if they qualify for the more selective ones however i understood due to the financial concerns. Especially the part where it talks about how Latinos get stuck in community colleges because they usually work while going to school to have insufficient funds since that is something I always dealt with and still am dealing with. It’s upsetting how the system in the United States works when it comes to education and finances especially because this is the cost of living and people’s futures on the line.
In the video “Defining Latino: Young People Talk Identity, Belonging” The main argument is how people assume what others are and where they come from especially those of the Latino culture based on looks and skin tone and how they talk. In the video Leyanis Diaz talks about how a lot of people didn’t know she was Cuban because “i don’t look like your typical Cuban” and that has been something a lot of people assume is just because of the color of your skin or how your facial features are, people automatically put you into a certain group in their head by assumption. I understand and can relate to the video because the same has happened to me based on my skin and facial features or even just not being able to talk or understand Spanish, so people assume I must not be Spanish. Or since I’m not white enough I must strictly be something else and no white is involved. It can hurt someone when you try and take who they are and where they came from, their history of their family, and label it yourself off your own assumptions. It’s like guessing what a book is about based on the title.
Hearing your personal story, I was able understand a little more on the struggles of Hispanics in America. I believe this applies to all immigrant families especially the first generation Americans. I find it sad that as years go on, immigrant families that decide to stay in America will slowly begin to lose their roots and the fact that you have memories of family that grew up in your home country and share stories with you is a blessing.
I am Puerto Rican too; my parents speak Spanish and everyone in my family does too, but my siblings on my mother side do not speak Spanish or understand it. As a kid, my mom will talk to me in Spanish, but I wasn’t interested in learning the language. I regret avoiding my mom when she spoke Spanish to me as a kid because being Bilingual will help you get certain jobs easier. Also, I will feel more welcoming in the Latino group if I did speak and understand Spanish.
One identity that I am the most proud of is being Korean. I believe Koreans have been overlooked for a really long time since it is a very small nation. However today many people were exposed to Korean culture for its music, films, foods, technology, athletes, etc. One identity that I am not so proud of is being a student. I would like to graduate and start a career, contribute to society, start living life as an independent, and be able to provide for the ones I love.
One new piece of information I found interesting is the dramatic rise in hispanic population and how it could be detrimental to the development of hispanic children. I would have expected nothing but good to come out from living in a neighborhood where the residents share a lot in common, but it proves to be detrimental. According to the section where it talks about why hispanic are falling behind it says that hispanic people tend to speak in their native tongue in their neighborhoods and households. This would impact hispanic children negatively since they are not exposed to the English language which would put them at a disadvantage to the students who were exposed to English at a young age.
The main point “Defining Latino: Young People Talk Identity, Belonging” is trying to get across is the struggles of identity hispanic Americans face in the United States. Majority of the speakers experienced difficulty assimilating with the American culture and experiencing a clash of identity as they do not know whether to identify themselves as American or Hispanic. Watching the video I was able to resonate with the speaker as I grew up in a Korean dominant neighborhood. I was conflicted because when asked to identify myself I would say I am Korean and be prideful of my background, but I knew more about American culture.
Hi Sung,
Thank you for sharing. At first thought people think negatively about Korea because of the tensions with N. Korea and some times forget that North and South are not the same. In recent years the exposure to Korean music, food, films etc has been great and definitely helped in a positive way. I am very intrigued and would love to learn more about the people and culture. Maybe visit one day!
I have always found the influx of Korean influence in pop culture to be very interesting! The music, media, food and other cultural aspects that Koreans have brought to America has been very refreshing. I also found it surprising that those who lived in a homogenous community had more detriments to their learning but it makes sense when it was explained.
Hi Sung, I agree with you. From watching media and some documentaries it gave me more exposure to Korea and its culture. It was also interesting learning your view about being a student. For me, I think I will always feel like a student even after I graduate because there so much out there for me to learn and improve upon.
1. Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
One identity that I am proud of is being a Puerto Rican. I am was born and raised in NYC and wasn’t uptight with my Puerto Rican background. However, my mother always told me about my wealthy family that lives in Ponce, Puerto Rico, but I don’t know how they look or where they live in PR. Maybe 5 years ago for my 25th birthday, I visited Ponce, Puerto Rico; the drive from San Juan airport to Ponce, PR was 2 hours, but it was worth the drive. I absolutely loved the food, the houses were beautiful, big iguanas roaming freely, friendly people, a beautiful beach, bright green grass and clean environment. I loved Ponce, Puerto Rico and was glad to experience where my family is from.
One identity I am not proud of is that I put a lot of pressure on myself. I overthink about what may happen in a negative way and it prevents me from accomplishing what I want to achieve. I think about “what if I fail” or “what if things doesn’t go as plan”; I want to learn how to overcome my fears and learn from my failures and achievements.
2. After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
When it pertain to literacy in the Latino group there’s an achievement gap between other race/ethnicity. Only 21% of Latino students scored at a proficient level in fourth grade. On the contrary, 46% White and 57% Asian students scored at a proficient level in fourth grade. In addition, white and Asian students have a high percentage of graduating with their bachelor’s degree by the age of 29 compare to Latino students; 43% white, 66% Asians and 16% Latino students graduated with their bachelors by age 29 in 2015. Latino students are less likely to transfer to a four college compare to other race/ethnicity; 17% Latinos, 30% white and 41% of Asian students transfer to a four-year college. Most Latino students doesn’t have the same opportunity as other race/ethnicity; certain Latinos have to work to be able to afford to pay for school; on the contrary, other races have their parents to pay for their education and don’t have to worry about working; “These students tend to “get stuck” in community college because they are more likely to work while going to school, to have insufficient funds, and require remedial courses that delay their progress toward a degree.”
3. Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video? Pertaining to “Defining Latino: Young People Talk Identity, Belonging” Latino are indecisive about the standards that need to be to fit the “Latino” ethnicity. Certain Latino parents expect their child to be committed to their Latino roots, but hide their Latino roots from the world. Latino parents are protecting their child from experience the same negative discrimination they’ve encounter because of their ethnicity. As a result, Certain Latino’s are told that they’re not Latino enough because Spanish is not their first language. I can reflect on this video, I am Latino, I was born in NYC, and I wasn’t raised in a Spanish speaking household. Growing up in NYC, I didn’t have to speak Spanish because the area I lived in was filled with people that only spoke English. My parents speaks Spanish perfectly, but I don’t understand it or speak it. However, when I tell people that I am Puerto Rican and that I don’t speak or understand Spanish, they will say “you’re white” or “you’re not a real Puerto Rican”. Also, approx. 2-3 times a week a Spanish speaking person will walk up to me and communicate to me in Spanish, but when I inform the person “no Spanish”, I will get a disappointed look.
Hey Debanie
I believe putting a lot of pressure on yourself is not that much of good. I also do the same and I always feel like stressed in a way thinking I am not doing enough. I believe there is always good to put some type of pressure on yourself but not the point where it gets us exhausted because always a little bit of pressure it makes us more humble and more motivated as long as it is not overdone.
Hi Debanie, I can relate to your story. My parents had many family members that they left behind in Bangladesh when they came to America, and so they would often call them to keep in touch. Couple years later I would go with them to visit. It was a great time but they’re food was spicier than what I was used to.
Thank you for explaining your religion and giving insight.
I am an over thinker too, I always think about “what if” things doesn’t go well, “what if” I fail; I always struggle with “what if’s” which distract me wanting to do certain things like planning a event, planning a trip, going after the job that I want, taking exams to have a better career, making a group plan suggestion; also, sometimes what people say to me play over and over again in my head, but it eventually goes away the next day depending on how it affected me.
One of my identities that I am most proud of are my values. I believe in always doing the right thing. No matter how difficult it might be at times. I do not like to see anyone being bullied or taken advantage of in any way; especially someone who is too timid or shy to speak up or stand up for themselves. Growing up my parents taught my siblings and I to never allow anyone to intimidate us or make us feel inferior. This is a value which has stuck with me my entire life and has made me into the advocate that I am today. I advocate for several different causes from LGBTQ, BLM, and Healthcare to name a few. One identity which I struggle with is being black. Now I know this might sound weird or somewhat contradictory as I am an advocate for the black lives matter movement but I do struggle at times with my race. Before migrating to the US I lived in the beautiful Caribbean island of St. Lucia and never once had any encounters with racism or discrimination until moving to the US. I was wrongfully terminated due to a racist manager that I worked with at a major bank. She made the environment extremely hostile for all black employees. That experience left me scarred, depressed and at times wishing I wasn’t black because if that’s what it means to be black in America, then I don’t wish to be here. It took a lot for me to come to terms with what had happened and to this day I some times secretly wish I was not black due to all that has gone in history and even now.
