My favorite thing to do on a Sunday morning is to have a cup of coffee with my husband and to browse through the pile of catalogs from the week’s mail. As we sort through the catalogs, my husband says, “I don’t feel right looking at this one…” I look over and he’s hold a Victoria’s Secret catalog, emblazoned with the word PINK. I looked at Mike questioningly and he responded, “They look waaaaay too young.” I look again at the catalog and feel a bit chagrined. The Pink catalog is a portrayal of college girls in their dormitory – of course, standing, jumping and lolling on their beds. They are photographed as young co-eds nymphs…in beguiling positions with wide-eyed innocent facial expressions, and sucking on lollipops.
My favorite catalog section entitled, “Get Some Undie Love.” Shoppers can select to have on the front of their underwear (or on the rear), sayings such as: Sure Thing; I Love my Boyfriend; See You Tonight. The pajama (long pajama bottoms and boxer shorts) features sayings such as: Kiss This; Make Me Melt, and Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough. Obviously, college girls are flirtatious, sexually provocative, love to tease and/or are nymphomaniacs. The target audience for this Pink catalog is obviously high school and college-aged girls. The images portrayed ne thin these pages state the obvious: college-aged girls need to have these fashion trappings for their college “experience.” But here’s the kicker, the catalog issue of I have, also feature the clothing options you need to take with you for Spring Break!
College girls (at least in the world of Victoria’s Secret catalogs”) are all white, thin, and like to prance about in various states of undress.” They enjoy wearing “boyfriend” sweat pants and bras or tank tops; or, they wear tee shirts and tiny panties with provocative words. “I Love Pink” in the front of the underwear appears to be the best-seller. Hmmm, I wonder what “pink” is supposed to mean actually. I turn one page and, oh my, there is an eau de toilette section!! The scents include: Pretty and Pure, Sweet and Flirty, Fresh and Clean, Soft and Dreamy. Aside from “Pink” (or should it read, “Pussy?”) - we need to make sure our college girls are pretty, pure, sweet, flirty, fresh, clean, soft and dreamy. Gotta love pink.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
What's in their cajita?
I had a lot of time to think and to catch up on my reading assignments as I traveled to Arizona to say goodbye to my grandmother. The articles, Mi Casa , by Vasti Torees, and Ethnic Identify Development by Alecia Chavez, et al, were timely in my reflective mood, and with the assignment to have a cajita to present to class. The articles were in sharp contract to the MisEducation of the Negro (for which I got some strange looks on the plan by the passengers) and "Untameable Savage Spirit..."
What did our slaves and American Indians have in their cajitas - especially after the European colonists ripped them away from their homes, family, culture and society? How were they able to salvage what little they were allowed to take with them? How did they feel? I cannot even begin to fathom their sense of helplessness, hopelessness and loneliness. It is amazing that their spirit and will to survive was not totally crushed (came close).
What did our slaves and American Indians have in their cajitas - especially after the European colonists ripped them away from their homes, family, culture and society? How were they able to salvage what little they were allowed to take with them? How did they feel? I cannot even begin to fathom their sense of helplessness, hopelessness and loneliness. It is amazing that their spirit and will to survive was not totally crushed (came close).
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Romancing the Student - Really?
Really folks? Students (especially undergraduate students) having affairs with their course professors is about as appropriate as employees sleeping with their direct supervisors for good grades, promotions, and/or favorable treatment. It is wrong, it is inappropriate, and why in the world would one want to handover such power and control? I guess I have forgotten what it's like to be 18 or 19 in college - naive, meek, impressionable. Now, as a 40-something - I'm all about being bold in saying no, your pissed, or you don't appreciate being objectified!
Undergraduate students are especially at risk for mistreatment, and faculty members should recognize this (as obviously - some already know). Undergraduate students - during orientation - should be provided the definition of sexual harrassment. College is probably their first introduction to the topic...male and female students need to understand what it is not just within the context of collegial relationships with their professors but with one another.
My impression is that this is/was a more common occurrence between female students and their male professors. Nowadays, with more female professors and/or leaders, they too are in a position of taking advantage of their students. Yup, women do this too.
The point is, students (male and female) need to understand that sex cannot be used for leverage or for power. Women, especially, still have a ways to go to recognize that they are empowered, that they have the power to say NO, to say they don't like something. I still think women are encouraged to be meek, demure or timid. When it comes to being threatened or blackmailed for sex, it's okay to get pissed off and to say "hell no."
Undergraduate students are especially at risk for mistreatment, and faculty members should recognize this (as obviously - some already know). Undergraduate students - during orientation - should be provided the definition of sexual harrassment. College is probably their first introduction to the topic...male and female students need to understand what it is not just within the context of collegial relationships with their professors but with one another.
My impression is that this is/was a more common occurrence between female students and their male professors. Nowadays, with more female professors and/or leaders, they too are in a position of taking advantage of their students. Yup, women do this too.
The point is, students (male and female) need to understand that sex cannot be used for leverage or for power. Women, especially, still have a ways to go to recognize that they are empowered, that they have the power to say NO, to say they don't like something. I still think women are encouraged to be meek, demure or timid. When it comes to being threatened or blackmailed for sex, it's okay to get pissed off and to say "hell no."
African American Students
As I do readings and research, I will periodically post information I come across on students of African descent (African American and African Caribbean). I incorrectly interpreted an early assignment, but decided, I will do my own self-study on this student population. Hope you find this interesting:
Facts & Figures
2003, 80% of African Amercan Students over the age of 25 attained a high school degree.
44.7% attend college (compared to 52.9% of white Americans).
Only 40% of African American students who attend college, graduate.
61% of white Americans graduate from college.
Source:
Guiffrada, D. (n.d.). Preparing and Supporting African American Students in College. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from www.counseling.org: http://www.counseling.org/
Facts & Figures
2003, 80% of African Amercan Students over the age of 25 attained a high school degree.
44.7% attend college (compared to 52.9% of white Americans).
Only 40% of African American students who attend college, graduate.
61% of white Americans graduate from college.
Source:
Guiffrada, D. (n.d.). Preparing and Supporting African American Students in College. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from www.counseling.org: http://www.counseling.org/
You're Gay - Really??!
