Through the Eyes of Another

Reading this interview was extremely rewarding.  I completely appreciate Christina McVay's view regarding being able to learn from teaching Black Literature. 

Growing up in a predominantly white school setting, we were only exposed to a limited amount of Black authors and even the teacher really didn't know how to deliver the "message" of what was read.  We, the students had to "figure it out" for ourselves which left me to not really get a chance to appreciate Black Literature at all. 

I could only imagine how the students must feel to be able to "be themselves" and even more so appreciated for their culture, especially in a learning environment.  Christina McVay was correct when she stated "black students have been told by teachers, by the whole school system, frequently by their own parents, that black English was bad, improper" (94).  My mind suddenly went to the "code switching" that was discussed in Elaine Richardson's article "To Protect and Serve". 
Now McVay has created an environment for the students to be able to be themselves and not have to be concerned with whether or not they are speaking within the correct language code. 
Christina McVay also mentions that she has embraced a lot of different values by teaching Black Literature and that causes one to really thing about changing their "own world". 
Just because you were raised one way, as you get older, you can "change your view" if it does not align with your own values. 
Christina McVay is a wonderful example of being brave to step out and dare to be different and then be bold enough to declare her new love and appreciation for another culture.

Speak

“Black women comprise 44% of all illiterate women (Safman, 1986). 

Hearing that black women are illiterate saddens me, yet it makes me want to do better.  This fact makes me  sad because I am a black woman and, for lack of a better phrase, those are my people.  It is also motivation to go against the norm and become the best literate black woman that I can be to prove myself.  Black women have always, since slavery, been given the short end of the stick. 

  While Sharon Darling speaks on “Literacy and the Black Woman,” she says that “If literacy is narrowly defined as just being able to read and write, the number who would have been considered literate is negligible.”  This makes me think of the storytelling chapter that we read.  One of my classmates defined literacy as being able to read, write, and speak.  Going off of her definition, I believe that many black women are literate to some degree.  Although some black women might not be able to read or write well, we sure as hell can speak.  However, I do agree that we as black women should become literate.  Not only for  our family, but also for ourselves so that we can have a chance to compete in this cruel discriminate world.

Black,Female,and Literate. Why Not?

After reading Leonie C. R. Smith’s story of her literacy acquisition I felt a sense of sorrow, hope, and pride. Sorrow for all the things Smith had to go through, hope for myself, and pride in Smith and all other black women and women of color who have persevered through  all their obstacles to reach their goals.

Smith had many obstacles to overcome throughout her life beginning with her mother’s death, then moving to the United States and the different schooling system, and of course racism. She seemed to take everything in stride and roll with the punches, but racism hit her hard. “The cancer of racism infected academics; it infected sports, social life, and every aspect of my being. It metastasized to my bones, it reached my heart, and it almost got to my soul. It ate away at me, tore me up inside for 4 long years” (195). The figurative language used to describe the pain racism caused her was so real and powerful, everyone can relate to the use of the words ‘cancer’, ‘infected’, and  ‘metastasized’.

Every young women of color should read the story of Leonie C.R. Smith. It is very inspiring and would give hope to anyone. The conviction with which she pressed forward to get her education is also inspiring. From reading her story I feel that I should push through any walls that may build themselves into my path so that I can reach my education goals. It also makes me want to tell anyone who may be struggling that they can make it through as long as they have the determination.

The height of your success will equal the depth of your convictions. -William Scholavino

Not Always a Bedtime Story

As a child, I never got into "storytime" that was offered by grade school teachers.  I was a loner and I would prefer to just read the book alone.  All of the questions being asked and comments on the pictures would irritate me.  But then as I entered motherhood, storytime had become important to me and my sons.  It was the time to wind down and teach my children about the world we live in.  That was the time to allow their imaginations to run free.  I wanted to expose them to more than what I, or their father, could offer at the time. 
At story time we could either read their favorite book, or just discuss our upbringing as children.
It's so funny that, with fiction or non-fiction stories,we would always begin with "Once upon a time".  That indicated that what I was about to share was in the past and there was a lesson to be taught, so pay attention.

After reading "Storytelling" by Wanda J. Franklin and Joanne Kilgour Dowdy, I now realize why storytelling was so important to me as a mother.  According to the authors, "story telling helps us create a foundation on which we build an understanding of the world as well as provide a filter through which we experience life" (119). 

I now realize that everything and everyone has a story to tell.  We go about our daily lives communicating with others and whether or not we realize it, we are telling a story.  We discuss our experiences at work, home, school, and play.  We talk about lessons we have learned from others, or just re-hash a story we heard.  But all-in-all, casual conversations are one big story being told.
All the stories we share have a specific purpose.  They can be divided up as stories of safety, stories of morals/values, stories of health, stories of religion, or stories of culture. Most of the time a lesson is to be taught and learned through the story.

As a mother, I can relate to the section regarding story telling through research.  Although, I have never researched or interviewed another black woman, I can see why it was important to me to be sure I was the one telling them my story.  Franklin and Dowdy made reference to how, when a woman is sharing her story with others, she is giving up herself.  This is sometimes hard because not all may understand the inner struggle we as black women endure, and if we are ever so brave enough to share with others, we like to be sure our information is regarded as fine treasure. 

Moving forward, I will hold people's conversations with more reverance because I now know that they are telling me their story.

Black Girls Rock



Michelle Howard: 1st African American Female Admiral(USN)



After reading Elaine Richardson’s “To Protect and Serve,” I was shocked, I was inspired, and I related.  What shocked me the most, and I think most of my classmates would agree, was when Richardson spoke of her findings after typing “young black girls” into the Yahoo search engine.  I found that to be completely degrading.  Curious to see about the other ethnicity, I typed in “young Asian girls” and surprised to find the headlines “Japanese porn,” and “Hot Asian Bikini Models.”  As stereotypical as it seems, I was expecting to find something about how Asians are so smart.  When I “Googled”  “young white girls,” I found nothing about pornography.  The headlines mentioned “missing white girl,” or ‘white girl raped.”  I feel like “white girls” are seen as the victims when that is not always true.

Mae Jemison
1st African American Female
in Space

As a mathematics major, I related to this article when Richardson spoke of how it is harder for black women in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field.  Although I have not encountered any personal struggles so far, I do not think so anyway, it sort of gives me a heads up of what to expect in the future.  At the same time, many women have gone on to excel in those fields.  When Richardson mentioned the code switching, I laughed to myself because I knew exactly what she was talking about.  I remember countless times when my mother would be on the phone and she would speak more proper than she normally would, but I do understand that people speak in the language and dialect that they feel comfortable in.  Then you have your professional voice that is turned on and off when needed and I feel that there is nothing wrong with it. 

Overall this article opened my eyes to things that I did not know as well as reinforce the things that I already knew.  I really enjoyed this article and I enjoy reading about how black women are doing well in society.  As a member of Navy ROTC, protecting and serving is something that will forever be in my job description.    





Phylicia Rashad
"Claire Huxtable"