One thing that learned after reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” is that the recent growth in the Latino population in the US is from native births and not as a result of immigration. Contrary to the media, politicians and even former president Trump who state that the rise is due to insecure borders and uncontrolled illegal immigrants, that is not the case. Statistics show that in recent years more Mexicans have left the country than have entered it. It was also interesting to learn that more than 90 percent of school-age Latino children are born in the United States making them US citizens, citizens who are entitled to all the benefits available and are the responsibility of the people and US government. What it boils down to is how these students are perceived, as either challenges or assets. The answer will determine how we chose to educate them and the kind of success they will be able to achieve. They way I see it this should not even be a question, they are US citizens. Every single resource available should be utilized to ensure they receive the best education and tools needed to give them a good foundation to succeed. But sadly, the education system in America is not fair across the board and does not demonstrate equality.
I chose the TEDx video “What Being Hispanic and Latinx Means in the United States”. The main argument of the video covers nasty stereotypes associated with Hispanic and Latinx living in America; stereotypes such as they don’t speak English, are on welfare, etc. The video reveals that for the most part not all Hispanics and Latinos are illegal immigrants, speak Spanish and are on welfare. It also goes on further to show that both the Hispanic and Latinx communities are on the rise in America and are becoming a force to be reckoned with. Especially with regards to population, politics and economics. The saddest part is that even though those communities contribute so greatly in a number of positive ways to the benefit of the country, in the eyes of public opinion they’re still seen as criminals, all illegal immigrants from Mexico, non-English speakers, leaving on welfare— all relying on the US tax payer’s dollar. When in actually that is so far from reality and the truth. People from those communities are very diverse and are not all from Mexico. Hispanic and Latinx are very distinct, are not the same culturally nor share the same identities. We must really take a stance against stereotypes and educate ourselves in order to be more sensitive, aware, to grow and achieve a unified America, some day….
I like that you’re proud of the positive aspect of your identity. Bravery is a very admirable trait and that tender kindness is something more people should display. I’m sorry you have faced racial hardship coming to America and it is quite shameful that happened, but I’m glad you were able to bounce back on your feet and I’m proud of you for finding comfort in who you are.
1) Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
– I am proud of my nationality, because I think it is a very beautiful place and when I tell people they don’t know about it, therefore I have the chance to talk about it and how life is like there. I struggle with my culture because I don’t agree with certain ideas and traditions they hold because it’s very outdated and a toxic, when you talk to most people about it they get offended and refuse to listen to you and say that you are wrong because “you don’t know what you’re talking about” or they tell you “that you’re too young so once you grow older you will know and understand and agree with us” which I despise just because your opinion is different they tell you that you don’t know what you’re talking about and refuse to listen to what you have to say.
2) After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
– I learned that Latinos fall behind both white and asian students in academic achievement and educational attainment which makes me feel that the schools have failed to help latinos learn and get extra help. They should really help them out with whatever educational needs they need whether it be after school lessons or more.
3)Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
– In the video “What Being Hispanic and Latinx Means in the United States” by Fernando Ponce is that that all hispanics are being stereotyped as coming to America and “stealing” things from Americans, most Americans claim that they get their jobs stolen, so Hispanics are looked at like they are nobodies. Fernando is saying that they are not nobodies but they are actually somebody because they make up a huge population of the U.S. In my opinion, Hispanics should be more appreciated for the stuff they do and should not be blamed for “stealing” stuff from Americans when they aren’t, they earned and deserved it through their hard work in order to provide for themselves and their families.
I agree with your response to the 3rd question because Latinos should be more appreciated for what they have done for our communities and the United States as a whole. Its important to not forget the cultures that keep the United States running every day. It’s crucial that we cannot forget the people, and we have to embrace all people equally and not judge.
