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  • Conversations Can Ignite Change

    Conversations are always difficult to have, especially when they are about racial implicit bias and racial microaggressions. In So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo, she helps navigate readers through those tough conversations. Her book ultimately opens the door for everyone to be able to have dialogue about race. 

    Throughout the book, Oluo mentions invisible beliefs and how they affect our behavior in society which is known as implicit bias. She references several experiences of where others don’t recognize that their judgements are doing harm to others. In the book, Oluo reflects back on a time when she was pulled over by the police. She states, “The first time I was pulled over was at age sixteen, for going five miles over the speed limit in a wealthy white neighborhood. I explained that I hadn’t realized the speed limit was recently lowered. But the cop wanted to know if I was drunk. If I was on drugs. What he would find if he looked in my trunk” (87). Police are supposed to protect us but when judgment comes hand in hand from people an individual is to trust it can create an unsafe environment. Her experience reminds me of when Claudia Rankine in “The Condition of Black Life Is One of Mourning”, states, “Though the white liberal imagination likes to feel temporarily bad about black suffering, there really is no mode of empathy that can replicate the daily strain of knowing that as a black person you can be killed for simply being black: no hands in your pockets, no playing music, no sudden movements, no driving your car, no walking at night, no walking in the day, no turning onto the street, no entering this building, no standing your ground, no standing here, no standing there, no talking back, no playing with toy guns, no living while black” (146). Rankine ultimately illustrates life for black Americans and how every second black people are viewed as criminals. When black people are constantly being viewed as criminals, it creates a stereotype which leads to invisible beliefs that black people are always dangerous. So when Oluo was asked several questions regarding her state of being, they all had to do with if she was breaking the law. She was viewed instantly as a criminal, not a normal human being. By reflecting on her experience and the connection with Rankine I dived into finding out if implicit bias training is effective for police officers. According to a study done on New York Police Officers by The John F. Finn Institute For Public Safety, Inc. and Center For Police Research and Policy, “Officers emerged from the training with greater knowledge about implicit bias than they had at the start of the training, but on average, their comprehension of the training content was incomplete. Furthermore, and as we would intuitively expect, some of the gains on the day of training decayed over time, and appear to have decayed fairly quickly” (“The Impacts of Implicit Bias Awareness Training in the NYPD” 118). No matter who an individual is and their profession every human being will alway have implicit bias including police officers. Even though police officers have gone through implicit bias training their behavior didn’t change and stay consistent. This connects to So you want to talk about race because it illustrates that no matter who you are, republican or democrat an individual will always have implicit bias. 

    After researching how implicit bias training for police officers doesn’t change their behavior but only makes them more knowledgeable it led me thinking about stereotypes and microaggressions in a working environment. A microaggression Oluo has a deep connection with that is mentioned in her book is her hair. In her book, she states, “Here was my director singling me out, in front of my coworkers, not to shame me, but to shame other Black women for making different choices than I was now making. To shame other Black women for spending a lot of money to not have to have the embarrassing and demeaning conversation I was now being forced to have. He wanted me to know that he approves of my hair, hair that, finally, was existing outside of his beauty norms. But still, he thought that my hair, growing on my head, from my body, was within his jurisdiction. Still, my hair would be a tool of oppression, even if it was to belittle other black women. My hair still existed for his use. Even then, even in a state as removed from whiteness as it could be, my hair was not my own” (Oluo 157).

    A cartoon image demonstrating a microaggression

     No matter where Oluo was, she was never safe from oppression. The fact that her hair was becoming a form of oppression is baffling. How far are we willing to go to continue to oppress others? These ongoing microaggressions continue to dehumanize people of color and make them feel like outsiders. Our working environments shouldn’t make people of color feel unsafe instead it should be a place of unity. But that isn’t always how it is. In Citizen by Claudia Rankine, she writes, “When a woman you work with calls you by the name of another woman you work with, it is too much of a cliche not to laugh out loud with the friend beside you who says, oh no she didn’t. Still, in the end, so what, who cares? She had a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right” (43). In this situation the “woman” is white and the “friend” and “you” are black. By calling “you” the wrong name instead of your own it’s creating this microaggression that all black women are the same. Not only that, Rankine shows how being called the wrong name shows invisibility because the “woman” wasn’t able to get “you’s” name right. The lack of visibility  people of color face in a working environment shows how underrepresented they are. In a study by Pew Research, it states, “Among those in STEM, 72% of blacks say a major reason why blacks and Hispanics are underrepresented in these jobs is because they face discrimination in recruiting, hiring and promotions; by contrast only around a quarter of whites (27%) and Asians (28%) say this. Hispanic STEM employees fall in between these groups, with 43% citing this as a major reason for these disparities” (“Women and Men in STEM Often at Odds Over Workplace Equity” 7). These statistics illustrate that blacks are being more underrepresented than whites making it harder to succeed in the career they desire. Oppression can come in several ways including the working environment an individual is in because they are set back to allow others to succeed. This relates to Oluo’s book because it demonstrates how people of color face discrimination and microaggressions in everyday life including a working environment that is supposed to be safe and equal for all. 