Dyke, bull-dyke, butch, lesbos, carpet muncher, lipstick lesbian, and lesbian were the first terms I heard upon being introduced to the lexicon of “lesbianism.” I was first "exposed” to homosexuality upon attended a private women’s college, Sweet Briar (or sweet bush as termed by the men from the surrounding schools), between 1985 and 1989. The student population of 860 students was nestled in isolated Central Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
I once heard that culture shock is not when one goes to visit a foreign country; but it is when one returns home, that they experience culture shock. So, let me put this into context so you understand from whence I come in this story of a major personal experience of diversity in higher education....
I attended four years of high school at Seoul American High School in Seoul, Korea. During my time overseas, I had two short family trips to the United States for what the U.S. Department of State termed, “R&R” or rest and recreation. My father was a U.S. diplomat and my mother – a native Korean, but U.S. citizen – also worked at the Embassy as a Visa Counselor. My parents have always been about exploring other countries, cultures, religions and beliefs. Having a culturally diverse family created an environment open to different beliefs and practices. I recall always being told that I did not necessarily have to agree with a practice or a belief, but I needed to try to understand the context and respect it at the very least. I think this was also something engrained from when I was a younger child and my father was a college professor. I recall meals with faculty from other departments, debating the pros and cons of western civilization based curriculum versus smatterings of pan-Asian courses, thrown in with some science (my mother was a science librarian). Dinner conversations were always lively.
My high school class was small – about 100 students. Reflecting back, my class was ethnically diverse as we were all from military or diplomatic backgrounds. Socio-economic class was consistent and no one paid too much attention to whose father was a colonel, civilian and so forth. Sexual identity or preference never crossed my mind. At my high school, the “hot topics” were who was dating/sleeping/breaking up/losing their virginity to whom. I do recall a male friend joining our football team’s cheerleading squad and being jeered at and called “fag.” He stuck it out with the cheerleading, and perhaps silenced those jeers by joining the wrestling team. My comprehension of homosexuality was very limited. To call me “naïve” is an understatement.
Unbeknown to me, my first encounter with homosexuality was when we lived in Hartford, CT. We had wonderful neighbors, Romeo and Chuck. They lived in a gorgeous brick rambler decorated with gilded gold leaf furniture, heavy drapes, a kitchen to die for (according to my mother), candelabras on their baby grand piano, and two precious teacup poodles. Chuck used to come over and watch soap operas with my mom or go with her to run errands. Romeo worked at a publishing firm and brought me books to read. I remember asking my Dad why they weren’t married (to women) and didn’t have kids, and he explained to me that they were best friends who would always be together. I accepted that explanation and never gave it a second thought.
So move forward to high school - “typical hetero high school kids;” then fast forward to college. As we all know, attending college is an education in more ways than books and lectures. The fact that there were those with “alternative lifestyles” was an education for me – a sheltered embassy kid. My dormitory was on the third floor of what was referred to as “the virgin vault” because we were not allowed to have male guests after midnight, making the dorm the most popular for the surrounding men’s schools that had Greek fraternity pledges on scavenger hunts. My freshmen year was typical – classes, boys, partying, finding change to do laundry, and late night talks with the girls in my dorm. I befriended a girl across the hall from me and we frequently did homework together on her bunk bed, snacking on oodles of noodles and popcorn. One night she reached over and started to massage my neck and shoulders. Only it was a lousy massage and felt more like caresses. I got a “weird feeling,” and looked at her with my eyebrow up, asked “what are you doing?” I shrugged her off and she quickly withdrew her hands and apologized. I became uncomfortable, shut my books and said I was going to bed. We never studied together again and I was aloof in her presence.
The next semester, she dropped out of school after she had apparently “come on” (or maybe it was came out?) to her roommate. Everyone on my dorm floor was hysterical that a lesbian had been amongst us. Wanting to be a part of the discussion, I relayed what had happened and everyone jumped away exclaiming, “ewww, gross!” Why didn’t I tell anyone, did I like it? Was I gay too? I was mortified, angry, and embarrassed. I made sure that everyone knew that I thought the entire experience had been awful and was glad she had left school. The hubbub died down and things got back to normal. I relayed the experience to my parents on my winter break, and they expressed sadness for the girl and disappointment in my reaction and behavior. They asked how it would feel to be ostracized for being different. I was dense and didn’t understand. My dad said, “Well, look in the mirror…” The statement hit home. I had been ostracized and treated poorly by Koreans (someone once spit on me in a market place), Japanese and white Americans for being mixed - for being Amerasian. I had been perceived as sub-standard, not normal, defective. I was able to relate to this and thought long and hard about this girl’s feelings. The girl’s exit from school spurred a great deal of classroom discussion and debate around the topic. Homosexuality came up in my literature, art history and philosophy courses. This was my formal introduction to the topic.
By my junior year, five girls had come out of the closet, so to speak. Two were close friends of mine and group project partners for a class I was taking. I knew they were gay from rumors. One night, I got the nerve to ask one of my friends if the rumors were true. She paused a long time and told me that her two brothers who were at the Citadel were gay. I was amazed and asked how they were handling that at a military school. She said they were keeping it secret. I asked what her parents thought, and she teared up saying, “Bunny (her mom) and Pops would die of shame if they knew.” She then said, I think being gay is genetic, it’s not a choice like so many people think. I asked her again, are you gay because you THINK you’re gay or because you think you inherited the genes. I was so confused – it was like she was telling me she was sick. She laughed and said, “No, I’m gay and I have girlfriend!” She blurted this out and then looked mortified, begging me not to tell anyone. What followed was a long conversation about being gay, when she knew, if her brothers knew, what it was like having sex with another woman, and so on. I felt like I was getting a crash course on Lesbianism 101. The irony is she kept telling me that she too was learning to be gay. My friend’s biggest fear was her family finding out. I was scared for her too.
That March evening, in our junior year, was a turning point in our lives. I learned so much that evening, but primarily, I learned what it meant to be a friend, to listen and to try to understand. She learned to trust - to feel comfortable exploring her thoughts, and to share her experiences. She too was processing. Richard Allen Steven’s article, Understanding gay identity development within the college environment, summarizes the experience my friend was relaying to me regarding self-acceptance and self-acknowledgement…coming out to self: “The process included a recognition of being different, an assumption that it was a phase through which to progress, a cessation of lies and secrets, abandonment of heterosexual privilege, and a coming to terms with one’s gay identity” (p. 191).
