Melanie Velez Discussion 11

Before reading these two texts I didn’t know what identity politics was in all honesty. I knew people identified with different things and there was communities and safe places for their identity. However I didn’t know the term was ‘politics’. In the text “The Power of Identity Politics” written by Garza she explains how identity and power goes hand in hand. Power affects identity and vice versa. Identity affects our everyday life whether we notice it or not because it goes hand in hand with power. In the text she stated how all experiences in the United States are shaped with the identity of whiteness. This affects every other identity in the United States because then everyone else is seemed as the non norm. “For people who are not white, this can be incredibly alienating_never seeing people who look like you in fashion magazines, not being able to get makeup that matches your skin tone.” (Garza 187) When the written explains the difference between being empowered and power it reminded me a lot of how predominately BIPOC environments/neighborhoods may not be cared for much as a white area. This can include types of foods available , health facilities or even protection from the police. The second text “Too Latina To Be Black , Too Black To Be Latina” Written by Williams explain the identity crisis she had and still continues to face growing up. This text really reminded me of how we discriminate even in our own community. This text proved to me that some people expect you to fit the stereotypes of the community you identity with like many people believed that since she speaks Spanish she must be Mexican or she must eat tacos. I topic I would like to explore is Feminism in Islamic countries. We know how feminism is perceived in the United States but I would find it interesting how other countries deal with feminism.

3 thoughts on “Melanie Velez Discussion 11

  1. Shanice Peters

    Hi Melanie, I myself did not know what identity politics meant until this topic either. People forget that there’s is discrimnatuon in our own communitites. Sometimes its worst than when other do it. Every state is different and discrimate for different things.

  2. Amirah Avila

    Hey Melanie, as someone who’s from the Caribbean, I’ve always disliked how people mix us up with Mexican people. Although their culture is beautiful, it’s not ours, and It shows how we are put in one big group. I like how you mentioned the power white people have in the U.S. Growing up, I mostly saw white people in magazines and billboards, but there was a poor representation of POC. Minorities are not given the same amount of care as white people, even in our communities. Our areas are usually neglected while a predominately white area continues to progress.

  3. Dashira Del Rosario

    Hi Melanie,
    throughout the years I have living here in the United States I’ve noticed that in that we stereotype many people for example I’m Dominican some people confuse me with being Puerto Rican and they mostly say that Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic are almost the same thing. But it’s not, I liked how the author understands how we feel when we are compared to someone else like in my case.

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