Thematic Reflection 1: Recognizing Diversity, Striving for Equality
Theme one: Recognizing Diversity, Striving for Equality in our ETHN21 class has been a sensitive topic for me. Up until now my educational career has been strictly about receiving the instructor’s information and trying to understand and make sense of it. None of the material that I have learned or thought about relates to my own identity. Sadly, the closest thing to ever hearing about me or my culture in class would be from my history teacher in my junior year of high school, when she mentioned that the Hmong was involved in the Vietnam War. It was only a few seconds hearing about my own ethnic group, but for some odd reason it was enough to warm my heart. I had mixed feelings of confusion and pride. I was confused because I wondered why the textbook did not have any information about my people in the black print; we did not just appear out of nowhere, we had the right to be here. I was proud because for once, my ethnic group was recognized by someone from the majority group for helping the United States in the Vietnam War; which was probably why I had a warm feeling. Those few seconds from my history class is all that I can remember about anything similar to my identity being mentioned. Becoming a part of ETHN21 has allowed me to think about the question I had always pushed to the back of my head: Who am I? The two ideas from class that resonates to me are identity and culture.
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In our ETHN21 class we discussed identity as how we see ourselves in relation to others (Lecture, September 16, 2015 & September 23, 2015). The biggest portion of my identity is being Hmong. As I grew up, I remember being ashamed of being Hmong. I recall other children making fun of me and calling me Chinese, which I knew I was not. I would protest by stating that I am Hmong, but they would ask, “What is that?” At that time I did not know, so I did no reply to them. When I read Weeber’s article, I could understand why she tried so hard to reject her identity as a disabled person (Weeber, p. 235). Similar to Weeber, at a point in my life I had rejected being Hmong. However, as time gradually passed and I became more mature, I became more willing to accept my identity as a Hmong person. As I have progressed through these last few weeks, I noticed that learning about my own identity has increased not only my knowledge, but also my self-confidence.
As I grew up unable to accept my identity as a Hmong person, I thought I was ashamed of being unable to acknowledge my own culture. Similar to many others, I had thought that the meaning of culture is the same thing as the meaning of ethnicity. However, from the lecture in our ETHN21 class, I am able to differentiate between the two terms; culture is ever-changing; it is represented by values, traditions, etc (lecture, September 16, 2015). As we sat in our ETHN21 class discussions, I felt very disappointed and ashamed. I regret rejecting my own ethnicity; it was foolish to think that I could hide who I am, when it is a part of me. Subconsciously, my ethnicity influenced me culturally without my awareness. It shaped and still is shaping who I am and what I do.
Besides growing up with the influence of Hmong, I also grew up with the impact of being from a low-income family. When I read Are There Class Cultures by Betsy Leondar-Wright, I understood what she was trying to say; there are class cultures, people are judged everyday about their materialistic wealth (Leonder-Wright, 223). I did not grow up with a lot; as a child, even I could tell when relatives with a better financial status were treated better. Growing up within the Low-income class had a both a good and bad impact on me. I was motivated to work hard and get a good education, so that I could perhaps move from the low income class. However, at the same time my self-confidence was (and is) low due to the fact I knew that I had less than others around me. Coming from a low-income family, I learn that I value family, respect, and education. I value family because I would not be anywhere without my family. Learning to value respect was not the way I would have liked to: I experienced disrespect from outsiders and people that are supposed to be my family due to the financial status of my family. I value education because it is my hope. My cultural views shape my identity.
Identifying myself and my culture is helping me realize who I am. By identifying who I am, I can evaluate myself on the racial/cultural identity model (Wing Sue and Sue p. 196). Depending on the current situation, I think I am either on stage two or stage four of the racial/cultural identity model. The question that I have always put to the back of my head is now being answered in this ETHN21 class. I am thankful for learning about myself because it has helped my self-confidence improve.
