American History
This semester we learned about the history of stereotypes and the impact they have on us today. Down below is the process of our project:
#BREAKFREE
Our Inspiration:
One day when we came into class our teacher, Joanne, had these posters on the wall. They were blank. "Write down any stereotype you've heard about these people." The classroom was silent as we all walked around writing down words and names we've become accustomed to hearing. Certain things were written more than once. When we finished Joanne asked us, "Where did you learn all of these things?" No one had a real answer, stereotypes were just something we knew.
Throught out the week we continued to study institutionalized racism. We read Whistling Vivaldi. A black man could not walk on the sidewalk without feeling discriminated against. People would avoid him at all costs, even by crossing the street. One day he was walking and whistling a song from Vivaldi. He was all of a sudden seen differently. Why? Because he was showing interest in a something white people enjoyed as well. He was seen differently because he somehow became less black and more white.
The beginning:
Project Description
Students will research the historical background and analyze the patterns that have particularly affected an underrepresented group. They will also research and connect with a local organization that is not only an expert on the topic but also solution oriented. The students will immerse themselves within these organizations and collaborate with experts that are attempting to empower the underrepresented group in order to make significant progress and also promote a “breakfree” experience for that group.
I am More Than That
It was time to really connect to the stereotypes we had been learning about. We chose a moment in our lives in which we felt discriminated and wrote about it. It wasn't just about race, it was about any time we wish people knew we were more than what they saw.
We all made a special card to go with our stories and they were all anonymous. The first thing we did in class was listen to Joanne read a card out loud. We not only learned about the different stereotypes out there, but as well as how these affected people. Our own peers were going through things, yet we might have never known because we judge from what we see.
Above is my "That" card. I will not include what I wrote because it is a personal experience I only wanted to share with my class.
Personal Piece
Everyone made a personal piece. There was paintings, drawings, music, speeches, poetry, and spoken word poetry. I decided to do a spoken word piece, because I feel I express myself best through writing. Spoken word was something I've never done and it would not only be a new challenge, but be a new way to spread my message.
I am proud of my poem because it is something I struggle with a lot. My heritage is a huge part of who I am, but because I lack one thing I am labeled as whitewashed. To be able to have a platform to share this issue meant so much to me. I had people come up to me and say they could related or that they knew someone who could. To hear that I am not the only one struggling with this is eye opening and some what comforting.
Click the button to the right to read my poem.
Group Project
Everyone was put into groups based off of the issue they wanted to focus on. My video is called Immigration Facts: True or False. We took the stereotypes of Mexican immigrants and researched to find out if they were true. When we had our answers we went to the public to see if they knew the truth.
But before first we had to plan the video. As a group we wrote a video proposal which explained in detail what we wanted our final product to be.
Once we finished we took all the ideas we wrote about and put the into a presentation. We pitched our ideas to the class and were able to get feedback from them. It was extremely helpful in making sure our main message was getting across. Then we brainstormed even more with a storyboard. My storyboard looks a lot different than what the actual video turned out to be. It still has the same ideas but protrayed in different ways.
Down below you can check out my groups final video! And when you're done watching it go to the offcial breakfree youtube page and watch some more videos.
Dont forget
to share!
Exhibition Day!
The time had finally come for us to share the work we'd spent weeks doing. It was finally time for us to show show everyone what it means to breakfree.
We displayed our work at Queen Bee's Arts and Cultural Center, which is right here in San Diego located in North Park. It was the perfect place for us and our vision of exhibition came to life. We showed our individual pieces as well as our group videos. We added in bits of what lead up to our final project like our "That" cards. There were two stages where there was always a spoken word being said or music performed. It was a night filled with emotion, moving poetry, discussions of stereotypes, and music. As two separate classes we performed two diferent songs that we thought supported the message of breakfree.
Reflection
Throughout this project the term breakfree has had a lot of different meanings. But to me breakfree means to stop assuming. When you assume someone speaks a certain language or has certain privileges then you're already doing something wrong. It's 2016 and I should not have to explain how I embrace my culture and heritage. Everyones story is different, but in the end we all understand each other, because one way or another we have something that makes us stand out. So instead of assuming and discriminating we should breakfree and realize we are the same because we are all different.
The most challenging part of this for me was worrying that no one would be able to relate to me. I was afraid that my problem wouldn't be understood because I've never heard anyone else go through it. But one of my friends who also wrote a spoken word went through something similar. He is not the same race as me but he understood being judged for not being fully imersed in his heritage. Yes I speak English no I do not speak any other language and thats okay.
Academically speaking of breakfree the history behind stereotypes is something that should be taught everywhere. I had no clue where most even started. When I begun to see how these words were born from hatred I was not surpirsed. I did, though, wonder why this was not common knowledge. It has left me with many questions as well as answered those I already had. We instinctively learn all stereotypes because they have always been apart of history. They belong somewhere. We have not done anything to stop them from belonging, and this is why this project is so important. There are now about 60 people who are striving to breakfree from these stereotypes.
As this project comes to an end I am left with hope. I hope that I do not forget what I learn. I hope that I can use what I've learned to be a better persom. I hope that whenever I say something that sounds even the tinest bit like stereotyping I will remind myself to breakfree. But this won't just benefit me, because as I continue to grow I can make sure we no longer allow certain terms to belong. I hope eventually I do not have to say breakfree because we already have.