Tuesday night's extra credit opportunity was an eye opening presentation that told the harsh reality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in America. Guiding Right, a federally funded HIV education and prevention program
Gave a presentation on basic statistics, preventative measures and the social effects of this epidemic.
I was very interested in this topic simply because I had never received a seminar over the information. I had heard about HIV/AIDS but had never researched what the disease was comprised of.
The seminar began with shocking statistics that revealed that the HIV epidemic is reaching the United States. Every 9 ½ minutes, another person is infected with HIV. We discussed issues that dealt with how disproportionately the African American race is affected. Although African Americans only comprise 13% of the US population, over half of the HIV cases effect African Americans. This statistic shocked me, especially since the number of HIV cases are increasing everyday. Next, we discussed how HIV/AIDS is portrayed (or rather, not portrayed) in the mass media today. Several examples were taken that account for merely the story of someone infected with AIDS. However, they never told the back story of how the HIV virus was contracted. It is this reason that media should be held somewhat responsible for not spreading the word about this awful virus. We later discussed the repercussions of this deadly virus that is spreading silently through the youth of the US. It is imperative that we create more educational programs to inform others who may not know that this epidemic is spreading rapidly and can affect anyone for the rest of their life.
After this seminar, I have definitely been changed as a student. I feel that I have a bigger obligation to my peers to inform them about this epidemic and how they can protect themselves. Also, my political views have changed a bit. I am now a bigger proponent for sex education in public schools since I never had this safe sex education and therefore never knew about HIV/AIDS. I think it’s absolutely necessary that we teach kids about the possible problems that may arise after they become sexually active. Also, it gave me a call to arms to advocate informing everybody about how this disease does not just plague the African American race and that it is not the “gay white man’s disease”. This disease is a problem for everybody, not only those who are infected, but for those who care about them and wish to not spread this epidemic.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Re-Post: Media Portrayals
1.
a.3/25/2009-Kill Bill
b. Movie
c. from personal movie collection
d. Image of black mother and daughter who are alone…. There is no indication of a father figure but that he might have left her to raise the child alone. (Vivica A. Fox)
e. Positive: the image shows a very strong bond between the mother and daughter without much emphasis on the absent father figure
2.
a.3/25/2009-Family Matters
b. Television
c. ABC Family
d. A Black family of six has an annoying neighbor, Steve Urkel who repeatedly brings mischief to the family. The family is portrayed as being close knit and has a live in grandmother and aunt. Although it is a sitcom, the family deals with many serious race issues. In this episode, specifically, Laura deals with racial slurs that are spray painted on her locker at her high school. The family convenes and helps Laura cope with racism and comforts her in her time of confusion.
e. Positive: the family is portrayed as being very close knit and to share a very close kinship with each of the other members of the family. The family comes together to overcome trials and issues that are directly related to being an African American.
3.
a.3/27/2009-Akeelah and the Bee
b. Movie
c. In class
d. A young Black girl in Crenshaw Los Angeles faces struggles as she decides to compete in a school spelling bee, later advancing to next levels. As the movies progresses, there are many references to her father, who was a very educated man. The typical stereotype of the “leaving Black father” is completely reversed in this film. Akeelah is very bonded with her father and even talks to him as if he could hear her. Furthermore, the family image depicted is very positive since the family is shown sitting down to dinner and maintaining close relationships with one another.
e. Positive: it reverses many stereotypes that depicts African American fathers.
4.
a. The First Family-3/24/2009
b. Internet Article
c. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/21/us/politics/21family.html
d. The Obama’s are a groundbreaking image that shatters the stereotypical “broken” African American family. The successes of this family are for the entire world to see. With President Obama’s election, the African American family took a step into the spotlight and replaced the old image of “White America”. The Obama family is truly inspiring and serves to discount many of the negative stereotypes of African American families. For example, President Obama is the first Black president, educated and well spoken. Michelle Obama is an attractive, brilliant Black woman who might be nearly as powerful as her husband.
e. Positive
5.
a. Home Depot Ad
b. Magazine Advertisement
c. EBONY- April Issue 2009
d. The ad depicts a young Black mother playing with her daughter in the kitchen. There is no father in the ad. I found this image to be slightly negative since it was very obvious that the Advertisers only wanted the mother and daughter. It could have been just as easy to include the father in this ad to make it appear as more of a complete family depiction. Instead, the father was omitted, perpetuating many negative stereotypes that surround African American fathers.