    Statistics from Pew Research that are mentioned in the above paragraph

    When hearing Oluo’s experience about being discriminated against it reminded me that words have so much power and that words speak louder than actions. The words us individuals choose to use and how we use them can have so much of an effect on an individual. In the Introduction to The Fire This Time, it states, “I believe there is power in words, power in asserting our existence, our experience, our lives, through words” (Ward 10). When Jesmyn Ward talks about the power of words it connects to implicit bias. The things individuals think and how they describe others can harm others’ existence. For my Gallery of Conscience Installation I decided to use two Barbie dolls and 12 words for individuals to decide how they describe each doll. The words I chose are pleasant and unpleasant, with six of each. The words I chose have powerful meanings in how individuals choose to associate an individual with or, in this instance, a Barbie doll. By individuals doing this test, they will be able to reflect on their own implicit bias in a meaningful way that educates them instead of offending them. When reading Oluo’s book she always talks about her experiences but in a meaningful way that can create safe and respectful conversations. With my installation, I bring to light on how individuals can create meaningful dialogue to their own implicit bias and how in the future they can talk about race.  

  • It’s Not Just Black And White

    Over the past two months I’ve had the privilege of reading one of The New York Times bestselling non-fiction books, “So you want to talk about race”, by Ijeoma Oluo. Ijeoma Oluo is a speaker, writer, and internet sensation. Her work on race has received many publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post (Ijeoma Oluo 1). Her book, “So you want to talk about race” was published on January 16, 2018. Oluo decided to publish her book because she wanted to create something useful that anyone could use no matter their race. She wanted people to be able to understand race better and learn how to talk about race in a more kind and effective manner. Her book is used as a tool to help have conversations about different issues that come with race as we move through life.

    Upon reading “So you want to talk about race”, Oluo creates a safe space on how to have conversations about race, implicit bias, microaggressions, and other topics that affect people of color. Not only does she use these topics to help create meaningful conversations, she also adds her personal experiences of what it’s like to be a black woman in a white society. She creates different perspectives for every reader by connecting her experiences with meaningful dialogue. People of different races will have different perspectives on the book based on their prior experiences. Those who haven’t faced similar experiences, will get uncomfortable, but being uncomfortable allows readers to grow and understand how others face the world. Readers can learn to create safer spaces for people of color and recognize how talking about race doesn’t create a divide. Talking about race allows us to work together to create a space that is equal in liberty and justice for all. Overall, her book allows a larger conversation on the topics about how not talking about race is killing us and creating more divide in our country. Ultimately, Oluo emphasizes that we shouldn’t shy away from having uncomfortable conversations. 

    A cartoon published on Michigan Radio

    Furthermore, those who have read and written reviews about her book have emphasized her ability to provoke meaningful thoughts. Reviewers claim after reading the book they see things through a new lens. Though there have been many positive ratings on her book, many don’t find her work worthwhile. Critics call out her book for being insensitive towards white people because the book is centered around a person of color. When a person of color believes something is racist they will always be right according to one reviewer. They also argue that she fails to provide hard evidence on claims of racial issues in the United States. 

    Why This Book?

    When choosing to pick a book for my gallery of conscience I knew I wanted to read about race because of the prior book I had read called “Just Mercy”. I could have chosen another book that was about race but I decided to choose “So you want to talk about race” because it was a book I had never envisioned before, a book that talks about how to have discussions with peers about race. As a young person of color I have my own background knowledge of what it’s like living in a white society but I have never understood what it’s like to have a conversation about it. When I decided to read Oluo’s book I had so many questions. Would I feel different? Will I learn anything new? How will this make me feel about myself? Will I finally feel visible? My life experiences with racism have been crazy with my uncle getting beat up by a white teenager, one of my classmates telling me “brown people are bad”, my father being denied a job because he wears a turban, and threats of other kids cutting my hair. Taking a step back after reading the book I have come to realize that some of my experiences were small racial remarks that I had never thought twice about until now. 

    My Final Thoughts

    In my opinion, I find “So you want to talk about race” a worthwhile read for everyone regardless of their race. As I have finished reading the book from cover to cover I find myself wanting to read it all over again. Every page I read in her book made me feel a sense of belonging but also made me rethink what I believed racism was and the forms it comes in. My overall impressions of her book are only positive because I feel she gets her point across so effectively. Not only that but I like how even though she is talking about race and white supremacy she doesn’t criticize a whole race solely based on one person. I find that her book is inclusive because she allows people of different races to be able to see how others live and why some might be blindsided. Now, I recommend this book for every adult, teenager, and student who wants to be able to have uncomfortable conversations. But before I go there are two passages in her book that stuck out to me the most.

    “Often, being a person of color in white-dominated society is like being in an abusive relationship with the world. Every day is a new little hurt, a new little dehumanization”(19).

    “So you want to talk about race”, Ijeoma Oluo

    When Oluo mentions how living in a white dominated society and references it to an abusive relationship it brings me back to Serena Wiliams and all the racism she has and continues to go through in playing tennis. In “Citizen”, by Claudia Rankine, it states, “Perhaps this is how racism feels no matter the context-randomly the rules everyone else gets to play by no longer apply to you, and to call this out by calling out “I swear to God!” is to be called insane, crass, crazy. Bad sportsmanship”(30). When Serena is playing tennis and the rules change just for her but for the worse it illustrates the new little dehumanization that goes on in everyday life for people of color. The day that everyone else was able to play by the rules but Serena shows how racism comes in all forms. Not only that but also the ongoing challenges people of color have to face in a society that doesn’t treat them equally. 

    A cartoon of Serena Williams referencing her experience at the U.S. Open

    “WORDS HAVE POWER. WORDS ARE MORE THAN THEIR dictionary definition. The history of a word matters as long as the effects of that history are still felt”(137).  