Years later, we met for drinks in Washington, D.C. with her same girlfriend. She recalls that conversation and she to recalls it as a turning point. Diversity, especially in higher education, is learning, respecting, and trusting the differences amongst all of us. Diversity goes beyond gender and skin color. Within higher education, it is the opportunity to embrace all around us who think, look, act and value different things. Accepting, embracing and sharing experiences are what makes like life richer and more diverse. We still keep in touch. Her brothers are no longer in the military. She has a partner who she married last year and they are adopting a baby. Her parents – well, they are still trying to figure it out…holding on to their own beliefs and values – not accepting, making excuses that it’s a phase that all three children are going through. So be it. What counts is that my friend is happy and has started her own family who embrace diversity. The good news is, the cycle will continue.
Source:
Steven, R. A. (2004). Understanding Gay Identity Development Within the College Environment. Journal of College Student Development , 45 (2), 185-206.
I once heard that culture shock is not when one goes to visit a foreign country; but it is when one returns home, that they experience culture shock. So, let me put this into context so you understand from whence I come in this story of a major personal experience of diversity in higher education....
I attended four years of high school at Seoul American High School in Seoul, Korea. During my time overseas, I had two short family trips to the United States for what the U.S. Department of State termed, “R&R” or rest and recreation. My father was a U.S. diplomat and my mother – a native Korean, but U.S. citizen – also worked at the Embassy as a Visa Counselor. My parents have always been about exploring other countries, cultures, religions and beliefs. Having a culturally diverse family created an environment open to different beliefs and practices. I recall always being told that I did not necessarily have to agree with a practice or a belief, but I needed to try to understand the context and respect it at the very least. I think this was also something engrained from when I was a younger child and my father was a college professor. I recall meals with faculty from other departments, debating the pros and cons of western civilization based curriculum versus smatterings of pan-Asian courses, thrown in with some science (my mother was a science librarian). Dinner conversations were always lively.
My high school class was small – about 100 students. Reflecting back, my class was ethnically diverse as we were all from military or diplomatic backgrounds. Socio-economic class was consistent and no one paid too much attention to whose father was a colonel, civilian and so forth. Sexual identity or preference never crossed my mind. At my high school, the “hot topics” were who was dating/sleeping/breaking up/losing their virginity to whom. I do recall a male friend joining our football team’s cheerleading squad and being jeered at and called “fag.” He stuck it out with the cheerleading, and perhaps silenced those jeers by joining the wrestling team. My comprehension of homosexuality was very limited. To call me “naïve” is an understatement.
Unbeknown to me, my first encounter with homosexuality was when we lived in Hartford, CT. We had wonderful neighbors, Romeo and Chuck. They lived in a gorgeous brick rambler decorated with gilded gold leaf furniture, heavy drapes, a kitchen to die for (according to my mother), candelabras on their baby grand piano, and two precious teacup poodles. Chuck used to come over and watch soap operas with my mom or go with her to run errands. Romeo worked at a publishing firm and brought me books to read. I remember asking my Dad why they weren’t married (to women) and didn’t have kids, and he explained to me that they were best friends who would always be together. I accepted that explanation and never gave it a second thought.
So move forward to high school - “typical hetero high school kids;” then fast forward to college. As we all know, attending college is an education in more ways than books and lectures. The fact that there were those with “alternative lifestyles” was an education for me – a sheltered embassy kid. My dormitory was on the third floor of what was referred to as “the virgin vault” because we were not allowed to have male guests after midnight, making the dorm the most popular for the surrounding men’s schools that had Greek fraternity pledges on scavenger hunts. My freshmen year was typical – classes, boys, partying, finding change to do laundry, and late night talks with the girls in my dorm. I befriended a girl across the hall from me and we frequently did homework together on her bunk bed, snacking on oodles of noodles and popcorn. One night she reached over and started to massage my neck and shoulders. Only it was a lousy massage and felt more like caresses. I got a “weird feeling,” and looked at her with my eyebrow up, asked “what are you doing?” I shrugged her off and she quickly withdrew her hands and apologized. I became uncomfortable, shut my books and said I was going to bed. We never studied together again and I was aloof in her presence.
The next semester, she dropped out of school after she had apparently “come on” (or maybe it was came out?) to her roommate. Everyone on my dorm floor was hysterical that a lesbian had been amongst us. Wanting to be a part of the discussion, I relayed what had happened and everyone jumped away exclaiming, “ewww, gross!” Why didn’t I tell anyone, did I like it? Was I gay too? I was mortified, angry, and embarrassed. I made sure that everyone knew that I thought the entire experience had been awful and was glad she had left school. The hubbub died down and things got back to normal. I relayed the experience to my parents on my winter break, and they expressed sadness for the girl and disappointment in my reaction and behavior. They asked how it would feel to be ostracized for being different. I was dense and didn’t understand. My dad said, “Well, look in the mirror…” The statement hit home. I had been ostracized and treated poorly by Koreans (someone once spit on me in a market place), Japanese and white Americans for being mixed - for being Amerasian. I had been perceived as sub-standard, not normal, defective. I was able to relate to this and thought long and hard about this girl’s feelings. The girl’s exit from school spurred a great deal of classroom discussion and debate around the topic. Homosexuality came up in my literature, art history and philosophy courses. This was my formal introduction to the topic.
By my junior year, five girls had come out of the closet, so to speak. Two were close friends of mine and group project partners for a class I was taking. I knew they were gay from rumors. One night, I got the nerve to ask one of my friends if the rumors were true. She paused a long time and told me that her two brothers who were at the Citadel were gay. I was amazed and asked how they were handling that at a military school. She said they were keeping it secret. I asked what her parents thought, and she teared up saying, “Bunny (her mom) and Pops would die of shame if they knew.” She then said, I think being gay is genetic, it’s not a choice like so many people think. I asked her again, are you gay because you THINK you’re gay or because you think you inherited the genes. I was so confused – it was like she was telling me she was sick. She laughed and said, “No, I’m gay and I have girlfriend!” She blurted this out and then looked mortified, begging me not to tell anyone. What followed was a long conversation about being gay, when she knew, if her brothers knew, what it was like having sex with another woman, and so on. I felt like I was getting a crash course on Lesbianism 101. The irony is she kept telling me that she too was learning to be gay. My friend’s biggest fear was her family finding out. I was scared for her too.
