sada Nicome
Anthro 290
Final Paper
Artist Statement
In this artist statement I plan to address a borderland space in reference to neighborhoods, also known as redlining. I also plan to discuss the discrimination associated within these particular neighborhoods. A description of goals of the work that I produced and lastly what inspired me to specifically choose this borderland space.
The borderland space I choose to discuss was Los Angeles County. The county itself is filled with over 80 cities and has a long history with red lining. Red lining is often looked at as a discriminatory practice. An example of redlining can be when bank establishments and insurance companies refuse or limit loans, home mortgages, etc to people within a certain area. A border can be defined as a line separating two political or geographical areas, especially
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In the reading she highlighted the personal struggles she experienced with borderlands. Anzandula was not only classified as an immigrant once migrating to America. She then took on other labels like minority and lesbian. Even though she was fully aware of what people may think of her, she still was able to maintain confidence in her identity in an environment that was particularly not set up for her or people like her. Similar to another reading entitled Home girls, which was about young schoolgirl migrants. What stood out to me the most was how the young girls maintained their identity despite their circumstances. The borderlands that they faced didn’t challenge some, but some altered their identity in order to feel comfortable in their own skin. With this alteration it later than developed into something bigger than young teenage girls just developing their identity. According to law enforcement If it’s more than two with similar language and colors, and oh yeah minorities? It’s a
Anne Zahalka cleverly presents her intentions and interests in the world clearly throughout her artworks, more specifically her series ‘Welcome to Sydney’. Through the creation of this series Zahalka was interested in the changing multicultural nature of Australian society, closely drawing the audiences attention to the cultural frame. She effectively does this by portraying the subjects with dignity and respect by deliberately positioning them in an area in which they connect with. In doing so, Zahalka acknowledges her own experience, as the daughter of immigrant parents has influenced her conceptual practice. She uses cultural symbols to show the individuals are different, yet making them as one being put into Australian locations. In the image ‘Guangan Wu, Market Gardens, Kyeemagh’ a chinese immigrant stands in a panoramic landscape of market garden...
The issue of identity also emerged in her commentary on how many Native American women are forced to prove their ethnicity for equality in health care and school: “For urban Indian women, who are not registered in federal government records, social services and benefits are difficult or almost impossible to obtain” (page 222). This governmental requirement for people to prove themselves as being “indian enough” can be damaging to one’s sense of self, and is proof of ongoing colonialism because the oppressors are determining whether one’s identity is legitimate.
I can personally resonate with Anzaldua is trying to convey to her audience. Although I identify as heterosexual Latino male Anzaldua sums it perfectly, in the following quote. "If you're a person of color, those expectations take on more pronounced nuances due to the traumas of racism and colonization"(65
Preceding her youth, in 1977, Anzaldua became a High School English teacher to Chicano students. She had requested to buy Chicano texts, but was rejected to do so. The principal of the school she worked for told her, in Anzaldua’s words: “He claimed that I was supposed to teach “American” and English literature.” She then taught the text at the risk of being fired. Anzaldua described, “Being Mexican is a state of soul – not on of mind.” All in all, the reprimanding she had to endure only made her stronger: “Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” It led to Anzaldua embracing her Mexican culture even more, contrary to shoving it aside. Anzaldua transformed her beliefs into something both cultures can applaud, and be honored
In the beginning of the essay, Anzaldua speaks about a time when she was in class and was trying to give her teacher an explanation about something, but instead, she immediately got punished in which they considered her “talking back”. The teacher then proceeded to tell her, if she wanted to live in America, she will have to speak American, and if she didn’t like it, she could go back to Mexico where she belongs. From a very young age, young girls are taught not to talk back and not ask too many questions as where the adults would take this as a f...
Anzaldua grew up in the United States but spoke mostly Spanish, however, her essay discusses how the elements of language began to define her identity and culture. She was living in an English speaking environment, but was not White. She describes the difficulty of straddling the delicate changing language of Chicano Spanish. Chicano Spanish can even differ from state to state; these variations as well as and the whole Chicano language, is considered a lesser form of Spanish, which is where Anzaldua has a problem. The language a person speaks is a part...
She explains how Mexican and Chicano literature, music, and film is alienated; their culture is considered shameful by Americans. They are forced to internalize their pride in their culture. This conflict creates an issue in a dual culture society. They can neither identify with North American culture or with the Mexican culture.