    “So you want to talk about race”, Ijeoma Oluo

    In this quote Oluo expresses the powers of words but also how the word itself means alot because of the definition and the past history behind it, it reminded me of Jesmyn Ward. Jesmyn Ward writes in the Introduction to The Fire This Time, “I believe there is power in words, power in asserting our existence, our experience, our lives, through words”(10). During this time Oluo is reflecting on the “N” word and the meaning it has to her and her existence. The fact that white individuals aren’t allowed to say it speaks to her experience and her ancestral history of racism and slavery. The words we use, that have meaning to others, that inflict emotions on us have power in our lives and show our experience of life and what others haven’t been through. 

    In the end, “So you want to talk about race” is a worthwhile read because it allows individuals to get uncomfortable and be able to learn how to create effective and kind dialogue about race with others. 

  • SAMO 3: What Do You Call Home?

    Home. The place I call home is something I never want to have to give up or be driven away from. My home is where my memories are created and a place where I continue to grow as a person. Unfortunately, many didn’t have the opportunity to be able to bloom in their own home. America’s history is formed on the basis that Christopher Columbus came and conquered land that no one was on. But that’s false; Native Americans were settling in America. Native tribes and families were forcibly removed from their homes and land at the cost of letting others create their own new home. 

    So, for my third SAMO, I decided to go see the creative narrative film “EAMI” in Evanston on February 3rd with one of my CST classmates, Abby Nagel. To start off this adventure I drove to Abby’s house because she kindly offered to drive the both of us down to Evanston. At approximately 6:50pm we arrived at our destination, the parking lot. The show was on time to start at 7pm so we had to literally run to the Block Museum of Art to make sure we didn’t miss anything. After we got a quick cardio session in, we made our way to our seats where we were able to hear an art installation. The art installation had a variety of noises, the noises were of animals in like a forest preserve or off an island. Since the art installation was before the show started, that meant that Abby and I were able to make it on time which gave us 5 minutes to listen to the art installation. We ran pretty fast I would say. 

    Picture taken by Sahib of Abby and Sahib at the Block Museum of Art

    As soon as the art installation was done, introductions were made and the director of “EAMI”, Paz Encina, thanked everyone for coming to watch her film but as they were doing introductions they also recognized the land they were settling on and the Native tribes who were here before we ever were. Once the film started I was in shock. I can’t even describe it. The film took place in the Paraguayan Chaco and was about Eami who is part of the Ayoreo tribe and is preparing to leave her homeland forever while also reflecting on her homeland. But the film also depicted colonization by having a white woman and two white men capture a few people of the Ayoreo tribe and keep them like slaves. When the tribe members were captured they were forced to assimilate to society. The tribe’s way of living was different because they lived life naturally. They didn’t wear clothes, they drank from the river, and used rituals for healing. The way this film portrays white people is meant to be in a negative way because in order to understand society today, we must be able to recognize the past in order to work towards a better future. But the way the film portrays white people isn’t what disturbed me the most, it was when Paz decided to have the film represent environmental deforestation and how she depicted that. Towards the end of the film, Paz has a scene where the screen is black and there are animal noises but as the sun rises the noise isn’t of animals anymore it’s of machines and once the machines are able to be heard then the screen turned on with the forest in flames. The film taught me that not only a certain group of people are to blame for the colonization of America but that every human being on earth is to blame for not speaking up even during the present day about how we are able to function as a society because of indigenous groups.  

    Moreover, as I sit here I recognize that the people who resided in Northbrook before anyone else was the Potawatomi Tribe under Chief Shabbona according to The Village of Northbrook. The film “EAMI” gave me a rude awakening but in a positive way. It reminded me of Margaret J. Wheatley “Willing To Be Disturbed”. 

    “We live in a complex world, we often don’t know what’s going on, and we won’t be able to understand its complexity unless we spend more time in not knowing”(1). 

    “Willing To Be Disturbed”, Margaret J. Wheatley

    After watching the film, I’m sitting and reflecting on how I have contributed to environmental deforestation. I remember when I was younger and how my neighbors wanted my parents to cut down a tree because it was ruining their siding. I didn’t understand at the time how big of a deal it was. I told my mom “Just cut it down” and my mom would tell me “No Sahib, we aren’t cutting down the tree, it provides oxygen and provides shelter for birds.” As I look back and reflect on that moment I realize that environmental deforestation doesn’t have to have a huge outcome, it can also come in small outcomes. 

    After reflecting on my personal experience, I decided to look into what Northbrook is doing to create a more sustainable environment. We all know the world is ending and time is running out to fix past generations’ mistakes. We may be the generation that provokes change even though some call us too sensitive. In August of 2021, Northbrook adopted the Climate Action Plan that has goals that will be achieved by 2030 to 2050 based on data from 2018. In the Climate Action Plan booklet, published by The Village of Northbrook, in Strategy WM 1: WM 1-1, it states, “Phase out single-use products by 2026 by implementing an opt-in fee for such products. This would apply to (but not limited to) bags (both paper and plastic), utensils, napkins, and take out containers. Explore the feasibility of establishing a reusable takeout container service. Applies to businesses of any size. Encourage restaurants to allow customers to bring their own take-out containers”(53). Living in Northbrook I never realized that this was a goal but now looking at it and taking it in I feel it’s possible to achieve. Even if it seems like a big change but small impact it creates a more sustainable environment and helps the planet. The policy Northbrook is implementing reminded me of the “Cycle of Socialization” because Northbrook is in this ongoing cycle of using plastic continually without realizing its detrimental impact on the environment. But once Northbrook took on the Climate Action Plan it broke the cycle and found a realistic solution even though it will take time to carry out. 

    Now as I take a step back from Northbrook and look at a bigger picture, the United States of America, I see that deforestation and environmental stability is going to take time. It won’t just happen in a “snap”. But as I began researching I noticed that environmental stability and race go hand in hand. I came across the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 initiative, the initiative is set to have “40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution” (White House 1). Reading this brought me back to environmental racism because based on where you live is how healthy your environment is. 