That March evening, in our junior year, was a turning point in our lives. I learned so much that evening, but primarily, I learned what it meant to be a friend, to listen and to try to understand. She learned to trust - to feel comfortable exploring her thoughts, and to share her experiences. She too was processing. Richard Allen Steven’s article, Understanding gay identity development within the college environment, summarizes the experience my friend was relaying to me regarding self-acceptance and self-acknowledgement…coming out to self: “The process included a recognition of being different, an assumption that it was a phase through which to progress, a cessation of lies and secrets, abandonment of heterosexual privilege, and a coming to terms with one’s gay identity” (p. 191).
Years later, we met for drinks in Washington, D.C. with her same girlfriend. She recalls that conversation and she to recalls it as a turning point. Diversity, especially in higher education, is learning, respecting, and trusting the differences amongst all of us. Diversity goes beyond gender and skin color. Within higher education, it is the opportunity to embrace all around us who think, look, act and value different things. Accepting, embracing and sharing experiences are what makes like life richer and more diverse. We still keep in touch. Her brothers are no longer in the military. She has a partner who she married last year and they are adopting a baby. Her parents – well, they are still trying to figure it out…holding on to their own beliefs and values – not accepting, making excuses that it’s a phase that all three children are going through. So be it. What counts is that my friend is happy and has started her own family who embrace diversity. The good news is, the cycle will continue.
Source:
Steven, R. A. (2004). Understanding Gay Identity Development Within the College Environment. Journal of College Student Development , 45 (2), 185-206.
Mammy or Slut?
Bell Book's "Selling Hot Pussy: Representations of Black Female Sexuality in the Cultural Marketplace," stirred up a lot within me. I was angered, saddened, and indignant. I also wanted to reject some of the claims/observations made. I had to put the reading away and reflect a bit.
My first reaction was "just because chocolate candy breasts are chocolate doesn't mean that black women are being ojectified." It just means the chocolate candy is milk chocolate - it's a breast, nothing more nothing less. I've certainly seen my share of white chocolate breasts... let's not even go to penises, but that's when I stopped myself...chocolate penises tend to be larger, because black men have bigger penises, right? So, I stopped my train of thought and went back and re-read the article. I got the point...and dropped my defensiveness.
I am still disgusted and at times, speechless at how slaves were treated here in America. How de-humanized, degraded and abused they were. It never occurred to me that the slave women were as objectified as they were. My thought process only took me as far as to think that the white slave master used slave women for sex because their white wives were on pedestals...they were southern belles. My thoughts never took me to the ugly truth: black women were used as displays - exotic, forbidden, erotic and grotesque...all at the same time. The article references a Sarah Bartmann. I never heard of her so I did some research and again, was overwhelmed at how horrible human beings can be.
Sara Bartman was a slave who was exhibited at freak shows throughout Europe. Her skeleton, brains and preserved genitalia were on display until 1974!!!!! From this "hottentot venus" context, I could now understand the arguments and observations presented by Bell. To this day, the ideal beautiful black woman has straightened hair, sharper features and lighter complexion. Even today there is controversy when it is learned that a magazine lightens the tone of skin for Halle Berry, Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Imman, and so on. We have a ways to go still. I did notice a difference when doing my research on students from Africa. I spent a lot of time looking for images of "modern Africa." Some online magazines and articles from Africa, refreshingly show actual REAL women from Africa - beautiful women with darker complexions. They have not been botoxed, lipo'd, bleached, surgically altered or photo-shopped. As women, we all need to be proud of our bodies, our sexuality, and how our curves, or lack thereof, make us all beautiful, powerful and strong. No woman likes to be held in comparison to the stick thin, vapid models on the cover of fashion magazines...why then should we expect black women to relate to their bodies and appearance to the same?
Linda M. Scott's article, "Fresh Lipstick: Rethinking Images of Women in Advertising," ties into the discussion on 'ideal beauty' - black or white. Of course, as I read this article, snacking on Cheese Nips, feeling somewhat bloated, I thought, "oh, isn't this appropriate?" Then the ad with Ellen Degeneres as the Cover Girl spokeswoman popped up on the television. How funny - "The Cover Girl" campaign continue(s) to evolve toward a blonde, blue-eyed ideal of beauty, an athletic, ostensibly "natural" perfection that was airbrushed and retouched into unattainability." (p. 237). I changed the channel.
A poem for Sarah Baartman - By Diana Ferrus, retrieved from
http://www.southafrica.info/about/history/saartjie.htm
“I’ve come to take you home – home, remember the veld?
the lush green grass beneath the big oak trees
the air is cool there and the sun does not burn.
I have made your bed at the foot of the hill,
your blankets are covered in buchu and mint,
the proteas stand in yellow and white
and the water in the stream chuckle sing-songs
as it hobbles along over little stones.
I have come to wretch you away –
away from the poking eyes
of the man-made monster
who lives in the dark
with his clutches of imperialism
who dissects your body bit by bit
who likens your soul to that of Satan
and declares himself the ultimate god!
I have come to soothe your heavy heart
I offer my bosom to your weary soul
I will cover your face with the palms of my hands
I will run my lips over lines in your neck
I will feast my eyes on the beauty of you
and I will sing for you
for I have come to bring you peace.
I have come to take you home
where the ancient mountains shout your name.
I have made your bed at the foot of the hill,
your blankets are covered in buchu and mint,
the proteas stand in yellow and white –
I have come to take you home
where I will sing for you
for you have brought me peace.”
My first reaction was "just because chocolate candy breasts are chocolate doesn't mean that black women are being ojectified." It just means the chocolate candy is milk chocolate - it's a breast, nothing more nothing less. I've certainly seen my share of white chocolate breasts... let's not even go to penises, but that's when I stopped myself...chocolate penises tend to be larger, because black men have bigger penises, right? So, I stopped my train of thought and went back and re-read the article. I got the point...and dropped my defensiveness.
I am still disgusted and at times, speechless at how slaves were treated here in America. How de-humanized, degraded and abused they were. It never occurred to me that the slave women were as objectified as they were. My thought process only took me as far as to think that the white slave master used slave women for sex because their white wives were on pedestals...they were southern belles. My thoughts never took me to the ugly truth: black women were used as displays - exotic, forbidden, erotic and grotesque...all at the same time. The article references a Sarah Bartmann. I never heard of her so I did some research and again, was overwhelmed at how horrible human beings can be.