Thematic Reflection 2: Linking Knowledge, Power, and Representation
In these last two weeks of class, we have been discussing the connection between knowledge, representation, and power. To figure out the relationship between all three terms, we learned about the definitions of each and read articles relating to the terms. Of the three words, knowledge resonates to me the most.
The definition of knowledge is very vast. There are countless definitions of knowledge depending on the perspective of the person defining the word. When we were discussing the meaning of knowledge, Professor Venturanza said, “When talking about knowledge we are looking at what other people see knowledge as.” (Lecture, September 5) What she had said about knowledge really caught my attention; it was true. If you really think about it, there is no concrete definition of knowledge; even the curriculum, the books, and tests developed to measure our “knowledge” are made up by other people. The point of knowledge as more of different perspectives is excellently explained in On Academic Freedom by William H. Halverson and James R. Carter. Halverson and Carter emphasizes that what we learn in K-12 may not be the “truth”, it is only what is accepted to be the truth due to the evidence and information they have so far; but it may change (Halverson and Carter, On Academic Freedom. p. 75). By knowing what knowledge is, I can use it in representing what I know.
Understanding the information I have, I can represent what the information is. Having knowledge allows you to present what you know. I was able to interpret this idea from The Difference Between High School and College by Jack W. Meiland. In his essay, Meiland explains that in college you are required to evaluate the information presented to you, not just learn it (The Difference Between High School and College, pg.136). After reading this particular reading, I was able to relate it to what we were learning : we need to show what we learned by evaluating what is before us; we must represent what we learned. In a picture that was shown to us by Professor Venturanza, the quote reads, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid” (Albert Einstein). I really love this quote and I remember having seen it before on other websites. What the quote means is true: you don’t know everything, but you can show what you know. Thus, by showing what I know, it can be a way of power.
Power is craved by many; it is the most motivating, yet destructive element of life. By having knowledge and knowing how to represent it, you have power. What someone does not know and you know, allows you to have more power than the other person. A person who is a good example of this is Malcom X. Although his education was what he referred to as “homemade education”, it was not secondary to any other type of education (Malcom X pg. 128). By learning about his people and what they went through, he was able to use what he knew to take action for what he believed in, persuading others to believe the same as him and follow him; giving him power (Malcom X pg. 128). Power is gained through how well you are able to represent it. To represent power well, you need to have knowledge about it.
Knowledge is the first step to representation and power; you do not know about power or how to represent without knowledge. All three are connected. Knowledge is like your evidence; representation is how well you are able to deliver your evidence based on what you know; and power is gained by being able to convey your message to others.
Thematic Reflection 3: Questioning the University’s Role in Society
The latest theme: questioning the university’s role in society, which we have been discussing in my Ethnic 21 course, has been very challenging to me. As a child, I have been taught in school and at home to respect the authority figure. Questioning the person who is considered higher than you is supposedly wrong. However, this course has been teaching me to think outside of the box and into my own thoughts as to what I believe is right; not necessarily that a person of authority is always right.
In many of the articles we have been reading, the authors convey a very clear message: you may go to college, achieve your graduate degree, but you may not know what an educated person is. Thomas B. Jones explicitly explains this message through his article, The Educated Person. He expresses the regret he has when he remembers the day he and his colleges have graduated. Jones explains that “becoming an educated person is part of a lifelong process of learning, studying, reflection, experience and action-not just four years of college” (Jones, p.118). Through this reading I get the idea that knowledge does not end after you receive your college degree, it is only merely the beginning. This gets me thinking, “What is an educated person really? Who is an educated person? If having a degree does not make you an educated person, other than in societal views, then what good is the university?” This last question was later answered through more of the readings and discussions we had in my class.
