Justice Event: African American Culture Society

So I went to this event on Thursday February 19th. Yes This is a late response to it but life is crazy, I'm sure all of you can relate.

     So first off I noticed that there were only 17 people there. There was me and Julienne then another class sitting on the other side. The class was required to go and I believe it was during their class time, their teacher was there as well. He asked a lot of questions (making what was supposed to be an hour lecture turn into a few..). Besides the class there was a couple African American men, one women and that was it. I have to admit I was not too surprised, but what was sad was the woman who helped with the presentation asked and assumed that we came because of a class. I felt bad saying yes. Right at the beginning of the event they had us choose a ticket for a raffle where they gave out a couple shirts and that built up to a sweatshirt. I am always afraid to win things because I am shy to say that it was me. Is anyone else like that? So I had a feeling that I would win the sweatshirt.. and sure enough I did! I was shy but of course told them and received a nice sweatshirt in honor of Trayvon Martin!
     There is so much I could go into about the history but what I really took out of this presentation was Keith Stoke's main purpose that people need to think of the lives that were affected by slavery. What he means is not as "oh it was so long ago they are just a story now." But instead that we take time to think of what happened almost as if it were happening around us, to people that we know. He wanted us to relate to the people back then. On the graves that he told us about and showed us, there were angels engraved at the top that had African features! One thing that was really powerful was the pictures of the graves with pictures along side of them of the children and people mostly under the age of 18 that were buried there. It was so sad. It really brought the history alive and made me think about it in a different way. Before this event I really hadn't thought much about slavery except for what I was required to in school. This presentation made me think about it longer than I would have otherwise. So this shows that as Delpit says, those with power are less aware of its existence. I didn't think much about slavery and those issues because it doesn't affect me but Stokes speaks how it did happen and to real people like you and me. He wants us to understand that.

    One thing I learned and was quite surprised by was how much slavery was in Rhode Island. Particularly in Providence, Bristol and Newport, all of which I am pretty familiar with. It actually wasn't as bad here in Rhode Island as it was in the South. Here's some more about Newport and this topic (By Keith Stokes). Slave owners here would use the South as a threat because of the huge difference there was. I really appreciate people that are well spoken. I think it is because I take a while to say my thoughts the right way. I also will stumble over my words and not be able to get out what I want to say fluently. It doesn't happen too often but often enough that I pay attention to others way of speaking. Keith Stokes spoke with confidence and passion. It was cool to hear what meant so much to him. History has really never been an interest of mine but I could see that it was more that just history for him. I know that because when I understand something or feel strongly enough about something, I have a strong and confident voice that is clear. Also I will be able to talk for an endless amount of time about it and want to answer every question relating to it. What is really cool is that this voice of mine that I just described comes out when I am teaching! Its amazing and something I developed recently that makes me really excited! I also found that it comes out when I am frustrated and need to get my point across in a straight forward manner that demands the attention of who I am talking to. I didn't know I would go into this so much but there you go!

     Having a strong voice relates to what Rodriguez went through. He started out lost and quiet because of the language barrier. Slowly but surely he found his voice and was able to speak English and join in the class without being afraid. It's like me when I found my teaching voice. (Finally!!) Suddenly I was able to help more and wasn't as shy. A break through! Rodriguez spoke when he had confidence in himself just as Stokes spoke so fluently and confidently in what he knows so well. It meant a lot that Rodriguez had finally accomplished learning English so well and he was proud. Stokes had to learn and research to know all the history and things he knows now. Being fluent in history is a challenge just as learning a language. Each subject we learn is a language. Like science for another example. You can have a full conversation in how it works in debt with scientific terms and someone who does not know much about science would hear blah blah blah. Or an even better example is learning an instrument. When I first got my clarinet I was intimidated and so confused. I couldn't even get a sound other than an ear piercing squeak to come out! After a lot of learning and lessons, I learned to play. Music tells a story, there is a lot to understand in it and it is not easy. Just like learning a language or learning enough about a subject to speak about it confidently enough and teach it to others so that they understand.                   
  

     Here's a quote from Amazing Grace by Kozol, "There's a whole world out there if you know it's there, if you can see it. But they're in a cage. They cannot see." (Page 24) This made me think of the white people during the time that many of them owned slaves. No, not the slaves. The slaves were trapped in the position that they were in but they were not the ones that could not see. The slaves knew what was going on. They knew that they were supposed to be treated equally and free. It was the slave owners that convinced themselves that they knew how things were supposed to be. Slave owners could not see the world out there as anything different than what it was. They could not see that what they were putting the slaves through was so terrible because they were consumed by their greed.