At the beginning of the essay, Anzaldúa recounts a time when she was at the dentist. He told her, “We’re going to have to control your tongue” (33). Although he was referring to her physical tongue, Anzaldúa uses this example as a metaphor for language. The dentist, who is trying to cap her tooth, symbolizes the U.S. who is similarly seeking to restrict the rights of minority groups. Nevertheless, the tongue is preventing the dentist from doing his job. Likewise, there are several minority groups who refuse to abide to the laws of dominant cultures and are fighting back. Anzaldúa also touches on a personal story that happened at school. When she was younger, she was sent to the corner because apparently, she spoke back to her Anglo teacher. The author argues that she was unfairly scolded because she was only telling her teacher how to pronounce her name. Her teacher warned her, “If you want to be American, speak American. If you don’t like it, go back to Mexico where you belong.” This short story provides an understanding of what Anzaldúa’s life was like. It demonstrates how even at a young age, she was continually pressured because of where comes
Have you ever gone to Chinatown supposing to find a culture full of African Americans? Probably not, because that is not where they’re expected to be. We live in a world where colonies of different colored people are expected, or otherwise discriminated into populating distinct spaces; African Americans are supposed to be in the ghetto, Chinese belong in Chinatown, and Caucasians reserve more elite communities. For centuries, each race has been striving to belong in a society where people are accepted as equals and certain jobs are not handed out to favored ethnicities. This form of discrimination has somewhat dwindled down, however, it still has an undeniable impact on the lives of every single generation since mankind was created. In Dionne Brand’s What We All Long For (WWALF), we view and contrast the lives of four different but very similar characters in which they negotiate different aspects of their lives in order to find their own unique and comfortable place in the powerful and diverse city of Toronto. The following essay examines the depiction of global spaces and the effects on diasporic identity through characters Tuyen and Carla from WWALF. I will analyze and contrast the adaptation of the characters to the city, the influence from the characters’ homes, and the connection to the emotional spaces; illustrating the effects on identification.
The eternal endeavor of obtaining a realistic sense of selfhood is depicted for all struggling women of color in Gloria Anzaldua’s “Borderlands/La Frontera” (1987). Anzaldua illustrates the oppressing realities of her world – one that sets limitations for the minority. Albeit the obvious restraints against the white majority (the physical borderland between the U.S. and Mexico), there is a constant and overwhelming emotional battle against the psychological “borderlands” instilled in Anzaldua as she desperately seeks recognition as an openly queer Mestiza woman. With being a Mestiza comes a lot of cultural stereotypes that more than often try to define ones’ role in the world – especially if you are those whom have privilege above the “others”.
At Krannert Art Museum this year Social Studies put out their third exhibit featuring eight artists? works that provoke viewers to reflect on issues of identity, tolerance, equal rights, and integration as they apply to education now. When I walked in to the exhibit I noticed a very interesting portrait to begin with. It was five separate portraits of two women, one white, one black, both attempting to sit in the same chair. The title of the work was Plessy vs. Ferguson, in memory of the Supreme Court decision that made segregation legal. The separate part seemed to hold true but the equal part was far more than lacking. Most cases seemed to be that there wasn?t enough to separate hence the reason for the two women struggling over the same chair. This art took me awhile to understand because my brain had not been geared to what I was actually witnessing. It wasn?t until I sat down on a retro style couch resting on a beige shag carpet rug facing a silent movie projection. The obvious use of perspective in this art form helped me understand the side by side projection of two different family videos. One was footage from a Jewish family and the other was an African American family?s footage. Both of the videos depicted family gatherings for celebrations such as barbeques, birthday parties, trips to Disney World and religious holidays.
The hood, short for neighborhood, of a predominantly poor, minority area is vastly different from the neighborhood of middle or upper class suburban area. Whereas one is overridden by violence, hopelessness, and a sense of confinement, the other is an exemplification of the American dream, prosperity, and opportunity. The polar differences between the two areas are not coincidental, but, rather, consequential.
...p from the world they live in, a world of separation and indicate themselves with their own realities. Art is handed over into society’s hands, as in one movement it is suggested - to fixate what is real, live like you create and create like you live; in other – abandon media’s proposed ideas and take the leadership of life in our own hands.
Art is used in mass media to influence people, especially people in the generation and culture we live in today. The majority of art young people receive in our culture is through television and in particularly popular culture networks, like MTV. The television show on MTV called The Hills is an example of a show that promotes dominant ideology to young children/ teenagers. Slightly opposite of that would be another show on MTV called Jersey Shore, which is an example of a show that partly reinforces and partly challenges dominant ideology to the same type of audience. The two shows are looking at people who are in their 20s and there life as they live it in their current situation, they both claim to be reality television with no scripts. The Hills follows the life of one main girl and her friends, partners, and career however, all the actors in the show come from wealthy parents, and live a wealthy life style. Jersey Shore however, is a show about eight people living under the same roof, and following their lives as middle, working class people while they live together for the summer and also embracing there Italian culture. The difference for the Jersey Shore cast is that they do not come from wealthy parents and are only living together for the summer, until they part their own ways again. The paradox between art and social justice would be that art can be shown to fight for and against social justice. In this essay we will be comparing how The Hills is showing the dominant ideology of an upper white class structure that fights against social justice, while Jersey Shore is fighting for social justice by not showing the dominant ideologies of upper class, instead showing working class Americans. The essay will compare the two p...
I had to get away. I needed my alone time: space. It was nice living out here in the big open, to be able to wander around and not have to worry about the sickness going on in the cities and towns. It made me feel invincible, free.