Universities are represented as a superior place for very intelligent individuals. High school students get the idea that universities are just like high school, but at a more difficult level. Many freshmen students believe that putting forth hard work like they had done in high school should be enough for a good grade, but as James Hogge had put it, “Students often confuse the level of effort with the quality of work” (Roosevelt, p.48). Due to similar misrepresentations like the one presented above, students don’t realize how crucial universities are to society. We generally think universities are just a step up from high school; we get in and we get out. However, freshmen soon find that universities are more than a “level up” from high school. From many of the readings from this section, I get the understanding that you have to be more engaged in the classroom and on campus. To be successful, we should get to know our professors, not just as our instructors, but as individuals too. Professor Rikka for my Ethnic 21 course had said, “You are accountable for your work,… self-advocate…collaborate with your professor”(Lecture, October 26). I agree with the message from the readings and with what my professor had discussed; it is up to us to take the initiative to be more engaged, get a better grade, and overall get a better understanding of what the university is to us and to our society.
Universities have power; especially in society. Universities are crucial to the community; they hold the significant roles of instruction for undergraduate and graduates, research, and public service to the community (Halverson, p. 65). It is the place for learning and a safe environment for expressing ideas and opinions. Such a critical setting such as this is the reason why dictators try to deprive their subjects from having such a place. Ideas are born and constructed as individuals communicate to one another. Once the foundations for the ideas are created, there is the opportunity for research. Whether the ideas are scientific or not, different ways of research can be conducted. Derived from the research, society can benefit by acknowledging what the result are. If the research was done poorly, there can be a conclusion to not continue researching the topic in the same way. Everything that the university does is a service to the community. Educating individuals is helping improve the way people think and how they conceive information. It enables many individuals to critically think, not only about their own personal issues, but about bigger problems in the world. Universities also teach people how to solve these problems and think of solutions, as David C. Finster had said, “ Part of good teaching is challenging the ways students think, while at the same time providing them with mental and emotional tools to resolve the dilemmas they face” (Finster, p.16). The research conducted at universities benefit society because all of the results are published and shared throughout the world. Universities hold a stronger power in society than we expect.
Learning about the major goals of universities and realizing how critical universities are to society is quite astonishing. Similar to other freshmen, I did not think of the roles of universities or what their aims are; I simply thought of them as places to get a higher education. Realizing that the goals of universities are to instruct, research, and publicly serve the community from the readings display how significant universities are in our society today. Our lives would not be the way it is now, if not for universities. I am slowing starting to understand why so many movies/shows show the main actor/actress displaying love for their university. I love my university right now and I wonder what else are universities going to reveal in the future.
Thematic Reflection 4: Navigating Institutions to Advance an Agenda
The most recent theme that was highlighted in the last few weeks is Navigating Institutions to Advance an Agenda. Although it is the most recent theme that we are discussing in my Ethnic 21 class, I think that most college freshmen have unknowingly participated in this theme because they chose where they were going to go and which college to attend. My definition of Navigating Institutions to Advance an Agenda is to analyze universities to make a plan. Therefore a majority of the freshmen who are going to college have already put some thought into what their plan is based on the university that they choose; because prior to attending the institution, they would have learned information about the courses that are offered. Just like I have described, before attending Sacramento State, I looked at the courses the university offered and what degrees I could pursue. From gathering that information, I roughly sketched the blueprints for my college career.
I know that I want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in college. I have older siblings who had achieved their bachelor’s degree, so it has set a bar for me. I know that since they have done it, I can do it too. Since I want a bachelor’s degree, I have looked into trying to figure out what major I truly want. I know that choosing a major is stressful and hard because it is like choosing the foundation for building a house; you will be doing it for the rest of your life and build from it. Currently, I want to major in Business Accounting. Throughout my educational career, my favorite topics have shifted from math to English and vice versa. I could never really distinguish which subject I liked for sure, but I knew that I liked both. In my Junior year of high school, I took an Accounting course. It was a combination of my two favorite subjects, math and English. I cannot claim that I loved the class, but I know I thought the material was interesting and really liked trying to balance the assets with the liabilities and owner’s equity. A topic that my accounting teacher always stressed was ethics. She would ask for the definition of the term and what would pop up in my mind as the definition are good moral values. My teacher emphasized that to be an accountant, you need to be able to distinguish what is right and wrong, even when is it hard and/or tempting to do the wrong thing; you have to have good work ethics. Honestly, I had forgotten the fact that accountants needed to have good work ethics. I recalled this term when I read: Outlooks and Insights: Succeeding on the Job and In Life by Carol Carter, where she writes “Is it Ethical” in one of the subheadings (Carter, pg. 342). Also in her article, Carter stresses the importance of defining what is important to you, which reminds me of accounting (Carter, pg. 341). I grew up with my parents always lecturing my siblings and I to do the right thing because even then, it may not be the perfect solution; so I have tried to do the right thing when I can. I notice that sometimes I get upset when people do things without reflecting back to their morals. I think money is one of the most corrupted things in the world because of the power that is given to it. I think that if I am able to help maintain and manage money as an accountant, I can help reduce the amount of corruption in the world.