I agree on your 2nd post, schools and other facilities need more programs to help people learn English, the educational system should be more focused on the programs for immigrants who have 0 knowledge in speaking English that will help them and aspire them to become successful in the future.
The video you chose for the last question I do believe Hispanics go through a lot. I do remember hearing that some Americans think that Hispanics steal their jobs. But they should know some Hispanics pay taxes and aren’t stealing anythings. Hispanics who come to U.S work hard for their families and come here for better opportunities. So I definitely agree with you that they should be more appreciated and very hardworking!
I believe one one identity I have that I am most proud of is me being always lovely and always showing honesty. I am not sure if it has to do with my zodiac sign which is cancer. I am proud of it because nowadays I believe a lot of people do not show their true self or “ true color” and also I believe a lot of people have gone through friendship and relationship breakouts because of this so this makes me proud since always I am never the one to make the first step of a conflict between friends or people around me. I always liked to be laid back and just watch and observe. Another thing I believe is worth mentioning is that I’m Albanian. I come from a country where we have never had a religious conflict, our mosques and churches are on the same block. After they come out from the mosque or church friends will go have a coffee together and chill all day together without looking at each other in a different way because of religion. I am not sure how many of you are aware of this but Mother Theresa is also Albanian. One identity that I have and that I am not really proud of is when other people are not fair to me or when they are disloyal and liars, that pisses me off really bad in a matter of seconds. Having a short temper I believe is not a good thing because it may lead to negative situations but I believe I always have a reason for it.
One thing I have learned After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” is that the percentage of Latino K-12 students, just 21 percent of Latino students, scored at the proficient level in fourth grade, compared with 46 percent of white students and 57 percent of Asian students. In 8th grade the number difference between the Latino students and the White & Asian students was similar back to the 4th grade which was 21% of Latino students scoring proficient, compared with 44% of white students and 54% of Asian students. Another thing I learned was that in recent years Latino students have made a huge difference and progress on graduating school. 76% of Latino students graduated in 2014, It is much higher compared to 2006 percentage of graduation which was 61%. Even though a lot of progress was made this number still has a big gap between the White graduates which was 87% and the Asian graduates was 89%. On page 3 it shows the chart for the percentage of K-12 students from 1990 – 2015 in 6 southern states. My reaction to this was very surprising since I never got to learn about Latinos students and their academic lives which I would have never thought it was like the way it was.
I chose the TEDx video “What Being Hispanic and Latinx Means in the United States”. I believe that the main argument of the video is about stereotypes that were made against Latinx and Hispanics. These stereotypes brought down in a way their image, I believe every culture has its own stereotypes but for the Hispanics and the Latinos were stereotypes such as looks, language. Hispanics and Latinx were always looked at and accused as illegal immigrants when I personally believe they are regular taxpayers as everyone else in this country. As one of the ladies speaking on the video mentioned that her first language was not Spanish because of her parents, they did not teach her that because they thought it would cause discrimination towards their daughter is this case. I personally think those types of stereotypes are very nasty to be accused of towards other cultures and ethnicities.
Hi, I, like you, have a quick temper and it’s pretty hard to curb. My father is also cancer according to the horoscope and is also quick-tempered. As a child, I remember how he threw objects at me in a fit of rage. It was a fun experience. I hope that you will defeat your “demons” and your children will not catch glasses in the air. Good luck. hahaha
Q: Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
A: One identity I am most proud of is being Albanian, not just because of the small population we have in New York, but for my heritage, culture, and what it means to me. I am proud that I learned the whole language, and that is important to me because I am able to talk to my grandma, aunts, and uncles Albanian because it makes them proud. One thing that I love most about myself is not I don’t forget my heritage, and where I come from, I know the struggle my parents and their parents went through, and now that we live in the United States, I want to make them proud of what I’ve become. I’m proud that I live the same way as my parents did, meaning what we eat, what festivals we celebrate, and the music we listen to, nothing makes my parents happier than seeing me shine, and not forgetting about where I come from. One thing I am not proud of is my eagerness to take everything seriously and to heart. I need to continue to get better as a person, and this is my fault, I can get too emotionally attached to someone’s words, and I may get attached to something I’m doing very quickly, I need to learn to relax and look at the world in a more positive sense.
