Project Reflection #5

    Wow, the semester is finally coming to a close, and it is time to reflect on what I've accomplished! Over the course of this semester, I read a brand new book! Many Rivers to Cross by Henry Louis Gates Jr. was a phenomenal read that really enhanced the overall course. Sometimes textbooks for classes are drier than a Popeye's biscuit. Along with the readings required for class, we had to submit a Literature Circle response for each chapter. The Literature Circle responses comprise a chapter summary and an assigned "role" (Passage Director, Discussion Director, etc.) we rotated each week to simulate an in-class discussion. This specific section I took was an all-online eight-week course, so the timeframe was VERY rapid. In addition to our textbook work, we had to complete an educational product and blog to track our progress in our eight weeks of class. Talk about needing to be organized!

I recommend that anyone wanting to learn more about African-American history start with Many Rivers to Cross. The textbook tells African-American history from the perspective of African Americans. While most U.S. history classes gloss over historical facts with a white-washed sheen, Many Rivers to Cross opened my eyes to the integral role African Americans played in creating American prosperity, culture, and identity. I learned about the work of early colonial leaders like Richard Allen and the former slave-turned-politician Robert Smalls. Beyond the men who were leaders in the movement to abolish slavery and fight for civil rights, the textbook also mentions heroic women. Ida B. Wells, a prominent anti-slavery journalist and activist, is covered in the book with other women like the first self-made African-American millionaire, Madam CJ Walker. 

    Looking back on my posts about my chosen topic, Mass Incarceration, I am surprised by the new knowledge I gained. Affecting black men and women disproportionately, our carceral state in the U.S. is larger than any other country in the world. What makes the statistic more startling is how U.S. crime rates are about average of most stable, first-world countries. In my research and work for my educational product, I wanted to take a closer look at the carceral state of Arizona. In my findings, I was shocked to learn Arizona is above the national average of the U.S. in terms of prison incarceration rate. The carceral state in Arizona also disproportionately affects African-Americans, Indigenous folx, and latinx populations. The conditions in these prisons and jails are putting people in poor living conditions. These conditions have led to spikes in COVID-19 cases and deaths in prisons (actual COVID-linked deaths are not tracked in prison systems...). Learning also about the higher rate of recidivism the U.S. experiences made me believe we are not justly setting people up for success in life after incarceration. The issue of mass incarceration is a recent development and a byproduct of a long-standing problem-- the U.S. has always treated black and brown people differently than their white counterparts. The systemic issue of racism may be deeply embedded in the fabric of our nation, but I know it can be fixed. Many incarcerated non-violent offenders would be dealt less severe punishment in other first-world countries. The goal of prison in those countries is reducing recidivism and rehabilitating those who are incarcerated. When a building is on fire, and people are breaking windows to jump out, you don't imprison the people jumping out for destroying their landlord's property. You search for the cause of the fire, punish the arsonist who caused it, or implement safer measures to prevent fires from happening.

    Based on what I learned in this course, I will apply the strategy of active listening and lifting the voices of those fighting for equality right now. As a white, cis-gendered man, I have enjoyed many privileges during my existence in this country. I can drive with my license and registration in my glove compartment because I don't fear police brutality against me. I can freely walk in most parts of this country without a turn of the head. Part of the work I hope to achieve moving forward is continuing my studies toward my degree. When I am doing my best, I will be able to help those around me. Knowledge is one of the most potent weapons against hate and discrimination-- the battles we fight today over women's access to abortion, LGBTQ people having the right to marry, and racism have been fought against for millennia. Learning about the successes and failures in our history that led us right to where we are allows us the map of how to not repeat those same mistakes. We begin to see the path forward is treacherous, but will be worth the reward for future generations.

(wc: 788)