Sara Bartman was a slave who was exhibited at freak shows throughout Europe. Her skeleton, brains and preserved genitalia were on display until 1974!!!!! From this "hottentot venus" context, I could now understand the arguments and observations presented by Bell. To this day, the ideal beautiful black woman has straightened hair, sharper features and lighter complexion. Even today there is controversy when it is learned that a magazine lightens the tone of skin for Halle Berry, Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Imman, and so on. We have a ways to go still. I did notice a difference when doing my research on students from Africa. I spent a lot of time looking for images of "modern Africa." Some online magazines and articles from Africa, refreshingly show actual REAL women from Africa - beautiful women with darker complexions. They have not been botoxed, lipo'd, bleached, surgically altered or photo-shopped. As women, we all need to be proud of our bodies, our sexuality, and how our curves, or lack thereof, make us all beautiful, powerful and strong. No woman likes to be held in comparison to the stick thin, vapid models on the cover of fashion magazines...why then should we expect black women to relate to their bodies and appearance to the same?
Linda M. Scott's article, "Fresh Lipstick: Rethinking Images of Women in Advertising," ties into the discussion on 'ideal beauty' - black or white. Of course, as I read this article, snacking on Cheese Nips, feeling somewhat bloated, I thought, "oh, isn't this appropriate?" Then the ad with Ellen Degeneres as the Cover Girl spokeswoman popped up on the television. How funny - "The Cover Girl" campaign continue(s) to evolve toward a blonde, blue-eyed ideal of beauty, an athletic, ostensibly "natural" perfection that was airbrushed and retouched into unattainability." (p. 237). I changed the channel.
A poem for Sarah Baartman - By Diana Ferrus, retrieved from
http://www.southafrica.info/about/history/saartjie.htm
“I’ve come to take you home – home, remember the veld?
the lush green grass beneath the big oak trees
the air is cool there and the sun does not burn.
I have made your bed at the foot of the hill,
your blankets are covered in buchu and mint,
the proteas stand in yellow and white
and the water in the stream chuckle sing-songs
as it hobbles along over little stones.
I have come to wretch you away –
away from the poking eyes
of the man-made monster
who lives in the dark
with his clutches of imperialism
who dissects your body bit by bit
who likens your soul to that of Satan
and declares himself the ultimate god!
I have come to soothe your heavy heart
I offer my bosom to your weary soul
I will cover your face with the palms of my hands
I will run my lips over lines in your neck
I will feast my eyes on the beauty of you
and I will sing for you
for I have come to bring you peace.
I have come to take you home
where the ancient mountains shout your name.
I have made your bed at the foot of the hill,
your blankets are covered in buchu and mint,
the proteas stand in yellow and white –
I have come to take you home
where I will sing for you
for you have brought me peace.”
Monday, February 21, 2011
Understanding and Meeting the Needs of Students from Africa
A Mini-Brief for University Administrators and Faculty
February 2011
Why Africa?
Africa is a continent with 53 countries and over 1,000 languages. African nations have diverse and rich histories, which have had major influences in world history. Unfortunately, colonization, exploitation and the ugly legacy of slavery has muted the world’s understanding and appreciation for Africa’s influence in world culture, religion, art, philosophy, and history. Most Americans’ knowledge of Africa pertains to ancient Egypt, the slave trade, Nelson Mandela, the Rwandan genocide of 1994, AIDS, Somalia (Black Hawk Down), and recent civil unrest in Darfur, Tunisia and Egypt.
Pre- 1800 B.C.E., Northern Africa was involved with international trade with Greece, Rome and Phoenicia. Africa was also at the center of commerce and trade with Asia and Europe, being greatly influenced by Christianity and Islam. During the early 15th century, the colonization of Africa began by many European countries such as. Through the following centuries, there was active exploration and exploitation of the African continent. Many of the countries’ borders were re-aligned, re-assigned, and settled by the colonizing powers. Africa remained colonized (except for Ethiopia or Abyssinia) until after World War II. The legacy of colonization has been political instability, border disputes, and economic debt. African countries have borrowed huge sums of money to stabilize their countries, unfortunately, leading to sometimes greater instability.
According to a 2003 the Chronicle of Higher Education article, Foreign-student enrollment stagnates by Jennifer Jacobson, The United States remains one of the top education destinations for international students (p. 3). With increased competition and a slumped global economy, higher education institutions in the U.S. are faced with global competition from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Asia for students.
The educational infrastructure in some African countries is not as strong as in other nations; therefore, scholarships and government sponsored programs encourage students to attend international schools and to return to their home country with their newly acquired skills. A strong push for students in the sciences is especially pertinent today. With support for international education, there is a strong opportunity to diversify the student body, and to provide a culturally enriched learning community, with the recruitment and retention of students from Africa. However, special attention and support mechanisms are necessary and worth implementing by university administrators and faculty for the African student population.
Who are we serving?
African students potentially come from 53 unique countries with their own cultural identity, history, languages or dialect, religion (indigenous such as Coptic, Christianity, Muslim), and social values. English is typically a second or third language as many students speak the language of their country, as well as French, Dutch, Arabic, and Portuguese.
According to UNESCO, only half of the children from 1 out of 4 African countries are enrolled in primary school and do not continue to secondary level. Literacy rates range from 65% to 87% throughout Africa. An education attained overseas, especially in the United States, is highly regarded and valued. However, “Negative stereotypes about Africa abound in America…” (Traore, 2006, p. 29). International students face many challenges just to attend a U.S. based university including meeting TOEFL requirements, student visa(s) application process, navigating admissions, financial aid and registration. Additional challenges are faced upon arrival and include making friends, adjusting to dormitory life with a roommate, the cost of living, studying and writing papers, working on group projects, and social interaction with teachers and university administrators.
The top three challenges international students face is English language skills, the creation of new social networks and the adjustment to the different societal values and expectations. (Terkla and Roscoe, 2007, p. 1). However, one of the biggest challenges African students face is overcoming negative stereotypes. “Familiar images such as Tarzan, savages swinging by vines in the jungle, wild animals, diseases, wars, and starving people were all that the American students…could talk about when asked about Africa and Africans.” (Traore, 2006, p. 30)
How Do We Help?
Administrators must remember that some students will try to adjust to university life by using strategies that may be effective in their countries (Terkla, 2007, p. 1) but not necessarily the U.S.; or, students turn to negative forms of coping such as alcohol and drug abuse. Some students will cope by ignoring the situation around them leading to isolation and loneliness. A more constructive and interactive means to help students cope is highly recommended. Activities and groups should be formed to provide social networks and support groups. Many students form African Student Associations or alliances, hosting dinners, dances, speakers and so forth, providing support amongst their fellow African students as well as a means to reach out to other groups for the sake of education, friendship, and cultural understanding.