e. Negative
6.
a. The Secret Life of Bees
b. Novel
c. Sue Monk Kidd
d. the book details the journey of a young white girl who runs away from her home. She soon finds herself in a house full of Black women who generously take her in. Although they are at first skeptical of the strange young girl who showed up on their doorstep, the women take her in and nurture her. The book depicts this family of women to be very understanding and caring. Although there are no men, the women carry on fine making their own money and creating their own happiness for themselves. The novel depicts Black women to be the strongest part of the African American family structure.
e. Positive
The media is a central component to how we perceive our social constructions. If we buy into the many stereotypes that are presented in television, books, newspapers and other media, we might not get the entire truth. We must remind ourselves to not rely on these sources to make decisions for us, but to guide us in curiosity. WE must be curious enough to research for ourselves in order to understand our world and the differences that derive from race and culture.
a.3/25/2009-Kill Bill
b. Movie
c. from personal movie collection
d. Image of black mother and daughter who are alone…. There is no indication of a father figure but that he might have left her to raise the child alone. (Vivica A. Fox)
e. Positive: the image shows a very strong bond between the mother and daughter without much emphasis on the absent father figure
2.
a.3/25/2009-Family Matters
b. Television
c. ABC Family
d. A Black family of six has an annoying neighbor, Steve Urkel who repeatedly brings mischief to the family. The family is portrayed as being close knit and has a live in grandmother and aunt. Although it is a sitcom, the family deals with many serious race issues. In this episode, specifically, Laura deals with racial slurs that are spray painted on her locker at her high school. The family convenes and helps Laura cope with racism and comforts her in her time of confusion.
e. Positive: the family is portrayed as being very close knit and to share a very close kinship with each of the other members of the family. The family comes together to overcome trials and issues that are directly related to being an African American.
3.
a.3/27/2009-Akeelah and the Bee
b. Movie
c. In class
d. A young Black girl in Crenshaw Los Angeles faces struggles as she decides to compete in a school spelling bee, later advancing to next levels. As the movies progresses, there are many references to her father, who was a very educated man. The typical stereotype of the “leaving Black father” is completely reversed in this film. Akeelah is very bonded with her father and even talks to him as if he could hear her. Furthermore, the family image depicted is very positive since the family is shown sitting down to dinner and maintaining close relationships with one another.
e. Positive: it reverses many stereotypes that depicts African American fathers.
4.
a. The First Family-3/24/2009
b. Internet Article
c. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/21/us/politics/21family.html
d. The Obama’s are a groundbreaking image that shatters the stereotypical “broken” African American family. The successes of this family are for the entire world to see. With President Obama’s election, the African American family took a step into the spotlight and replaced the old image of “White America”. The Obama family is truly inspiring and serves to discount many of the negative stereotypes of African American families. For example, President Obama is the first Black president, educated and well spoken. Michelle Obama is an attractive, brilliant Black woman who might be nearly as powerful as her husband.
e. Positive
5.
a. Home Depot Ad
b. Magazine Advertisement
c. EBONY- April Issue 2009
d. The ad depicts a young Black mother playing with her daughter in the kitchen. There is no father in the ad. I found this image to be slightly negative since it was very obvious that the Advertisers only wanted the mother and daughter. It could have been just as easy to include the father in this ad to make it appear as more of a complete family depiction. Instead, the father was omitted, perpetuating many negative stereotypes that surround African American fathers.
e. Negative
6.
a. The Secret Life of Bees
b. Novel
c. Sue Monk Kidd
d. the book details the journey of a young white girl who runs away from her home. She soon finds herself in a house full of Black women who generously take her in. Although they are at first skeptical of the strange young girl who showed up on their doorstep, the women take her in and nurture her. The book depicts this family of women to be very understanding and caring. Although there are no men, the women carry on fine making their own money and creating their own happiness for themselves. The novel depicts Black women to be the strongest part of the African American family structure.
e. Positive
The media is a central component to how we perceive our social constructions. If we buy into the many stereotypes that are presented in television, books, newspapers and other media, we might not get the entire truth. We must remind ourselves to not rely on these sources to make decisions for us, but to guide us in curiosity. WE must be curious enough to research for ourselves in order to understand our world and the differences that derive from race and culture.
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