    “Environmental racism combines with public policies and industry practices to provide benefits for whites while shifting costs to people of color”(90).

    “Confronting Environmental Racism In The Twenty-First Century”, Robert Bullard

    That made me realize that the only way Northbrook is able to implement the Climate Action Plan is because it’s an area rich in money with a majority population of white people. Environmental racism is still an ongoing issue today whether I experience it or not as a person of color but it connects back to the film “EAMI” because the Ayoreo tribe was thrown off their land to make way for others (white people). The people of Ayoreo were not given government aid or resources but instead were violated by their own government. That is still very much present in America because the majority of policies put into place only benefit a certain group of people. While others are continuing to live life healthy there are others who continue to suffer in silence with no acknowledgement. 

    After realizing this I wanted to dig deeper into finding communities affected by environmental racism and what those communities are doing about it. One community affected by environmental racism is Southwest Crossings, Houston. When looking at an article published by USA Today, it emphasized how Southwest Crossing is a primarily black and brown community which made me understand that as a person of color living in Northbrook is a privilege. It went on to describe the ongoing situation of how CenterPoint Energy is planning on installing natural gas transmission pipelines 4 feet underground. Now these pipelines are going to contain propane and natural gas which are highly flammable and can cause severe health problems. As the community reacts to the pipelines being put into their community, they protest because of the fear that they could die because of the hazardous gas. As the community continued to push back and fight for their community and safety, it wasn’t a happy ending. In September of 2022, the company began construction and the community was ignored and their voices became nonexistent. 

    Angela King posing outside her home in Southwest Crossing in Houston

    As I watch my black and brown brothers and sisters fight for their fundamental rights, I sit back and question what I can do. As a young brown girl living in Northbrook it is a privilege to be able to have access to healthy air and living conditions. So when it comes to privilege it reminds me of my gallery of conscience book, “So you want to talk about race”, by Ijeoma Oluo  Even though I am a person of color who experiences racism and doesn’t have the same kind of privilege my white peers have, I do still have the privilege of being able to live in a healthy environment. Even though it’s something I don’t think of everyday, I have to remain cognizant of the fact that others out in the world are suffering and are not being heard.

    Though black and brown communities continue to face discrimination and environmental racism they aren’t the only ones. Most recently The Willow Project has been highlighted in the news and all over social media. In an article published by CNN, it illustrates The Willow Project is a massive oil drilling project in Alaska that plans to hold up to “600 million barrels of oil” but will take a major amount of time to reach the market due to the construction. Now this project has gained opposition but also has others happy. Now this might blow your mind because it sure did for me. Those in support of this project are state lawmakers but also native Alaskan groups who live on the North Slope. The Native groups are in support of this project because it will help create revenue and fund services even though it will have environmental impacts. But those in opposition of this project are Alaskan natives including tribal members who live close to where the project is located because they fear how their health will be impacted. Once the world caught on, people started sending letters to the White House in protest and continued to sign petitions but on March 13, 2023, the Biden Administration approved The Willow Project. The approval of The Willow Project goes against Biden’s climate change campaign promises and is making citizens feel betrayed by someone they voted for. While we continue to use our freedom of speech we don’t ultimately have the last say in what gets done. So ultimately, it’s a privilege to be able to have power, not a right. We all have power within ourselves but some have more than others because of the basis of how the United States of America was set up. White Privilege.

    Picture of a map of where The Willow Project will be in Alaska

    Now I’m not saying that President Biden only has power through his white privilege, he also has power because he is president. But the only way to have had the Willow Project approved was through him. So when I talk about white privilege and Biden I am trying to illustrate how Biden doesn’t understand what it’s like to be a minority or face discrimination. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be silenced or be treated as if he was nonexistent. He has the privilege of saying and doing things that he wants to do even if it causes backlash. Would the outcome change if Biden was a person of color? I don’t know. The experiences people of color, natives, and white people face are all different because of the privilege we have. But in the end we all have some sort of privilege that others don’t have whether it’s getting a proper education, living in a four bedroom home, or being able to participate in a sport. These are all privileges but being able to live in a healthy environment isn’t a privilege it’s a fundamental right. 

    “Every day you are given opportunities to make the world better, by making yourself a little uncomfortable and asking, ‘who doesn’t have this same freedom or opportunity that I’m enjoying now?’”(69)

     “So you want to talk about race”, Ijeoma Oluo

    In the end, my SAMO experience opened my eyes and made me fall down a rabbit hole of how environmental deforestation connects to everyday life but also environmental racism and privilege. If I had never seen “EAMI”, I would never have noticed what other communities are facing and how living in Northbrook is not a right but a privilege. So as I am writing this, I look back on my personal experiences, specifically the one with telling my mom to cut down our tree in the backyard as it reminds me that I almost contributed to environmental deforestation. But in the end we have all contributed to environmental deforestation. The land our houses are on, our school, and our favorite places to eat weren’t there before, it was a forest. So by watching “EAMI” I hope to create change and educate others on how important the environment is but also what steps we can do to make the environment more stable.  

    Change comes little by little……..

    Here are some ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle brought to you by the American Museum of Natural History:  

    • Switch to a reusable water bottle
    • Carpool with others
    • Cut back on paper usage
    • Reduce unnecessary lighting at night 
    • Use cold water when washing clothes instead of hot water

  • Memoir Mash Blog: Expiration Date

    A Worthwhile Read Because….