I do not know exactly what kind of career is fit for me, but I want a career that I will enjoy doing. I want to be able to wake up and be able to go to a job/career that I can handle; something that I am good at. Of course being a freshman in college, I do not know exactly what career is for me, which is why I am planning on taking the advice from Thomas L. Minnick to take electives to explore my career options and maybe develop a talent I have neglected (Minnick 263-264). As I have said before, I currently want to be an accountant, but I am also considering becoming a writer as a hobby/side job. My past English teachers and my first English professor have recommended me to consider writing as an option in my career. I do enjoy writing and I have been thinking about pursuing a minor in English. It may be a little far-fetched, but I also hope to write and publish my own book one day. However before getting there, I know that I will have to work hard and start from the bottom as explained through Postgraduate Paralysis by Mary Sherry; where she shares her personal experience and watching her daughter struggle with finding a career (Sherry, pg. 338-339). I think the same idea can be applied to dreams/ goals in life because you have to start somewhere, whether you like it or not. I do not know if what I plan is going to work out, but I think it better to have a plan so that if there are issues, I can find ways to solve it or adjust my plan; as Professor Soriano had said, it is “important to be open to opportunity” (Lecture, Nov. 9).
The contemporary issues I have chosen each represent an area of interest, value, or passion to me. My first contemporary issue is higher education which is important to me because it reflects what I value. Higher education has always been important to me because it has and still is my hope of making a change in my life. Women’s equality reflects my passions and values. I value equality and I think everyone deserves it, but it bothers me that women are treated inferior to men. I get really emotional and passionate when discussing matters that deal with women’s equality. My third contemporary issue is organic food because it reflects my passion and values. I value life and I think that everyone should be aware of what they are receiving, especially what they are eating. It bothers me how corporations refuse to label what specific products are GMOs.
I do not know what career or major is exactly for me, but I want to explore and discover more about myself. If I want further exploration or directions for my academics or careers, I can contact my counselor or major advisors for their advice. Also I can do my own research online and talk to my fellow peers for guidance. No one is confident of what will definitely suit them in life, but as my classmate and professor had put it, “fake it until you make it” (class discussion, Oct. 26).
Online Session 13B: Thematic Reflection 5
How do you explain who you are? Or how why you make certain decisions? Finding the answers to questions like these are difficult and often unclear. The first few steps to discovering the answers are to find what communities you are currently and planning to be a part of. I had never really bothered to identify or even wonder what communities I belong to, but these are the types of questions that appear when studying the topics for my ETHN 21 course.
The most recent theme that we have been focusing on in my ETHN class is Theme 5: Community and Self-Determination. The last activity that a few of my classmates and I had done concerning this theme was define community; which we have concluded is “A group of people who share common goals and values that work together to achieve a common purpose” (Group Activity, Nov. 30). Many of us already have an idea about what type of goals we have, but some of us, more like me, overlook the meaning of values. I was not fully aware that values can be why we choose the decisions we make, even little every day choices, until I read Developing a Personal System of Values by Richard L. Morrill. He clearly stated “They (values) are present in our lives in those often hidden authorities in the name of which we make our choices and set our course in life” (Morrill, pg. 169). After reading his article, I have a better idea of what values are and was able to understand the meaning of community more.