Q: After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
A: After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” I learned that more than 25 percent of Latino students live in homes stressed by the threat of deportation, and this was shocking and heartbreaking because I can’t even imagine what these children and parents go through on an everyday basis. I am so blessed I don’t have to worry about these things every day, but I sympathize with the students who are stressed and scared that their parents could get deported. It’s a horrible feeling because many families come to the US because of the troubles at home, even my parents did the same. They came to the United States in search of a better life for their children, and they should be cared for. Kids shouldn’t have to carry the weight put on their shoulders, and its not right that this still goes on in American homes.
Q: Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
A: I watched the “Defining Latino” and one of the main arguments in the video was how the Latino culture isnt as embraced in the United States, and how it isnt as big a deal as other cultures. The reason this is so important is that it forces students to have to fit in society in a way in which they aren’t accustomed to, it’s about relating to the area you live and go to get an education in. I completely agree because in my case, the Albanian culture isnt represented at all in our schools or even American society, If people knew about our culture it will encourage them, and make everyone more curious about each other’s cultures. I believe all cultures should be represented because it allows all students to assimilate comfortably to society.
Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it. – I suppose an identity that I have that I am most proud of is being multicultural. My family tree is surprisingly diverse when it comes to heritages and cultures. I didn’t do much outreaching before to learn about my family history, but after doing it I came to find out that my family has been all over the world, with ties in Western Asia, Eastern Asia, Europe, and some parts of South America. An identity that I have that I would say I struggle with is probably my Middle Eastern background. I have family in both Palestine and the area now known as Israel and my family is quite torn at times considering the geopolitical climate of that area. I struggle because I am at arms with some family members about issues regarding that, but I guess that’s fine with me. I don’t agree with a part of who my family is, but I’ve gotten used to living without them.
After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.- One thing that I learned that I thought was very interesting was the advantages Latino children can have in terms of deeper learning, and it’s something they might not be aware of. There are a few characteristics they possess that aid them in deeper learning such as persistence, multicultural backgrounds and multilingual skills. Since these children come from families that had to adapt to new norms and challenges, they have developed a persistent attitude that has also fostered resilience. Their multicultural background allows for creative thinking which is one of the key concepts of our education system. There are so many background elements that form a person’s mental strength that I have never come to consider before; seeing it explained here was really interesting to learn about.
Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video? “Defining Latino: Young People Talk Identity, Belonging” | NBC Latino | NBC – This was the video I’ve chosen as it was something I could relate to growing up. The main argument or idea being presented is that Latino Americans can sometimes find it hard to ‘fit in’, even in their own respective cultural groups. A common theme that came up was that they feel like they couldn’t show their culture and when they did, it was often misrepresented. Many felt they were seen as either too Latino to be American or too American to be Latino. The reasons being used to support was their anecdotal experiences both from their families and their peers. Many felt as although they were proud of their heritage and where they come from, they felt a sort of disconnect from either those that should’ve lead them to do more, and also those who shared a cultural difference compared to them. My thoughts were that of sympathy and I feel like I could somewhat understand where they were coming from. I was either seen as too White to be West Asian, or too Asian to be white. I didn’t quite fit in with those in my school who I looked like because of the cultural difference. There was also too much of a cultural difference between those who did share the same culture as me.
1. I believe everyone feels proud to be a part of some group. Speaking of myself, being Ukrainian implies sharing many things with many people, such as culture, history, family practices, and so on. My country and nation have a long but violent, harsh, and terrible past, yet they survived and did not lose their identity. I’m proud of the person I’ve become. I became the person I am now by following my own ambitions, desires, friends, and parents. My family has inspired me in terms of morals and values, social activities, and language; they have provided me with something to strive for in my life.