    “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson is a must read for all adults. His memoir  makes an emphasis on the death penalty and how people are waiting for a date to die. “Just Mercy” revolves around Walter McMillion who was wrongfully convicted for murdering a white lady. Walter proves his innocence with the help of Bryan and a community that believes in him. “Just Mercy” should be read by all because it reflects on the death penalty and how corrupt the criminal justice system can be if you aren’t white. But it also emphasizes the gruesome punishments prisoners face even if they aren’t on death row. The trauma and ptsd that comes with being in a cell and having to fight for life everyday to make sure the next day is possible. This is so relevant because as prison conditions continue to get worse those who profit off of prisons continue to grow more wealth. This is only the beginning, “Just Mercy” is an important piece because not only does it discuss the death penalty it also talks about corrupt law enforcement. Not every police is corrupt but some are. The memoir explores corruption within the law enforcement and how it connects to those wrongfully convicted and charged making it a wild read of how far law enforcement will go to get a case closed so they aren’t perceived as people who don’t know how to get the job done. Bryan Stevenson’s memoir isn’t just about the past but is also about today and how the past continues to live in the present. The death penalty is still very active today and people are still being executed, regular everyday civilians are continued to be wrongfully accused, and the stereotypes of prisoners continue to grow. Action and education can start anywhere, one step in the right direction is reading “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson. 

    A picture of Bryan Stevenson

    “Whenever society begins to create policies and laws rooted in fear and anger, there will be abuse and injustice”(1).

    Bryan Stevenson in a biography with “Americans Who Tell The Truth“

    “Mulero spent 28 years in prison, five of them on death row, before being released in April 2020, when Governor J.B. Pritzker commuted her sentence. At a press conference after her charges were dismissed, Mulero said, “I had to be a strong individual because I had two toddlers when I was incarcerated. I had to fight for them. I had to be strong for them” (1).

    “Death Penalty Information Center“

    “I sat down completely stunned. Henry’s voice was filled with desire. I experienced his song as a precious gift. I had come into the prison with such anxiety and fear about his willingness to tolerate the inadequacy. I didn’t expect him to be compassionate or generous. I had no right to expect anything from a condemned man on death row. Yet he gave me an astonishing measure of his humanity. In the moment, Henry altered something in my understanding of human potential, redemption, and hopefulness” (12).

    “Just Mercy”, Bryan Stevenson

    “It’s our judgments about each other that do curiosity and good listening bring us back together”(3).

    “Willing to Be Disturbed”, Margaret J. Wheatley

    Article 5: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”(48). 

    “The Thinker’s Guide To Ethical Reasoning”,Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder

    “We were getting scores of letters from prisoners who continued to complain about horrible conditions. Prisoners reported they were still being beaten by correctional staff and subjected to humiliation in stockades and other degrading punishments. An alarming number of cases came to our office involving prisoners who had been found dead in their cells”(37).

    “Just Mercy”, Bryan Stevenson

     “When you deprive people of their right to live in dignity, to hope for a better future, to have control over their lives, when you deprive them of that choice then you expect them to fight for these rights.”

    “Harper’s Bazaar Arabia”, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan

    “In debates about the death penalty, I had started arguing that we would never think it was human to pay someone to rape people convicted of rape or assault and abuse someone guilty of assault or abuse. Yet we were comfortable killing people who kill, in part because we think we can do it in a manner that doesn’t implicate our own humanity, the way that raping or abusing someone would. I couldn’t stop thinking that we don’t spend much time contemplating the details of what killing someone actually involves”(90).

    “Just Mercy”, Bryan Stevenson

    Oh I’m not done yet!

    “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson alone isn’t the full picture, in order to fully understand Bryan’s ideas other stories come into play and connect with his memoir. Prisoners have been subjected to being “beaten by correctional staff”, no one should have to live in fear because it’s a universal right, “no one should be subjected to torture”, if torture is continuing to happen than human rights are obviously  being violated and those in charge are getting away with it. Though we are comfortable torturing others, we are also “comfortable killing people who kill” because when people “deprive people of their right to live in dignity”, they are no longer comfortable with fighting for themselves again making them not willing to help others because they haven’t helped themselves due to a system that is built against them. But when stereotypes of prisoners come into play, everyday average americans are afflicted with “anxiety and fear” but by having stereotypes it’s “our judgements about each other that do curiosity”. So when conditions for prisoners begin to worsen, as people continue to get comfortable with killing, and our minds become less open, there is “abuse and injustice” because we aren’t willing to help those who have harmed others and are trying to do right again. Everyone deserves a second chance so why can’t prisoners get a second chance in life to do good. Being in prison isn’t pretty. Prisoners “had to be strong” and fight for themselves and their own rights even if the policies and people put into place are stacked up against them. “Just Mercy” allows readers to explore how inhumane society is while the criminal system finds themselves justified in executing civilians because their judgment hasn’t allowed them to be curious but only closed minded. 

  • SAMO 2: A Day of First’s

    I started my day at 7 am on a wonderful cold Saturday morning. As I got ready to take the train I made sure I had everything I needed from my jacket to $20. I arrived at the Northbrook train station at approximately 9 am in order to get on the 9:30 am train. To my lovely surprise the train was running behind schedule by 9 minutes. But that didn’t stop me from going to the Museum of Contemporary Art. To join me on this extravagant adventure was one of my good friends, Rachel Barker. 

    Next, when getting on the train we made sure we knew what we were doing and were cautious of our surroundings but continued to live in the moment. We took so many selfies that my face became numb. We then sat on the train for the next 30 minutes until we arrived at the union train station. When we arrived at the train station we were greeted by a lovely 1.3 mile walk. Nothing like walking while cold air is hitting our cheeks. Our walk to the Museum of Contemporary Art was an adventure as we saw restaurants, walked by the river walk, and made sure we were traveling in the right direction.

