Core 3 Topic 5-8

Lennie Jackson

After reading the handout “Love with Power – Practicing Transformation for Social

Justice", I can provide an honest response from my personal perspective. The first questions ask

how we can develop the collective strength and insight needed to transform a culture and an

economy built on racism and domination. Well, we can begin by taking one step at a time. Since

we know the problem, which is racism and domination, we also can find the solution which is

culture transformation. We must begin with the core of the problem, which Is ‘people’. We must

find a way to make those who are supposedly in power, and who uphold the racism and

domination understand that that we are all a part of the human race. No particular branch of the

human race is better than the other. The problem is that one race feels superior to all races, and

this race is a part of the domination and racism. Because others are viewed as minorities, herein

lies the problem, equality in human rights. All of us have inherent rights as children of the

creator. None of us created ourselves, we call came into the world as innocent babies. We

learned from the other adults around us. We learned racism, we learned domination, we learned

prejudice, we learned to hate other individuals because they look different. Everyone has the

right to their own opinion, but we all owe each other respect, especially for the differences in

religious beliefs and culture. The economy in America was truly built on racism and domination,

yet there is still hope. Unfortunately, when tragedy strikes home, or somehow, the homeland is

threatened, humans seem to ban together, regardless of their differences.

As in 911, a situation that gripped the attention of many Americans for a very long time

because this was a tragedy on U. S. soil. During the time following the incident, many

individuals helped one another because we all know how precious life is, and how easy it can be
taken away. We were all threatened, and this common threat is what caused us to bond, and ban

together to get through the dilemmas following the incident. This brings up the second question

that asks if we can change when we are not ready. We were not ready when 911 threatened us

all, but it did not stop us from working with one another. Unfortunately, those who were from the

middle east had a very hard time when this incident occurred, nevertheless, the answer to the

second question is that ‘yes’, we can cultivate our readiness to engage with extraordinary

challenges—even when we don’t feel ready. Certain circumstances challenge your readiness, and

you may not think you are ready until you are put to the test. I have dealt with the fact that some

of my students have been killed from gun violence. Elementary age children, who lost their lives

because of someone else’s senseless gun play. Learning to help one another is the best way to

cultivate change in the behavior and attitudes we have towards each other. As we answer the

third question, we can help ourselves to be ready by simply practicing, engagement with one

another when there is not an emergency, but when things are just fine. We can make being kind

to one another a good habit that can serve us all, even throughout extraordinary challenges. This

aspect of our social movements will continue to serve us as we practice good moral habits, and

leaving behind the bad moral habits that do not serve us, such as prejudice, injustice, and

inequality.

The fourth question asks how can we respond to a world of injustice and violence with

the love and power we are just beginning to imagine. The answer is simple, embrace change.

When we embrace change, we give the opportunity for things to be different for us all. We will

begin to expect different outcomes that are more positive, and less negative. Love for

humankind, and power to effect change is what will help us to catapult things in to a new order.

This is the only way that I can see change happening, is if we all embrace change for the better,
for all involved. We are one race, the human race, if one is cut, they bleed, as we all do. No one

is better than another, and no one should look down on someone because they have a different

way of living their life. What can we do to embody the world we want and need right now? We

can begin by touching one life at a time. We all know that when tragedy strikes, we can feel

vulnerable, and victimized after the incident has happened. Violence is never the solution to a

problem, especially if the problem arose from a situation that there was injustice, inequality or

some form of hatred toward another person. It is sad that tragedy has to strike, or someone loses

their life in order for changes to be made. It is a good thing that there are movements such as

Black Lives Matter because we can see how they have helped to cause a positive effect all across

America, the message that the group sends is felt nationwide.

The fact that the Black Lives Matter movement, actually sends their members out into

communities. Going from door to door, the efforts prove to reach likeminded individuals both far

and wide. The efforts of the movement show that many individuals from all walks of life can

agree, even though they have disagreed up until this point. It has been proven and show that yes,

we can come together to share what we need and state how help could assist. We know the kind

of help that is needed and we know how certain help could uplift others. The Black Lives Matter

movement has proved over and over that we as the human race can connect, in order to create a

lasting effect on individuals. We also know that we can talk to groups of people, but we must

have effective communication, stating both the problem, and the solutions to the problems.

Action is the best way to determine the possible outcomes in any circumstance. The actions must

be congruent with the end goal.

Topic 5
 My understanding of how the historical, as well as contemporary, women's movements,

have changed the dynamics between men and women in contemporary America tremendously.