When we discussed values in class, my professor said, “…your set of values is like an anchor to your ship” (Lecture, Nov. 25). Hearing this quote from my professor furthered my knowledge of values and it connected values to community. My professor was making the point that although members within a community have similar values, it does not mean that they all value the same things. She was emphasizing that our values are what makes us who we are; we are in several communities, but we need to know what we value to differentiate us from other members and to make ourselves happy. Another quote and example which highlights the importance of knowing your own values and upholding them was put forth by one of my classmates. He was giving an example of community, stating that our country is like a community, “connected, but not united” (Class Discussion, Nov. 23). From what he had said, I was able to interpret that although you may be in a community, with similar goals and values, you do not necessarily have to agree with everything that other community members disclose. We, as members of the same country have similar goals and values, but just because we are a community altogether, it does not require us to have the same values; for example: some people may value materialistic wealth more than others. Another important point was made by both my professor and Susan Jones Sears. My professor clarified “…sometimes you need to be selfish” (Lecture, Nov. 23). She stated that the importance of you making decisions is to make yourself happy; even when it may not be the choice that others want you to make. The article, Tips on Becoming Personally Effective by Susan Jones Sears further supported what my professor had said. Sears emphasized on various points such as “Learning to Say No,” “Building a Strong Network of Friends”, and “Making Time for Yourself” (Sears, pg.33-34). The advice that Sears was giving generally focused upon the point that you have to make it happen, it is up to you how successful you will be; therefore sometimes you have to be selfish. I agree with both my professor and Sears, but I have to admit that sometimes it is really hard to be selfish, especially when it comes to family. However there is a way to help ease tension and help them understand your viewpoint, you have to be able to communicate your opinion and views effectively; in other words be an assertive communicator. As Ruthnn Fox-Hines had said in her article, Standing Up for Yourself Without Stepping on Others, “...assertiveness labels it as behavior that permits a person to stand up for his or her rights without denying others of their rights” (Fox-Hines, pg.21). I understand what Fox-Hines is stating, she was very clear and I think that being an assertive communicator can help not only get others to understand why you made certain decisions, but it can further improve your community as a whole. After learning what values are, how values are connected to community, and the importance of keeping your values, I have a better understanding of what community is.
Although members within a community do not have the same goals and values, their goals and values are similar and they influence one another. Family is a type of community and our family members impact us from the day we are born. Some of our most important morals and values come from them. Another significant point that my professor made was “When you go to class, you bring with you parents, friends, etc. Not physically…” (Lecture, Nov. 30). I was really surprised and relieved when I heard my professor say that; I thought that I might be the only one who thinks about what my family says when I am away from home, but it turns out that I am not alone. Three contacts that I have made so far are: Angela, my facilitator; Uy, a classmate; and Professor Anya Connelly, my English Professor. I include Angela as a member of a few of the communities that I am in because not only is she in the same organization, FCP and the same university as I am; she is understanding and can understand some points that I make when talking to her in private/class. Another person that I think share the same community as me is Uy. He is a great friend, classmate, and peer. He also has similar views as I do and we both currently have the same intended major. Another contact is my English Professor from Summer Bridge, Professor Anya Connelly. Professor Connelly shares similar attributes as to the two previous people I have mentioned, but she also has a similar passion and view about English like me. I am thinking about maybe pursuing a minor in English and I do plan on keeping contact with this professor to ask for advice and about her experience in that certain career field. These three people are just a few of the many great people I have met so far in my life. I hope to meet more people who can guide, mentor, and share similar views and goals in the future. I am intending to get hands on experience from internships in the future and I hope to be able to build a community that supports me and my views while I support them and their views; although I do not know exactly what yet. From these two weeks of focusing on Community and Self-Determination, I learned that although your community shapes who you are, it is up to you as to what you value the most and what you are most willing to pursue to make yourself happy.