    Picture taken by Sahib Kaur. Sahib Kaur on the left and Rachel Barker on the right. We are in Chicago and walking toward the MCA.

    As we continued walking we got to our grand destination. This is the first time I ever visited the Museum of Contemporary Art. If it weren’t for SAMO I would not be doing this and going to the city alone. I’ve always hated museums because I feel like I’m staring at a wall which is what I am doing but my attention span isn’t very long so museums have always had a limited amount of space in my heart. 

    Finally, as I entered the museum it was totally different from what I had in my mind, that’s why perspective matters. As I went into the museum I visited the first exhibit which was Enter The Mirror, out of all the exhibits this was my absolute favorite. I felt I was able to understand what was going on and I was able to feel a personal connection to the art work. 

    Picture taken by Sahib Kaur of the MCA outside
    Picture Taken by Rachel Barker of Sahib Kaur standing outside of the Enter The Mirror exhibit

    Walking into the exhibit the first piece of artwork that caught my eye was called Patricia Hearst – A Thru Z by Erika Rothenberg. The pictures of Patricia Hearst from A to Z capture her before, during and after her 1974 kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army. All the pictures represent her change in identity and public image by how she was brainwashed and told to only think one way. I found this very interesting because it demonstrates how a traumatic event can change someone’s life and perspective. Some of the pictures show her as a happy and go-getting girl while others show how trapped she may feel. But what I find even more interesting is how this is very much still relevant in today’s era. Political extremism was very much alive during the 2016 presidential elections when Trump was running for president and when the January 6th insurrection happened. Patricia is one example of someone who has experienced political extremism but isn’t the last. 

    Picture of Patricia Hearst – A Thru Z by Sahib Kaur
    Picture of White #11 taken by Sahib Kaur

    As I continued to look around the exhibit I noticed this black painting. At first I thought why is there just a black painting but as I closely looked at it I noticed writing all over the painting. The painting has the excerpt “White” by Richard Dyer engraved on it. The excerpt explains the difference between white and black but also white domination. The painting was known as White #11 by Glenn Ligon. I truly at first was finding a hard time understanding the concept that was being expressed by the artist. The artist used white linen and took a black oil pastel to write on the white linen until he reached the bottom of the canvas. This made the words illegible to read. The artist is conveying a message of complex differences. White can be any color. But black is a color. This made no sense to me at first but what Ligon is expressing is how language can make it hard to communicate differences. As I take a step back and look at the big picture I feel Ligon is trying to tell me that when I look at language when I see “We” or “Our” does that mean I am included or that there are certain categories I must fit in to be included. 

    However, while those two paintings caught my attention the one that spoke to me the most was America’s Joyous Future. It looked like a schedule that you would see outside a church but it wasn’t so joyous. Each day corresponded with something in America that is becoming more and more common to the point where it’s normal that you can expect for it to happen anytime throughout the week. When looking at this piece of artwork I felt what the artist was trying to convey that America isn’t so pretty and perfect. It was drawing the lines between church and state. This started having me questioning how strong the separation of church and state are.

    Picture of America’s Joyous Future taken by Sahib Kaur

    Abortion. It’s a topic that makes some uncomfortable but it’s a topic that contributes to the separation of church and state. What I mean by church is anything that comes close to religion and by state that has anything to do with the government. Some believe life begins instantly while others don’t. Some believe you must protect the mother over the child. But those beliefs don’t come from anywhere. They come from your religious beliefs, your surroundings, and the people who care for you. Abortion over the last year has become a topic of highlight for many religious places. According to Pew Research, the Roman Catholic Church opposes abortion in all circumstances even if it’s life or death. Even if someone is close to dying abortion is a no. But on the other hand the Supreme Court told the states to regulate abortion as they wish. Today’s Supreme Court is stacked by the Republican Party that has vowed to overturn Roe v. Wade to meet the religious needs of Evangelical Christians. The fact that bodily autonomy has come into question on both church and state demonstrates that the separation of church and state is becoming a slight blur.  

    Furthermore, in an article written by Heather L. Weaver, Supreme Court Justice O’Connor states,  “[t]hose who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: Why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly?”. Justice O’Connor believes that the system put into place is the strongest it has been and will be. So for the stance on abortion if it were to change it would create chaos. So why did the Supreme Court choose to overturn Roe v. Wade if the system put into place served us so well? I don’t think I will ever find the answer as it lies in the courtroom and 9 people making decisions for everyone across the United States. 

    It reminded me of The Thinker’s Guide To Ethical Reasoning by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder, when it states, “We must become skilled in identifying when we are being egocentric or acting within a self-serving and/or self-deceptive perspective. We must recognize how common it is for humans to act without respect for the rights and needs of others”(20). If one can’t be ethical one shouldn’t be making decisions for others. Abortion is a fundamental right when it comes to someone’s body. It shouldn’t be questioned because what it means to be ethical and act without your own morals is to respect the rights of others even if you don’t feel or have the same belief. Moreover, the separation of church and state is necessary to create fair policies because one of our basic amendment rights is freedom of religion and if one religion influences the government the separation of church and state is dismantled. 

    In the end, my time in Chicago taught me alot. One, I can go to the city alone and ride the train by myself. Second, the world isn’t a fair place at all. Going to the Museum of Contemporary Art made me conscious how art can symbolize current issues but also how art can be a voice for change. 