Building cultural competence within the university community is especially important and productive for all within a university, but especially within any student group. Effort should be made to facilitate language and cultural barriers. Student ambassadors or mentors from the same country or with the same language skills can be assigned to tour new students around campus and to explain some of the cultural and educational challenges that they may face throughout the year. The creation of brochure and/or pamphlets may also be helpful as reference materials: everything from important phone numbers, cultural intermediaries (embassy or cultural centers), local restaurants serving home-cooked meals, and so forth. Especially important is that all university faculty, staff and administrators embrace diversity in all forms and to accept the challenges that come with such a student population (www.healthinschools.org, 2011, p. 5)
Sources
Education USA. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2011, from A U.S. Department of State Web site: www.educationusa.state.gov
Jacobson, J. (2003, November 7). Foreign-student enrollment stagnates. The Chronicle of Higher Education , 50 (11), pp. 1-10.
Miller, P. C. (2004). Understanding and Meeting the Needs of ESL Students. Early Childhood Online , 85 (10), 786-791.
Terkla, D. G. (2007). Voices from around the world: International Undergraduate Student Experiences. Multicultural Perspectives (104), 1-15.
The Center for Health and Human Health Care in Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2011, from www.healthinschools.org: www.healthinschools.org
The World Factbook. (2011). Retrieved February 14, 2011, from www.cia.gov:
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html
Traore, R. (2006). Voices of African Students in America: "We're Not from the Jungle". Multicultural Perspectives , 8 (2), 29-34.
UNESCO. (2006). How many children in Africa reach secondary education? Global Education Digest, 2005 (1).
February 2011
Why Africa?
Africa is a continent with 53 countries and over 1,000 languages. African nations have diverse and rich histories, which have had major influences in world history. Unfortunately, colonization, exploitation and the ugly legacy of slavery has muted the world’s understanding and appreciation for Africa’s influence in world culture, religion, art, philosophy, and history. Most Americans’ knowledge of Africa pertains to ancient Egypt, the slave trade, Nelson Mandela, the Rwandan genocide of 1994, AIDS, Somalia (Black Hawk Down), and recent civil unrest in Darfur, Tunisia and Egypt.
Pre- 1800 B.C.E., Northern Africa was involved with international trade with Greece, Rome and Phoenicia. Africa was also at the center of commerce and trade with Asia and Europe, being greatly influenced by Christianity and Islam. During the early 15th century, the colonization of Africa began by many European countries such as. Through the following centuries, there was active exploration and exploitation of the African continent. Many of the countries’ borders were re-aligned, re-assigned, and settled by the colonizing powers. Africa remained colonized (except for Ethiopia or Abyssinia) until after World War II. The legacy of colonization has been political instability, border disputes, and economic debt. African countries have borrowed huge sums of money to stabilize their countries, unfortunately, leading to sometimes greater instability.
According to a 2003 the Chronicle of Higher Education article, Foreign-student enrollment stagnates by Jennifer Jacobson, The United States remains one of the top education destinations for international students (p. 3). With increased competition and a slumped global economy, higher education institutions in the U.S. are faced with global competition from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Asia for students.
The educational infrastructure in some African countries is not as strong as in other nations; therefore, scholarships and government sponsored programs encourage students to attend international schools and to return to their home country with their newly acquired skills. A strong push for students in the sciences is especially pertinent today. With support for international education, there is a strong opportunity to diversify the student body, and to provide a culturally enriched learning community, with the recruitment and retention of students from Africa. However, special attention and support mechanisms are necessary and worth implementing by university administrators and faculty for the African student population.
Who are we serving?
African students potentially come from 53 unique countries with their own cultural identity, history, languages or dialect, religion (indigenous such as Coptic, Christianity, Muslim), and social values. English is typically a second or third language as many students speak the language of their country, as well as French, Dutch, Arabic, and Portuguese.
According to UNESCO, only half of the children from 1 out of 4 African countries are enrolled in primary school and do not continue to secondary level. Literacy rates range from 65% to 87% throughout Africa. An education attained overseas, especially in the United States, is highly regarded and valued. However, “Negative stereotypes about Africa abound in America…” (Traore, 2006, p. 29). International students face many challenges just to attend a U.S. based university including meeting TOEFL requirements, student visa(s) application process, navigating admissions, financial aid and registration. Additional challenges are faced upon arrival and include making friends, adjusting to dormitory life with a roommate, the cost of living, studying and writing papers, working on group projects, and social interaction with teachers and university administrators.
The top three challenges international students face is English language skills, the creation of new social networks and the adjustment to the different societal values and expectations. (Terkla and Roscoe, 2007, p. 1). However, one of the biggest challenges African students face is overcoming negative stereotypes. “Familiar images such as Tarzan, savages swinging by vines in the jungle, wild animals, diseases, wars, and starving people were all that the American students…could talk about when asked about Africa and Africans.” (Traore, 2006, p. 30)
How Do We Help?
Administrators must remember that some students will try to adjust to university life by using strategies that may be effective in their countries (Terkla, 2007, p. 1) but not necessarily the U.S.; or, students turn to negative forms of coping such as alcohol and drug abuse. Some students will cope by ignoring the situation around them leading to isolation and loneliness. A more constructive and interactive means to help students cope is highly recommended. Activities and groups should be formed to provide social networks and support groups. Many students form African Student Associations or alliances, hosting dinners, dances, speakers and so forth, providing support amongst their fellow African students as well as a means to reach out to other groups for the sake of education, friendship, and cultural understanding.
Building cultural competence within the university community is especially important and productive for all within a university, but especially within any student group. Effort should be made to facilitate language and cultural barriers. Student ambassadors or mentors from the same country or with the same language skills can be assigned to tour new students around campus and to explain some of the cultural and educational challenges that they may face throughout the year. The creation of brochure and/or pamphlets may also be helpful as reference materials: everything from important phone numbers, cultural intermediaries (embassy or cultural centers), local restaurants serving home-cooked meals, and so forth. Especially important is that all university faculty, staff and administrators embrace diversity in all forms and to accept the challenges that come with such a student population (www.healthinschools.org, 2011, p. 5)
Sources
Education USA. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2011, from A U.S. Department of State Web site: www.educationusa.state.gov
Jacobson, J. (2003, November 7). Foreign-student enrollment stagnates. The Chronicle of Higher Education , 50 (11), pp. 1-10.
