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The person in the picture is one of many Black women who have lost their lives to state violence. Her name is Sandra Bland and a policeman attacked and killed her for a minor traffic offense. In the Kimberlé Crenshaw’s Ted Talk we watched and discussed this week, intersectionality plays a role in diminishing the visibility of women, especially Black women. Sandra Bland’s case was no exception, and the reason why I bring up her case is to raise awareness of the lives that were lost due to state negligence of police brutality. She was charged with unfair accusations and charges, on top of all that, she was placed under unmonitored custody which led her to die at the police’s hands. In the words of Crenshaw, “if we cannot see a problem, we cannot solve a problem”. Sandra Bland’s life, as well as other women’s lives, need to be recognized as a group that needs to protected and empowered.
Source: https://www.essence.com/op-ed/what-it-means-to-say-her-name/
Date Posted: December 4, 2018
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In class, we discussed how the Black Lives Matter movement was spearheaded in response to police brutality against Black lives, and we also learned how the movement was meant to bring attention to how Black lives were and continue to be degraded and dehumanized in the efforts for promoting greater social change. In the photo, there are two Black women who are carrying signs in peaceful protest for the Black Lives Matter Toronto movement. The article that is connected to the photo describes that the two ladies were involved with protesting for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto movement. The picture is significant since the movement would not have persisted had it not been for the presence of the arts, such as music, paintings, dancing, and storytelling. Some of the music that were sung by the BLM Toronto protestors include Beyonce’s “Formation,” Janelle Monae’s “Q.U.E.E.N.,” and Rihanna’s “Work,” which brought in other POC allies due to familiarity with the song tracks and contributed to the movement’s unity. The arts were just as important for maintaining the dignity and spirit of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as fighting off the structural racism that could blemish the POC protestor’s image as an angry, violent mob. A singing, happy crowd helped to dissuade the press and other outside forces from hurting the movement’s core values. Overall, the BLM movement incorporated the arts as a medium to solidify the alliance among allies and uplift the protestor’s spirit, but it was also significant for spreading awareness about the BLM movement’s message.
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/arts/exhibitionists/black-lives-matter-to-protest-art-1.3504729
Date Posted: March 24, 2016
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The photo portrays Larry Itliong, a Filipino activist who, alongside Cesar Chavez, was head of the United Farmworkers Movement. The other two images display “Manong’s” or Filipino males who were involved with the strike against the Delano grape growers, who exploited their labor. I chose this picture because it showcases a piece of history that was almost erased. This type of history where Itliong, a person of color and a figure I can identify with, fought for the rights of marginalized people, is essential for the education we have today. It is inspiring to me since I was never taught in-depth about the Filipino peoples and their struggles until now. The sacrifices that Itliong made alongside the other Filipino and Mexican workers demonstrates a rich history and its relevance for people of color. The multi-ethnic coalition, or alliance between people of different races, was seen between the Filipino and Mexican workers, and the interaction between different races shows a universal need for support and allies to fight for a cause. It is for this reason that ethnic studies is significant because validates other people of color’s experiences, in class and life, and help POC students understand that they have a place in society.
Source: Farmworker Movement Documentation Project/University of California San Diego Library
Date Posted: September 19, 2015
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I was interested in researching into was an alternative Hip Hop collective group called “A Tribe Called Quest”. I used a photo for the group’s studio album, “We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service,” which holds one song that I will be analyzing. Their song “We the People” intrigued me because the term is in reference to the founding fathers’ Declaration of Independence. On closer inspection, the song is actually a parodical response to Donald Trump’s racist propositions on building a wall between America and Mexico. The group’s song includes a line that sounds very much like a protest against people who are Muslim, Black, Mexican, gay, and poor but plays a role in depicting these people as “bad folks”. A Tribe Called Quest calls out on these irrational, intolerable, and racist propositions by using the same democratic language such as “We the People” and everyday racist remarks such as “Muslims and gays, Boy we hate your ways,” to bring attention to the hypocrisy in America’s undemocratic actions and following consequences. The group’s song is an example of how Hip Hop continues the legacy of the Civil Rights movement by shedding light on the injustices in the system, especially against racism.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/18610-a-tribe-called-quest-we-the-people/
Date posted: November 14, 2016 by Jayson Greene
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The Civil Rights Movement is an era that focused on key civil rights leaders. The photo that I chose focuses on the grassroots movement and how normal citizens were integral for supporting the Civil Rights Movement. The picture shows a White mob severely beating men in the middle, otherwise known as the Freedom Fighters. The Freedom Fighters consisted of White and Black civil rights activists who fought segregated policies of the Supreme Court, including segregated buses. The picture demonstrates how racism was deeply embedded in the South, since the Freedom Fighters were attacked by the Ku Klux Klan who made a pact with White police officers to give them time to assault the Freedom Fighters. This photo relates to the theme of being beyond the Civil Rights Movement since small movements at the grassroots level required a great deal of courage and emotional preparation when dealing with racism and hostility. Grassroots movements, such as the Freedom Fighters, are not taught too deeply in schools; however, it is important how they fought for civil rights equality, and played a key role in influencing the Supreme Court decisions to reflect the justice in codified laws. Their actions in standing up for and defending the rights of others model is exemplary despite the challenges they faced.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation/National Endowment for the Humanities/Wikimedia Commons. Photograph was taken in May 1961.