The ways that things have changed is that many women have taken on roles that men usually

have. For example, leadership roles, such as in politics and education. Women have been

pioneers, entrepreneurs, and effective leaders in schools and communities. Although there has

been liberation, there still exists violence in the community. Women have not been given

immunity to violence, prejudice or bias, and are still subject to mistreatment by other individuals.

When it comes to intersectionality, Kimberle Crenshaw explains how race and gender bias is

being experienced by African American women. I personally do not understand ‘state sanctioned

violence’, but if it is considered ‘OK’ to hurt another person, this is clearly not right. Even if a

person is accused of committing a crime, the individual is innocent until proven guilty in a court

of law. No one should be mistreated because they are arrested, regardless of what they are being

arrested for, we all deserve respect.

Many battles that arise come from unaddressed issues in the past. We must find and

repair the problem in order to support the world we desire to live in. Intersectionality exposes

discrimination, exclusion in the workplace. Intersectionality impacts male-female dynamics in

the way that the workforce is run, and the roles that each company expects individuals from

certain race or gender to fill. Intersectionality exposes the truth about what goes on with black

women, and the treatment in the workplace and in the community. We must collectively decide

how we are going to continue our lives, with equality, truth, and justice for all. Kimberle said

that if we cannot see a problem, then we cannot fix a problem, and it is up to us to do what needs

to be done to make a difference.

Topic 6
 One of the two pieces of knowledge that I gained from watching the video is that I did

not know that men who left to go fight in the war left their jobs behind. Women were encouraged

to go and perform the jobs that men were leaving. Many women took their new roles very

seriously, while other women were happy to give the men their jobs back when they returned

from the war. Women were very serious about equality and having the same rights and freedom

as men. Women were determined to prove to men that they had what it took to contribute to

society, and not just at home as a housewife.

After the president signed to give women the same rights as men, this made the economy

boom, as women were now empowered to be all that they desired to be. I did not realize how

stressful it was for women, trying to raise a family at home, with limited potential. With women

being free and empowered, this changed the game at home with family. It seems that nowadays

women have taken over the household because the men are now willing to let them take over the

household. Women dominate in many fields from politics, sports, religion, and entertainment.

Topic 7

I believe that there is a relationship between the labor movement and the women’s

movement. I feel that during the era of women’s liberation is when the relationship was formed.

As women were free to work outside of the home, this increased the possibility for women to

choose to work jobs that men would normally work. With equality, women now apply for any

job that will give them the money they seek to make. Education has also increased women’s

roles in the labor movement and the women’s movement. For example, there are women who are

doctors, lawyers, and politicians, whereas this was not the norm prior to women’s liberation.

Women were not professors, scientists or astronauts, however nowadays women are police

officers, judges, and are making a difference in society through their work. Women who are
plumbers, electricians, and truck drivers greatly contribute in areas where men would normally

work. Women who were in the former days took jobs that men who were off in the war lost.

Unfortunately, today many men are incarcerated, therefore the jobs are available that

these men would also work. In a sense, the labor and women’s movement balances itself out

when comes to the job market. I say this because the job demand and supply is being met by the

women who are out here performing the jobs. I feel that since mothers are no longer at home like

the used to be, the children suffer the most because they don’t have the same amount of bonding

time that they used to have after having a baby. Now women are discharged from the hospital,

and expected to return to the workforce six weeks after delivering a baby. I think women are

now more responsible at home, and this has contributed to men being OK with not being in the

home raising children. It is now a normal thing for women to be single parents, and for men to

have multiple families that he does not have to support.

Topic 8

Review the poem “Ain’t I a Woman”

Sojourner Truth was a freed slave, and she was interpreting things from her viewpoint. She knew

that things were changing because they needed to be changed. This is noted when she said, “I

think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the

white men will be in a fix pretty soon”. She knew that things were changing, and she also

realized how men treated women, and black women to be more specific. She did not like how

she was being treated, especially when she quotes what a man said regarding women’s needs.

She notices the men treated the white women like women who were cared for and well kept, and

overlooked other women who were not white. The women who were not white, were not

considered to be women at all. Sojourner compared herself to other women, and the fact that she
was indeed a woman, able to do all that women could do. When she says, “Look at me! Look at

my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me”!

Sojourner knew she was as capable as any other woman, regardless of the woman’s skin color.

She noted that it did not matter how smart a person was, human rights were more important than

intellect. She felt like all women should be treated equal, and have as much rights as men and

white women. She stated that man had nothing to do with Christ coming into the world. She even

included God in her interpretation of biblical facts, and how she saw things. Women made things

happen with God as their partner, and if any man cannot see that all things are possible with God,

then they are in for a rude awakening!