Miller, P. C. (2004). Understanding and Meeting the Needs of ESL Students. Early Childhood Online , 85 (10), 786-791.
Terkla, D. G. (2007). Voices from around the world: International Undergraduate Student Experiences. Multicultural Perspectives (104), 1-15.
The Center for Health and Human Health Care in Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2011, from www.healthinschools.org: www.healthinschools.org
The World Factbook. (2011). Retrieved February 14, 2011, from www.cia.gov:
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html
Traore, R. (2006). Voices of African Students in America: "We're Not from the Jungle". Multicultural Perspectives , 8 (2), 29-34.
UNESCO. (2006). How many children in Africa reach secondary education? Global Education Digest, 2005 (1).
Friday, February 18, 2011
My Cajita - Part II
So, my cajita has the following items - important items that are reminders of my cultural identity...if you read my first blog, this will make more sense at it may help put somethings into context:
Childhood
A very small porcelain doll in traditional Spanish attire (a purple gown with veil). The doll is from the early 1900's. This was a gift from my Grandmother upon my birth. My grandfather wanted her to give it to me because he wanted me to know that even though I was "colored" (mixed) - I had some Spanish in me.
This was the only doll I had until I went into the 2nd grade.
The 2nd doll I have is a home-made Holly Hobby doll that my mother made for me in the 2nd grade. Growing up, I was not allowed to have "baby dolls." I used wonder why when, in high school, my mother finally explained to me that she did not like for me to have dolls because they reminded her of some of the dead bodies see saw during the Korean War. She was a young child and living through the war was a horrifying and life altering experience for her. Hearing the stories of the war, and the fact that my mom overcame her fear of dolls to make a doll for me - has stayed with me.
I also have two of my schoolbooks from Korean kindergarten (I went to Kindergarten in Korea). I was bi-lingual in Korean and English until we returned to the U.S. Because of my age(I had to repeat Kindergarten in the U.S. - there was also an assumption made that I would struggle with English and socializing). How crazy is that?! Also, interesting to note is that in Korea - the 9 months spent in your mother's womb counts as a year - so when I went to Kindergarten in Korea, I was only 4, but in Korean age - I was 5.
Anyway, when I was in Kindergarten in the U.S., I was fortunate to have a wonderful teacher named Ms. Lovejoy. She asked me to "write a book" with her to recount my experience in Korea, and then I got to read it to my classmates. It was a wonderfully positive experience that has stayed with me.
Personal BeliefsMy father was raised as a Catholic and my mother was raised as a Buddhist with Confucian principals. I was raised in a very non-religious family; however, there was a great deal of emphasis on Buddhism and Confucianism. I therefore have a copy of The Teachings of Buddha in my cajita. I also have a rose bead prayer bracelet, as well as a home-made crown of thorns that I made in Catholic school (I went to a private Catholic school from grades 6-8).
I think the most interesting part of this exercise was the fact that we had to put together a cajita, but when I sat down to think about what to put into it, I realized, I had already made one and have carried it with me since young adulthood.
When I graduated from college, my mother and father gave me a beautiful antique persimmon wood box. The interior of the box is lined with rice paper that has the family history (my mother's) lining the interior. This box traveled with my mother and her family through the Korean war. This is one of the few things from her family that survived the war - there are no family pictures, passed-down jewelry, dishes, clothing, etc., that one would expect to have.
I also have some black horse hair in a braid. My Korean grandfather used to have a topknot (he had long hair that he put into a bun on top of his head). This hairstyle was a symbol of "yangban" or educated class - he was educated and a government worker - held in high regard in the late 1800's. Over his head, he wore a black hat that covered the bun - the hat was made of horse hair. When the Japanese took over and colonized Korea, they made Korean men cut off their hair. My grandfather refused to do that so the Japanese military arrested him, took his horse hair hat and destroyed it, as well as cut ALL of his hair off in front of all of the villagers in the town where my mother was born - Yongdong Po. The story always fascinated me. I knew my grandfather as a child and have a pair of his chopsticks also in my persimmon cajita. Back in the day, heads of households took their dinner privately - their wife or oldest daughter served dinner, and then retreated so they could eat alone. I was allowed to eat with him however... Back then I took that for granted - after all, was only 4 years old - I did not appreciate the honor of that until recently.
I definitely relate more to my "Korean side" because this side of the family welcomed me (and my father) and wanted me to feel a part of the family. Because of my father's father's racism, disapproval of my father's marriage, and so forth, I did not get to know my father's side of the family until I finally met my grandmother 12 years ago (after my grandfather passed). Unfortunately, she is dying now but I was able to become friends and visit her from time to time. I saw her one last time last week, and got to enjoy more stories of her family and upbringing during the Great Depression, get her family recipes, see mementos and so on. I hope to learn more and embrace more - my Spanish, German and Irish heritage - in the years to come.
Childhood
A very small porcelain doll in traditional Spanish attire (a purple gown with veil). The doll is from the early 1900's. This was a gift from my Grandmother upon my birth. My grandfather wanted her to give it to me because he wanted me to know that even though I was "colored" (mixed) - I had some Spanish in me.
This was the only doll I had until I went into the 2nd grade.
The 2nd doll I have is a home-made Holly Hobby doll that my mother made for me in the 2nd grade. Growing up, I was not allowed to have "baby dolls." I used wonder why when, in high school, my mother finally explained to me that she did not like for me to have dolls because they reminded her of some of the dead bodies see saw during the Korean War. She was a young child and living through the war was a horrifying and life altering experience for her. Hearing the stories of the war, and the fact that my mom overcame her fear of dolls to make a doll for me - has stayed with me.
I also have two of my schoolbooks from Korean kindergarten (I went to Kindergarten in Korea). I was bi-lingual in Korean and English until we returned to the U.S. Because of my age(I had to repeat Kindergarten in the U.S. - there was also an assumption made that I would struggle with English and socializing). How crazy is that?! Also, interesting to note is that in Korea - the 9 months spent in your mother's womb counts as a year - so when I went to Kindergarten in Korea, I was only 4, but in Korean age - I was 5.