  • SAMO 1: A Hungry World

    On the 26th of September, 45 minutes away from my house I traveled to Schaumburg, Illinois with my aunt, Hardeep, to a non-profit organization called Feed My Starving Children. The ride was smooth until we came upon construction, driving through construction is not my forte. It was already 1:50pm and our scheduled volunteer time was set for 2:00pm. As time grew closer to 2:00pm I entered the parking lot and parked my car. Before coming in I knew I would be packing meals for those who face food insecurity. I have always had a strong desire to give back to others, so I knew that I would enjoy this experience. As I checked in and listened to the presentation about how we are packing the ingredients, all that was going through my mind was vitamins, veggies, soy, and rice. It’s the order of the ingredients that goes in the MannaPack Rice. After the informational presentation on how we are supposed to pack the MannaPack Rice, we went to a station we were assigned to. Each station had 6 people where two people were in charge of putting the ingredients, one holding the meal bag under a cone, two weighers since the weight can’t succeed 40 grams, and finally a person to seal the meal bag. At my station I was mostly in charge of weighing the meals but also occasionally switched jobs. Each station had a paper above it and written on it was a country, many countries were those in economic distress and/or with no leadership. The United States was not above any station. I had a somewhat understanding that the U.S. has some food insecurity but this led me to wonder as to why does the U.S. have food insecurity when it has leadership and economic distress is low? But also as to how is the U.S. managing food insecurity? 

    Picture of the facility taken by Sahib.
    Picture of my aunt, Hardeep and I getting ready to go into the facility. Picture taken by Sahib.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture data from 2021 reveals that 13.5 million people, approximately 10.5% of the U.S. population, faces food insecurity. The fact that more than 10% of the United States population is food insecure is troubling. But also that this number can increase over time. In an article written by Tara O’Neill Hayes, called “Food Insecurity and Food Insufficiency: Assessing Causes and Historical Trends”, she explains that as unemployment and income decrease, food insecurity continues to increase. Not only did the article mention unemployment and income but also the price of food. If the price of food increases, the demand will decrease which will then increase food insecurity. I never knew that the price of a product could turn someone away when it comes to food. As someone who goes grocery shopping I’m not the person who typically checks the price of food. If I want to eat it, I get it. I have never questioned buying food because of the price it’s put at but it’s heartbreaking to see other people doing so. 

    The fact that the price of food can lead to someone turning away food led me ultimately to Katie Plohocky’s TED Talk on “Throwaway Nation: food and waste insecurity”, in which she states, “food is flexibility for people trying to make ends meet”. She emphasizes how many people put money towards medication, transportation, and college tuition because medication is needed in order to stay in good health, transportation is needed in order to go to work, and college tuition is needed in order to stay in school. This demonstrates that people aren’t being paid enough to afford the minimum of life. Seeing this frustrates me. As someone who has to take daily medication everyday that requires it to be taken with a full stomach it scares me if I would have to choose life over death.

    After seeing that basic necessities like medication, transportation, and schooling come in the way of being able to afford daily meals, I started to wonder as to how food deserts are created and affect food insecurity. With the recommendation from Ms. Henrich, I started to listen to the podcast Smartless, it’s a podcast with 3 men, Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett who interview special guests on their podcast. I listened to the podcast episode called “Tiffany Haddish”, in this episode Tiffany Haddish talks about how she is in the process of opening up a grocery store in South Central, Los Angeles because 3 grocery stores have been shut down. She states that the grocery stores shut down because “they didn’t want to pay $5 more for their employees”. This has a lot to do with minimum wage because if people are not getting paid enough, then they will not be able to put money towards buying groceries and putting food on the table. Tiffany Haddish then discusses how the famous grocery store Trader Joe’s was supposed to open up near her house but decided not to because Trader Joe’s only puts their grocery stores in communities that have a high college graduation rate. When listening to this podcast and hearing Haddish say that Trader Joe’s only opens up in certain places was alarming. Living in Northbrook, I have access to a Trader Joe’s but if I went on the south side of Chicago there would not be one due to the low graduation rate. It ultimately creates a food desert where there is no access to nutritious food. The fact that grocery stores have the power to create a food desert is disturbing because it often occurs in marginalized communities. Hearing Haddish speak about the impact of grocery stores made me question what the U.S. is doing to combat food insecurity. 

    The United States has wonderful non-profit organizations that are committed to ending food insecurity. One non-profit organization called Feeding America reported in their 2021 annual report that they were able to distribute 6.6 billion meals. Feeding America isn’t the only nonprofit organization helping to combat hunger there are other organizations but Feeding America has been one of the most well known organizations to combat hunger. While non-profit work helps advance the progress toward decreasing food insecurity, so do the actions of a President. In a briefing statement at the White House on September 28th 2022, President Biden announced, “At least $2.5 billion will be invested in start-up companies that are pioneering solutions to hunger and food insecurity. Over $4 billion will be dedicated toward philanthropy that improves access to nutritious food, promotes healthy choices, and increases physical activity”(whitehouse.gov). Biden plans to end hunger with the help of investing in organizations that can help combat food insecurity. With the help of President Biden and non-profit organizations like Feeding America, I believe that food insecurity will decrease. While I hope there will be no food insecurity ever in the world, I believe that it’s impossible due to the world evolving and climate change. 

