After this past reading and video on intersectionality, I can say that intersectionality is an approach to feminism that includes women of all backgrounds when discussing topics, not just white women. It is an approach that is often neglected by social justice movements for a number of reasons, mostly because it takes priority away from those who are the most privileged. Because intersectionality makes the system more fair, it slows down the progress of the majority, which is why it has taken longer to be adopted by social justice groups. Groups are hesitant to be inclusive of the issues of women of color, disabilities, or different sexualities, because it will take priority away from their issues. Another example Oluo used as to why people are slow to take up intersectionality is because it brings people face to face with their privilege, and this makes many people uncomfortable. As Oluo says, it doesn’t only apply to social justice movements, but all aspects of our lives. Intersectionality is present in all of the aspects of our lives where we are forced to check our privilege, and hopefully through understanding it we can become more inclusive and less oppressive.

The first thing that came into my head regarding intersectionality in pop culture today was the Oscars, and the controversy around their not being a strong representation of colored people in those who won Academy Awards. I think this represents the neglect of intersectionality well, and checks off several of those boxes that Oluo listed in her writing. Although it may be hard to agree upon, it is undeniable that there has been a weak representation of African Americans among those who won or were nominated for  the Oscars. I think as this issue becomes bigger, there will be a bigger call for change regarding it.

Both Oluo and Wong discuss the topic of race in their work, both in similar and different ways. What I noticed that the two shared in common in their talks was the idea of white privilege, and how white folk don’t quite understand what it’s like to be a person of color. In the Oluo reading we are introduced to her mother whom is white, and despite loving her children dearly, she doesn’t quite understand her experiences as a black woman. Clearly Wong feels similarly, referencing the ideas of white privilege and power. Another similarity between the two is their idea that it is easier to connect with those of your own race, seen in Oluo’s gathering in Seattle, and Wong’s Japanese boyfriend. I think where the two show their differences are in their approach to the topic. Wong is obviously less serious about the topic, but nonetheless makes some relatable points. She clearly has an understanding of racial issues and choses to shed light on them in a way that is not only funny but makes everyone feel more comfortable. Wong’s audience is clearly not comprised of human rights activists, but more of her own fans or people of color who may be able to relate to her situation.On the other hand, Oluo takes the topic with a little more seriousness and an urge to create change. Her goal is a little more important and drastic than Wong’s, and due to her credibility she must take a more a more serious and honest approach to the topic of race. Her audience is also comprised of people of color but her audience is also looking for a deeper understanding of racism in our country, and what direction our country needs to go in order to resolve these conflicts and issues.

Oluo’s definition of racism was likely the most detailed and thorough that I have ever heard, and really addressed some of the issues around racism in society today. The definition for racism that Oluo chose was “any prejudice against someone because of their race, when those views are reinforced by systems of power”. The key part of this definition is the last section, as Oluo believe racism can be attributed to the systemic harm done to people of color in America. One line that stuck out to me was “you will get more because they exist to get less”, which I think fits well with her definition. Oluo believes that this definition is present throughout our society, as racial oppression is part of a larger system. This is different from how I have heard racism defined before, but I think it is an important perspective. I think the idea that racist views are often reinforced by systems of power is very relevant and impactful. Oluo is right in saying that society has woven in a much more quiet version of the same oppression that racism was built on . I agree with the fact that it isn’t just the system, but the complacency in the system, that allows racism to stay alive.

Oluo’s definition also applies to Ramsey’s video, especially to the idea of racial oppression as part of a larger system. The barista’s unwillingness to serve the black woman is an example of the quiet oppression woven into our society. She has to second guess herself and isn’t sure if her feelings are correct, but they are affirmed when she sees the Confederate Flag tattooed across the man’s arm. The video does a good job of showing what may go through a person of color’s head when they are put into a difficult situation like this.

The theme for this course seems to be around the topic of race and issues surrounding it in today’s society, which is something I wasn’t anticipating for this English class. Although I thought this was odd at first, I think there is a lot of opportunity and material for us to cover with this topic, and possibly create some great arguments and analysis in our papers. Because race is a touchy subject in today’s society, it seems like an unusual topic for a freshman English class, but nonetheless seems intriguing. My initial thought was that this could be a problematic topic, but I realized that it is an important topic to be discussed, and what better way to do it than through literature analysis. I think it might even be an important topic for first year students, who may not have had much experience discussing race in high school. I have covered race before in school but only in a historical context in classes like US History, so I am interested in taking a different approach to the topic, and learning more about a firsthand account with racial issues in the book we will be reading. I feel as if this will be an enlightening experience for all of us, and will hopefully open my horizons to issues that are often pushed aside in today’s culture, as talked about in the introduction to So You Want To Talk About Race. Not only will this be a powerful learning experience, but in addition I feel as if this will strengthen   my text analysis and ability to comment and build off of an author’s writing. I absolutely wasn’t expecting for race to be one of the themes of this course, but I think it will help improve my composition skills and rhetorical awareness.

Hello, my name Sean Henry and I’m from San Anselmo, California, which is just north of San Francisco. You’re probably wondering how I ended up at Fairfield being from California. Well, my dad is a Fairfield alum, and both my parents grew up here on the east coast. In addition I have plenty of relatives who live nearby in New York and New Jersey, so I’m not alone out here. My sister also goes to school nearby at Villanova, and she was a big factor in convincing me to make the move out here to the east coast. A little more about me personally: I love baseball (I’m a big Yankees fan), my dog Riley, and spending time with friends and family.

I hope to get a number of things out of this class. First and foremost I would like to strengthen my overall writing skills in terms of learning more complex essay structure, and I think the blog posts will be a great way to develop those skills. I would also like to develop better strategies when it comes to text analysis. I’ve always been confident in my writing skills, but I need to improve my writing analysis skills and my ability to form an argument or thesis. I hope to be a good collaborator when it comes to working with peers, and plan on learning from my classmates through feedback and critique. I’ve also been stubborn when it comes to asking for help and have always tried to figure things out on my own, so I want to do a better job of using the resources around me for revising and editing. Overall, I hope to build around the areas of writing and text analysis that I am confident in, and improve the skills that I’ve found myself to be weaker in.