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The photo I chose for the theme, Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, is one involving Malcolm X and his daughters. We learned in class about how Malcolm X had a violent and radical reputation back in the Civil Rights era, but people in that era were not aware of his sensitive and gentle side. In the picture, Malcolm X clearly shows his love for his daughters and ultimately makes him seem more sincere and relatable to the general public during his time.The picture portrays Malcolm X as a family man and his public persona may have shifted people’s views of him if those pictures were circulated in popular media, as well as his calling for peace and integration near the end of his life. His radical behavior made people associate him with a violent personality when in reality, James Baldwin talked about how gentle he is in person. The press chose to paint him as a person who wants to destroy peace because of his powerful message for the Black community to love themselves, which potentially threatens the dominant culture.
Date posted: 1963.
Photo by Robert L. Haggins/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty
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The theme of this week is the right to marry and the right to exist. The photograph that I chose is more lighthearted and its sole purpose is to draw attention to the Supreme Court’s ruling over gay marriage. A White male is holding a sign that says, “If I can’t marry my boyfriend then I’ll marry your daughter!” Even though the sign is meant to have some humor, it can be seen as an act of rebellion against heteronormative power structures. The sign also alludes to the song “Rude,” by MAGIC! which describes a parent’s unwillingness to let a man marry the parent’s daughter, and this relationship is parallel to the Supreme Court withholding marriage rights to the LGBTQ community. This picture portrays a friendlier version of how the court deliberation is impacting individuals when in reality, the situation is more serious and does not represent the plight of the LGBTQ community.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/supreme-court-wont-broadcasting-gay-marriage-decision-live
Posted on February 2, 2015.
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The photo portrays James Baldwin in the film, “I Am Not Your Negro.” The article portrayed the Charlottesville mass shooting as a repercussion to the Civil Rights Movement’s racism. This parallel between the Charlottesville mass shooting and the Civil Rights Movement symbolizes how the Civil Rights era is ongoing today. This photo is relevant to the theme because Baldwin and Malcolm X did warn that violence is inevitable in order to protect human and civil rights. White supremacy is ever-present, and criminalization and hate crimes are committed against Black people, as seen in the Black Lives Matter movement. The fact that there was a mass shooting in Charlottesville portrays that the racial tension still exists in America and will continue to thrive unless people learn to co-exist and understand each other.
Source: https://walkerart.org/magazine/because-im-alive-james-baldwin-on-film
Photographer: Edward Hendrickson from Moving Image
Date: September 5, 2017
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The photo portrays MLK and Malcolm X greeting each other which is symbolic of their ideologies aligning with each other. The article stated that MLK is portrayed as a Civil Rights Leader while Malcolm X was seen as a Black radical. The differences are highlighted in people’s perception of the two figures; however, the article discusses the similarities in their ideology and their similar backgrounds. The article ties into this week’s theme since people regard MLK and Malcolm X as polar opposites when their overall message for civil and human rights are the same. MLK is seen to hold a more gentle and passive approach when it comes to securing civil liberties for Black people, while Malcolm X boasts an aggressive and rebellious stance to fighting White dominance. However, this is false since both eventually adopted a global consciousness before they died, and both advocated for standing up for our rights, as well as those who cannot speak for themselves.
Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/similarities-between-mlk-and-malcolm-x-2834881
The photo is part of an article in which the photographer and the date of the image is unknown. The article credited “Wikimedia Commons” for the photo.
Date posted: April 19, 2018
Author: Nadra Kareem Nittle.