2. After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students”, I’ve learned that “Effective desegregation has become increasingly difficult…. Nonetheless, segregation by class, race, and language can be improved through strong magnet programs and, in the case of Latinos especially, through two-way dual immersion programs. These programs have a goal of enrolling equal numbers of English speakers and English learners so that both groups become bilingual, biliterate, and culturally aware. It is important because it’s very political since the general public does not fully comprehend the process of second language learning. 75% of individuals outside the United States don’t communicate in English, and in the event that they do, it’s an extremely low degree of proficiency. So instructions actually need to open up to the remainder of the world, and the manner in which languages are being taught now, with the informative methodology, makes it attainable for anybody to get familiar with a language.
3. The video I chose is “h “What Being Hispanic and Latinx Means in the United States” by Fernanda Ponce TEDx”
The main argument of the video was that American people feel prejudiced and have misconceptions about someone being Latino and Hispanic. As Fernanda explained in the video, Latino, and Hispanic are not terms that define race, these are the terms that describe ethnicity. They share a cultural identity, not a physical one. Also, being Latino means being from everywhere and that’s what she stated to be true. A lot of people who are not familiar with cultures, ethnicities put Mexicans, Hispanics, Latinos as the same group of people who share the same holidays, language, food, culture and etc, which is actually very uneducated. It is recommended that people become educated about harmful, false preconceptions. People would be able to investigate and maybe reject prejudices if they could discuss racial stereotypes and attitudes in a safe setting.
DB 6
The identity that I’m proud of is being Muslim. When I was younger, I would feel slightly embarrassed wearing traditional clothes because of how much people would stare at me. Now it doesn’t really bother me; I know who I am and I’m proud of it. After reading the article I learned that while Latinos are the largest minority group, “they fall far behind…in academic achievement and educational attainment.” The article mentioned how the performance of Latino students dropped around 8th grade and while graduation rates are increasing for college, its still far behind than their peers. The author mentions that Latino students are less likely to attend preschool and early development is important. Another thing is that around 62% of Latino children face poverty. This can relate to our previous unit on the Middle East and how one article correlated countries with low literacy rates to people facing challenges like health and poverty. In addition, the author suggests an effective solution stating, “Significant evidence shows that making social and medical services available to families and students in need helps reduce absenteeism (a major correlate of low achievement) and increase student engagement in school”(pg.9). I watched the video “Defining Latino: Young People Talk Identity, Belonging” and one common issue was that people were often getting told that they weren’t Latino enough. He explained how they its important to know their roots, be confident in themselves and know who they are. This is important because no one should feel ashamed of who they are how people will view them.
Hello Abdulkadir Sattar
I’m glad that you’re no longer ashamed of wearing your traditional clothing. Your culture is beautiful and unique so you should not hide it. This is something i’ve learned over the years.
Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why. Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
One identity I am mostly proud of is my ethnicity. I am Mexican and I absolutely love my culture and the people who I grew up with. The parties, food and music are like no other. Both of my parents are from Puebla, I have only been there once when I was younger and I remember loving the environment and the freedom I had. One identity I struggle with is my ability to never be content with myself whether its physically or mentally. Every time I do something I always feel like I could have done a better job even when I do it well. In a way this could also be a good thing because I strive to be a better version of myself but at the same time it can be exhausting.
After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
One thing I learned in the article “The potential and Promise of Latino Students” is when they said “The underperformance of Latino children has frequently been attributed to the fact that so many grow up in homes and neighborhoods where Spanish is the primary language.” I found this so intriguing because in my household we usually talked to my niece in Spanish so she could learn Spanish at home and in school they are already going teach her how to speak and write in English.
Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
In the video “What being Hispanic and Latinx Means in the United States” Fernanda Ponce speaks about the struggles Hispanics go through and how they are stereotyped. In the video she says how one of the top trending videos in December 2016 was of a person yelling at a Hispanic lady saying she was a “nobody” and how she should go back to her country and nobody did anything or stepped in to defend the Hispanic lady. My personal thoughts on this is that I have seen too many videos of Hispanic people being verbally assaulted and it absolutely saddens me because most of the time Hispanic people do not tend to stand up for themselves because they are afraid of being sent back to their country. The name callings and insults of Hispanics are starting to get old, as a whole society we are partially to blame for allowing this type of behavior but there is still room for change.
Hi, I don’t think that being critical is really bad, I believe that your constant dissatisfaction with yourself will help you achieve great success in life. In any case, I wish you success.