    As I look back I see that food insecurity is created by low wages, product prices, and grocery stores. With being able to go to Feed My Starving Children, I was able to help decrease the number of people that face food insecurity. While it may not have helped the United States it does end up helping other countries. Being able to go to Feed My Starving Children connected with Bobbie Harro’s, “The Cycle of Socialization”, because she states, “We may begin to “make sense” of our experiences differently and seek out more chances to explore what we thought we knew, and how it compares to reality”(621). In my experience I was able to gain consciousness, I found I didn’t know everything I was getting myself into. I knew that there was food insecurity but I didn’t know what food deserts were and the factors that contributed to food insecurity. Furthermore, Feed My Starving Children made me more aware that many people are suffering in reality. Living in Northbrook, it’s not everyday that you see people who are food insecure so by being able to pack meals for others, it highlighted that many people don’t have the necessary access to feed themselves. I overall found that I needed to educate myself more and question what was going on in the world in reality. 

    Through my experience at Feed My Starving Children, I was able to feel a sense of joy of being able to help others who aren’t as fortunate as I am. In Northbrook I feel I tend to forget to be grateful for what I have because I’m surrounded by so many people wanting more. Being able to reflect and focus on helping others allowed me to realize that it’s important to assist others in a time of need. My research throughout has helped me realize that the United States has a lot to tackle and that there are many factors that come into play with food insecurity. But it has also made me realize that the United States has more help compared to other countries. Though I may not have been able to pack meals for people in the United States, I did for someone else and helped provide them with a meal. Seeing that food insecurity is a big issue in the U.S. and other countries, I hope to help combat it by continuing to volunteer with organizations that aim to end food insecurity. 

    Picture taken by my aunt, Hardeep, where I am in front of the amount of meals we packed!

  • Mash Blog: A Never-Ending Cycle

    Bobbie Harro: “The Cycle of Socialization”, “We may discover that we need to educate ourselves: read more, talk to people, bounce ideas and views around with others, begin listening to the news with new ears, seek expertise. We may begin to “make sense” of our experiences differently and seek out more chances to explore what we thought we knew, and how it compares to the reality” (621). 

    Margaret Wheatley: “Willing to be Disturbed”, “To be curious about how someone else interprets things, we have to be willing to admit that we’re not capable of figuring things out alone. If our solutions don’t work as well as we want them to, if our explanations of why something happened don’t feel sufficient, it’s time to begin asking others about what they see and think”(2).

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “The Danger of a Single Story”  “I’ve always felt it is impossible to engage properly with a place or person without engaging with all of the stories of that place and that person”

    Bobbie Harro: “The Cycle of Socialization”, “Our mission is to question and challenge assumptions, structures and rules of the system of oppression, and to clarify our different needs, perceptions, strengths, resources, and skills in the process” (622). 

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “The Danger of a Single Story”, “That when we reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise”.

    Adichie and Harro ultimately create a third space in a never-ending cycle of questioning society and finding a sufficient answer through the perspectives of others but continuing that on and on with all the questions we have. In order to educate ourselves we must be able to seek out how our experiences can be shaped differently. By doing this, I have to be able to engage with a story. I have to see everything that makes that story. But when engaging with a story/experience being able to raise questions will further educate ourselves and see other perspectives. Perspectives that have multiple answers. No one perspective can be wrong. Now, if I am able to see experiences and stories through multiple perspectives and raise questions I reach the end of the ongoing cycle of questioning society until I pose another question. The questions I raise must disturb the status quo, questions that allow me to be curious about others and how they view the world. If the questions I pose don’t make me fall down a rabbit hole the cycle will ultimately never begin. Being able to question will lead me to be able to further educate myself and not conform to one right answer. 

  • Sahib’s Guide To Life!

    Have Passion– Always find passion in what you are doing, don’t ever get lazy because in the end passion will help you find success in your life. I want to find passion in how I claim my education through the experiences I experience.


    Be Self Aware– Always be conscious of your surroundings and what others are going through. Not everyone is in the same boat, we are all differently unique people. I want to make sure I am aware that everyone is going through something different.


    Be Attentive– I want to make sure that whatever I am doing whether it is a small task or big task that I always put effort into what I am doing but also that I am paying attention to what I am doing and how it affects myself.


    Be Creative– I want to showcase my creativity because it shows my perspective through life. I feel my creativity reflects how I see the world. This is important because everyone sees the world differently. We all have our own creative mindset.


    Golden Rule– I want to treat everyone with respect. I find this important because if you want someone to respect you, you must respect them. This is how effective teamwork becomes successful.


    Have Self-Confidence– I want to have more confidence in myself. I find this important because you won’t ever take risks if you are too scared. This year I want to take more risks and have confidence in myself that everything will be okay.


    Embrace/Learn From Failure– This is important to me because I find that when I don’t do well on assignments or when things going on outside of school don’t go well I tend to talk negatively about myself. I want to embrace that failure because every failure has a lesson to it. So instead of beating myself up about it, I will learn that next time it’s not the way to go.


    Be Honest– In everything that I do, I want it to come from me. I want to tell the truth and not hold myself back. I find this important because if you are not honest with yourself and others then it may one day come back to you.


    Be a leader– I want to be a role model for others. I want to be there for others when they are having a bad day. I find this important because while someone leans on me, I can lean on them as well.

    Be a team player– To get anything done, I feel you need to be able to work with others. I find this important because together everyone achieves more. Learning to work with others helps expand your point of view and develop as a person which is what I look forward to.

    Taken By Jind Kaur
    Taken By Jind Kaur
    Taken By Romito
    Taken By Sahib Kaur

2 responses to “Home”

  1. Mira Feld Avatar
    Mira Feld

    I like your style of writing. I think you have a really cool way of explaining things and I love it!

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  2. Abigail Nagel Avatar
    Abigail Nagel

    I really liked how you focused on the significance of the black painting at the MCA and I thought you did a good job of unpacking each piece of art that you chose to include

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