Anyway, when I was in Kindergarten in the U.S., I was fortunate to have a wonderful teacher named Ms. Lovejoy. She asked me to "write a book" with her to recount my experience in Korea, and then I got to read it to my classmates. It was a wonderfully positive experience that has stayed with me.
Personal BeliefsMy father was raised as a Catholic and my mother was raised as a Buddhist with Confucian principals. I was raised in a very non-religious family; however, there was a great deal of emphasis on Buddhism and Confucianism. I therefore have a copy of The Teachings of Buddha in my cajita. I also have a rose bead prayer bracelet, as well as a home-made crown of thorns that I made in Catholic school (I went to a private Catholic school from grades 6-8).
I think the most interesting part of this exercise was the fact that we had to put together a cajita, but when I sat down to think about what to put into it, I realized, I had already made one and have carried it with me since young adulthood.
When I graduated from college, my mother and father gave me a beautiful antique persimmon wood box. The interior of the box is lined with rice paper that has the family history (my mother's) lining the interior. This box traveled with my mother and her family through the Korean war. This is one of the few things from her family that survived the war - there are no family pictures, passed-down jewelry, dishes, clothing, etc., that one would expect to have.
I also have some black horse hair in a braid. My Korean grandfather used to have a topknot (he had long hair that he put into a bun on top of his head). This hairstyle was a symbol of "yangban" or educated class - he was educated and a government worker - held in high regard in the late 1800's. Over his head, he wore a black hat that covered the bun - the hat was made of horse hair. When the Japanese took over and colonized Korea, they made Korean men cut off their hair. My grandfather refused to do that so the Japanese military arrested him, took his horse hair hat and destroyed it, as well as cut ALL of his hair off in front of all of the villagers in the town where my mother was born - Yongdong Po. The story always fascinated me. I knew my grandfather as a child and have a pair of his chopsticks also in my persimmon cajita. Back in the day, heads of households took their dinner privately - their wife or oldest daughter served dinner, and then retreated so they could eat alone. I was allowed to eat with him however... Back then I took that for granted - after all, was only 4 years old - I did not appreciate the honor of that until recently.
I definitely relate more to my "Korean side" because this side of the family welcomed me (and my father) and wanted me to feel a part of the family. Because of my father's father's racism, disapproval of my father's marriage, and so forth, I did not get to know my father's side of the family until I finally met my grandmother 12 years ago (after my grandfather passed). Unfortunately, she is dying now but I was able to become friends and visit her from time to time. I saw her one last time last week, and got to enjoy more stories of her family and upbringing during the Great Depression, get her family recipes, see mementos and so on. I hope to learn more and embrace more - my Spanish, German and Irish heritage - in the years to come.
My Family Background - Cajita Search Part I
Since I was not able to present my cajita due to a trip out of town, thought I'd bring you my "virtual" cajita, but first some background...
I was born in Tucson, AZ in 1967. My father was an English teacher in Korea...teaching English at the Korean Bank, where my mother worked. They met and secretly dated for several months before my father had to go back to the U.S. to finish college. Much to both families' dismay, they were married in Seoul, Korea in June 1965.
My father is of German-Irish and Puerto Rican descent, born in Mesa, AZ. His father is Puerto Rican, but was born in New York in 1918. My father's mother, Grace, was a nurse, who was born in Little Rock Arkansas in 1917.
My father's parents (especially his father) did not approve of my father marrying an Asian woman. He felt that she was "colored" and did not think races should mix. My father's relationship with his father (which was already bad) only got worse. His mother could only follow her husband's lead. My father's siblings, however, accepted my mother and did what they could to make her feel welcome.
My mother was born in Seoul, Korea and was the youngest of 9 children. She and her siblings and parents survived the Korean War which was from 1951-1953. Little did I know that my mother's experience during the war would have a huge impact on my childhood. My mother's family did not accept my father as they also did not believe in mixing the races...especially whites. The marriage was looked upon with great shame and embarrassment; therefore, it was a relief that my mother moved to the U.S.- away from the family so they would not have to live with the shame.
After I was born, my mother's family embraced all of us and we had a wonderful homecoming to Korea when I was three years old, and again when I was four. My father was getting his PhD in East Asian History and was doing research in Seoul, Korea. It was during this time that my cultural identity took strong hold.
My father's parents never accepted us, except for my grandmother, who 12 years ago (at the age of 82) left my grandfather. We became acquainted and our relationship grew into a very strong friendship. She remains in AZ - and is dying. I said goodbye to her last week (at her request). She wanted to see me before she could no longer function as she recognizes that she is losing her strength.
This background is the context for the items that are in my cajita.
I was born in Tucson, AZ in 1967. My father was an English teacher in Korea...teaching English at the Korean Bank, where my mother worked. They met and secretly dated for several months before my father had to go back to the U.S. to finish college. Much to both families' dismay, they were married in Seoul, Korea in June 1965.
My father is of German-Irish and Puerto Rican descent, born in Mesa, AZ. His father is Puerto Rican, but was born in New York in 1918. My father's mother, Grace, was a nurse, who was born in Little Rock Arkansas in 1917.
My father's parents (especially his father) did not approve of my father marrying an Asian woman. He felt that she was "colored" and did not think races should mix. My father's relationship with his father (which was already bad) only got worse. His mother could only follow her husband's lead. My father's siblings, however, accepted my mother and did what they could to make her feel welcome.
My mother was born in Seoul, Korea and was the youngest of 9 children. She and her siblings and parents survived the Korean War which was from 1951-1953. Little did I know that my mother's experience during the war would have a huge impact on my childhood. My mother's family did not accept my father as they also did not believe in mixing the races...especially whites. The marriage was looked upon with great shame and embarrassment; therefore, it was a relief that my mother moved to the U.S.- away from the family so they would not have to live with the shame.
After I was born, my mother's family embraced all of us and we had a wonderful homecoming to Korea when I was three years old, and again when I was four. My father was getting his PhD in East Asian History and was doing research in Seoul, Korea. It was during this time that my cultural identity took strong hold.
My father's parents never accepted us, except for my grandmother, who 12 years ago (at the age of 82) left my grandfather. We became acquainted and our relationship grew into a very strong friendship. She remains in AZ - and is dying. I said goodbye to her last week (at her request). She wanted to see me before she could no longer function as she recognizes that she is losing her strength.
This background is the context for the items that are in my cajita.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)