One identity that I am most proud of is being Ecuadorian because both of my parents are from Ecuador and I also grew up knowing what Ecuadorian culture was. Especially when I went to Ecuador two times I saw my family and the way they dress and live is so unique to me. Plus, in Ecuador they speak Spanish and Spanish is my first language. They have another language called Quechua, which I am interested in learning as my third language perhaps. One identity that I am struggling with is being a self motivated person. There are times where I don’t feel confident and it often brings me down. But I am currently reminding myself that I am strong and will accomplish my goals. I want to be a self motivated person because I want to have my dream career and have a bright future!
One thing I learned is how some Latino students fall behind because Spanish was their first language. And I was flabbergasted to learn that there was an English only movement in California in 1988. Latino students often grow up in Spanish speaking households and for them to be forced to know English right away is ridiculous. When I went to school, they put me into programs to help improve my English. They often provided me with workbooks that I would often have to work on. But if I had to go through the English only movement I would have definitely struggled and been upset at myself. Now, there are a few bilingual programs in schools that can help students but in my opinion I think it should be mandatory. Every latino student should receive the proper help and support no matter what.
Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
One of the videos I am choosing is the first video which is “Defining Latino: Young People Talk Identity, Belonging.” The main argument of the video is some people in the video identify themself being Latino or Latina or Chicana or Afro Latina. All of them overall, are telling what they identify themself with the most. One of them say that people don’t think they are Latina because Spanish wasn’t their first language. Or sometimes they look at skin color and if you are too dark then you aren’t Latina. But in my opinion every Latino and Latina are different and people should expect all of them to all look alike. Like I would also consider myself Latina but sometimes my family members think I’m too American since I am fluent in English, which is absurd. Everyone should be glad from where they came from and shouldn’t be judged about it.
I believe that one of my positive traits is persistence, I am Russian, my country has been in conflicts with different countries throughout history. We have started to fight. Our tsars (including the current presidents) have always cared and are concerned only about their own benefits and do not think about the people. My people are used to surviving on their own, relying on their own strength. It’s hard to break us. We fall and rise again. This trait has helped me a lot in my life, it is thanks to this that I am who I am now.
– My negative trait is irascibility. Sometimes, in a fit of rage, I do not control my emotions and words and often offend people with truthful but angry remarks. My father is the same. I inherited it from him. Since childhood, I have suffered from his outbursts of anger, so I understand how bad it is for me and for my family. I try to learn how to suppress outbursts of anger, I try, before starting to yell at someone, bide the time and let myself cool. In most cases, this strategy works.
– In the article, I highlighted the idea that Hispanic students are under a lot of emotional pressure because they have illegal relatives. This is really sad. I was personally acquainted with such people and I know how strong their dream is that parents receive documents. I also knew these parents and saw how hard, very hard they work for minimal cash. Because they cannot get the opportunity to work officially and be an example of success for their legal parents. I remember the story of a chef I once met in a California cafe. He worked like a horse, 80 hours a week in the kitchen to be able to support his wife and two sons. I remember one day I asked him if this job was his dream. I asked him who he dreamed of being as a child, when he was an adult. I remember his sadness in his eyes, and the answer: “I always wanted to be a teacher, but I no longer need to dream about it, I am illegal and will never get the opportunity to learn and become what I want. Now I live only to give the opportunity to live to my sons, I forgot about myself. ” And the man was only 31 years old. He could still study and fulfill his dream, but this is out of the question in modern US politics. This is the story of another buried dream.
– From watching the video “Defining Latino: Young People Talk Identity, Belonging” I realized one thing that being an international child is hard. You broke away from your native lands but did not become your own in the new land. You are in the middle of two banks. You are neither American nor Hispanic. Who are you? It is very difficult to identify yourself when your family puts pressure on the fact that you are a child of your people, and society insists that you are American.
