[Tiara Hawkins]

This photo shows several affiliates of University of Michigan-Dearborn holding up signs for National Coming Out Day in 2012. Their mission was to spread awareness of the struggles that many members of the LGBT community face. As the photo illustrates, social isolation and even suicide are not uncommon among this community. Regarding our discussion in class about gay rights, someone basically made the comment that who someone loves should not bother another person, and I definitely agree. Even for those who are religiously opposed to same sex marriage and love, why should it matter what they are doing? How does it affect anyone else besides those involved in that union? This photo shows us that people in the LGBT (and more) community are really suffering. It makes me wonder why society cares more about maintaining this opposition against the LGBT community than we do about the actual lives of these innocent people who just want to live freely.

Photo: Troy A. Belvins, 10/11/2012

Source: Samantha Belcher, http://michiganjournal.org/2012/10/16/pride-um-dearborn-supports-coming-out/

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[Tiara Hawkins]

This photo shows a protest in NYC against Trump’s immigration policy. The article describes how the ICE raids that occurred in early 2017 were supposed to only target criminals; however, it soon became clear that ICE was seeking out all immigrants regardless of a criminal record or not. Trump’s executive order also took away funds for sanctuary cities that protected immigrants. It is clear that immigrants are not wanted in Trump’s America. As mentioned in class, to many Americans, all immigrants are seen as criminals. I really liked the sign the woman is holding stating “Immigrants are America”. It reminds me of how in class it was discussed that California’s economy depends quite a bit on immigrants. Immigrants are more of an aid than a burden to our society.

Photo Source: Stephanie Keith, February 11, 2017

https://www.rt.com/usa/377092-ice-immigration-raids-stoke-fears/

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[Tiara Hawkins]

The photo I chose shows farmworkers on the job. I chose this picture because occupations such as these, often referred to as “blue-collar jobs” are often taken up by immigrants who are willing to do the back-breaking work. In class, many of us voiced the opinion that it is ridiculous that so many people in our country feel that immigrants are coming here just to take our jobs and get free resources. In reality, most of the people who make these claims wouldn’t even be able to perform such work. In this article by Harsch, he writes that the agriculture sector is experiencing a major hit as the Trump administration cracks down on immigration. Agricultural output would fall by $30-$60 billion. This shows that even with these workers gone, American citizens clearly aren’t jumping at this newfound “opportunity”. Immigrants who work in these low control, high demand positions aren’t taking anything away from us. They are simply trying to live and create new opportunities for their families. This should be a basic human right, yet Trump and his supporters criminalize these people and make them seem like they are bad people and out to get Americans. The worst part is that most just buy into these fabricated portrayals of these people and never do their own research.

Source: Jonathan H. Harsch, Farm Sector Feeling Heat from ICE, 9/5/18, https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/11375-farm-sector-feeling-heat-from-ice

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[Tiara Hawkins]

This comic shows the hypocrisy of USA and Europe when they claim that “the problem with Islam is intolerance” when in reality these two regions discriminate against Muslims in many ways. The article mentions that over 50% of Americans believe that the values of Islam are in opposition to American values. This mirrors what we discussed in class regarding Orientalism and how we construct whiteness and Americanism in total opposition to Muslim identity. The article also explains that 3 groups largely contribute to Islamophobia. The groups are comprised of either white Protestants or Catholics. I think this shows that religion plays a big role in this conversation as well. Not only do many Americans feel that they can justify the war on terror and Islamophobia by pointing at the increase of terrorist events. They also justify these events because they perceive the religious beliefs of Muslims to be foreign, completely different to Christian beliefs, and filled with malicious intent.

Photo: Posted with the article by Rabbi Allen S. Maller, 11/24/2015 on IslamiCity https://www.islamicity.org/9698/rabbi-warns-islamophobia/

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[Tiara Hawkins]

This week in class we began our discussion about Japanese internment that began in 1942. At one point Dr. Kharputly showed the class an image of some Japanese leaving to concentration camps with smiles on their faces. It appeared that they were going on vacation rather than driven into forced separation. This image shows that same idea. These women looked overjoyed as they carry their luggages on the way to their new home. As was shown in class, even the media mocked what was truly going on during that time. This photograph leads me to wonder why exactly some people were smiling in photographs during this time. Were they unaware of what was to come?

Source: Densho Blog, https://densho.org/letter-from-camp-harmony/

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[Tiara Hawkins]

In class we discussed the letter that James Baldwin wrote to his young black nephew. He had to give him the “talk”, which served to warn him of what he would inevitably face due to the color of his skin. This is still relevant today. Black parents have to give their children, especially their black sons, talks about what to do when they get pulled over so that their lives may be spared.

This photo is from a book called “Mama, Did You Hear the News?” by Sanya Gragg and illustrated by Kim Holt. It shows a black mother sitting next to her son preparing to give him the “talk” about police brutality. This article by Benji Hart talks about the sad realization that having the “talk” with young black people will not save them from police brutality in today’s world. The “talk” describes what young black people should do and how they should behave during interactions with law enforcement. Gragg mentions to have manners, comply, control your emotions, keep your hands visible, and explain. However, Hart writes that despite this talk, there is nothing that can truly be done to prevent injustice by law enforcement. He mentions that in recent instances of policy brutality, black people had their hands visible, were being polite, and some were already in handcuffs when they were shot down. The color of their skin determined how they would be treated.

Source: Benji Hart, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/its-time-to-rethink-the-talk-teaching-black-kids_us_590a133ee4b084f59b49fef0

Photo: “Mama, Did You Hear the News?” by Sanya Gragg, illustrated by Kim Holt

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[Tiara Hawkins]

This picture shows Beyonce, the first black woman to ever headline Coachella, performing at the festival. During her performances, she used her platform to celebrate black culture. I specifically want to mention how she played a line from one of Malcolm X’s speeches. It was the same speech we listened to in class where he says “The most disrespected woman in America is the black woman…”. In class we have discussed how Malcolm X influenced many hip hop artists even to this day. The fact that Beyonce used that line during her performance at a popular festival in front of a very diverse crowd shows that she wasn’t afraid of any backlash. Representing what she stands for is much more important to her. This is similar to Malcom X himself who was not worried about appealing to the white people, but rather, it was more important for him to connect with his people and work together to fight for what they stood for. I also want to mention that Beyonce sang the black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during her performance. Again, this is another way she connected with black people and empowered them to stand up for what they believe.

Source: Caroline Ault, https://www.hercampus.com/school/u-mass-amherst/importance-beyonces-coachella-performance

Picture: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella

Beyonce singing the anthem: https://twitter.com/Veganyonce/status/985440309881470976

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Tiara Hawkins.

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[Tiara Hawkins]

This photo, taken by Noel Spirandelli, shows a family holding up a photo of their father in his absence. The image is an advertisement for a documentary series called “Milwaukee 53206” that addresses mass incarceration of black men in Milwaukee. This particular zip code is the most incarcerated zip code in America. The director, Keith McQuirter, wanted to go to this region and interview black families whose father figures have been incarcerated to see what life is like for these people. This ties in perfectly with our discussions during week 2. As Michelle Alexander mentions in “The New Jim Crow”, black fathers aren’t absent from their families just because they are “dead beats” and don’t want to be there. Rather, black men are being put into jail for doing the same things white people are doing and getting away with. As a result, black children are being raised without fathers and black mothers have to bear a heavier burden.

Source: Bonnie North, 2016, http://www.wuwm.com/post/milwaukee-53206-and-mass-incarceration-not-unique-story-its-quiet-story

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