I also noted the idea that Gina Rodriguez said. She recalls that her parents did not encourage her to learn her native Spanish because they feared that it would harm her in the future, that the Americans would recognize her as a stranger and she would not be able to assimilate in the new country and succeed. I think this is personal, since we remain who we are as long as we remember our history. And as Edmund Burke said: “Those who do not look back cannot look ahead.”
p/s
I am very proud to be Russian. My people are great. There are many world-class scientists, athletes, writers and military leaders among us. I am proud that the blood of such a great people flows in my veins. What I disapprove of my people is rudeness. For centuries we are fighting the conquerors who invade our land and freedom, our nature is harsh and cold. We are used to fighting for survival, our delicacy has historically atrophied. We are tough strong. But in the 21st century, in the world of politics and dialogue, we need to learn how to conduct a dialogue and be nice, this we lack, I admit.
Janine Mason ACR 150
After reading and viewing the required materials for this week, answer the 3 questions below:
*Describe one identity that you have that you are most proud of and explain why.
The identity that I have that I am most proud of is being Puerto Rican. I am proud to be Puerto Rican because my people are a mix of the indigenous people who were in Puerto Rico when they were colonized by the Spaniards (Taino Indians), the Africans brought to the Americas for slave labor and yes… The Spaniards themselves, who colonized the island. This interaction of my ancestors on the island led to a beautiful mixture of cultures creating a whole new culture which is that of the Puerto Rican. When Puerto Rico became a “Commonwealth of the United States, “in 1917, gaining US citizen status, many Puerto Ricans decided to leave the island for the mainland mostly to escape poverty and with hopes of higher education. They bought with them the islands rich culture and traditions, folklore and foods which is what I remember growing up. The rice, the beans, the viandas and other foods that have historically been on the table in Puerto Rico are mainstays for the Puerto Ricans living on mainland US as well till this very day. The intermingling of our language and a rich offering of foods and music with many different flavorful influences, along with the fact that Puerto Ricans come in all shapes, colors and forms is what makes me proud to be Puerto Rican.
*Describe also one identity that you either are not proud of, or struggle with. Explain why you are not proud of this identity or why you struggle with it.
One identity I struggle with of is a fear, that as a Puerto Rican mother living in the United States mainland, I assimilate more and more every day into the English language and US customs. While I am a US citizen and proud of it, I also want my children to know and relish in their Puerto Rican ancestry as much as their American status and sometimes I fear we will lose this.
*After reading the article “The Potential and Promise of Latino Students” discuss one new thing you learned about the Latino population. Be specific and explain your thoughts and reactions regarding what you read and learned.
One new thing that I learned about the Latino population was found on page 4 of this weeks reading. The paragraph starts with a statement of, “A major reason that Latino college completion is so low is that nearly half of Latinos who attend a postsecondary institution go to two-year colleges, where the likelihood of their transferring to a four-year institution is much lower than for students from most other racial/ethnic groups.” This statement was new idea to me because I experienced the exact opposite. When I was younger and first applying to college many moons ago, my parents encouraged me to apply to a four-year college, instead of a community college. They felt that if I graduated from a community college, I would never go back for that four-year bachelor’s degree that to them, was a sign of making it. No other family member living in the US mainland had graduated with a Bachelor’s degree. As it was, I applied and was accepted to York College in NY but had to leave after one year to work and contribute to shelter and food resulting in my attaining neither degree. I saw my experience in this week reading with sadness because I see it is happening even still today.
*Choose one of the videos assigned this week. What is the main argument of the video? What reasons are used to support the argument? What are your personal thoughts and reactions to what was presented in the video?
The video I choose to speak on is, “Defining Latino: Young people Talk Identity and Belonging.”
I think the main argument of the video is that Latino Americans from all around the would struggle with which identity to present when in public here in the Americas. In the video we see a young college freshman who states that his family wanted him to “stick to his Hispanic roots, but at the same time not want me to show those roots to the world.” I can relate to this because growing up, I was expected to speak only Spanish to my grandparents, to do otherwise was a sign of disrespect. However as grandparents who wanted the best for me they also encouraged me to do my best to get the best grades in “English” because my bilingualism would result in opportunities for higher paying jobs and a higher social status outside of the Little Puerto Rico my family was living in the mainland US. The video showed you people from a variety of cultures with this theme in common showing the everyday pressures of being a Latino American here in the US. I liked and can identify with the way one of the speakers said, “Ultimately, I think what you settle on, is how you view yourself.” I view myself as proud to be a Latina living in America.