Talking Points #2

Rodriguez "Aria"

1. I found this aticle to be really interesting because it discussd issues of bilingualism that I've often wondered about. Things like how your knowledge of the public language benefits your education and to what extent. However I never considered the conflict established between the private and public identities. I wonder how many people I know have these communication rifts between themselves and their parents because of a language barrier, especially one that their parents encouraged. How does this affect their behavior (in private and public)?
2. As the article progressed in its discussion about private and public identities, I came to wonder which one is more important. Obviously both identities are imporant and there will be differing opinions based on pesonal experience, but for the majority which one do people tend to identify with? Richard is reminiscent and sad over his dimishing private identity, but towards the end stresses the importance of his newly established public one (which I found interesting).
3. I felt like this article made me realize how people who are from English speaking households differ in the way they think from those where English is not their primary language. I use myself as an example in explaining this, because language isn't a basis on which I consider my private/public identity. Also, I almost take my English fluency for granted sometimes and often I wish to enhance my public idntity by learning and associating myself with another language such as Italian. I wonder if there is a difference between my desire to obtain fluency in this language and Richard'sneed to obtain fluency in English and what exactly the difference is (on the basis of identity, not for the ease of learning)?

Talking Points #1

McIntosh "White Privilege Knapsack"

1. I find the concept that one racial group having privilege means another is disadvantaged difficult to understand sometimes. I completely understand the concept but I think the way in which the various authors we have read phrase this idea sets me back a little. I've always been taught to work hard in life and you will be rewarded, never anything about the benefits I get simply for being white, middle class, straight, etc. Is this a part of what Peggy McIntosh sad when she mentioned that we are taught to see racism as it puts others at a disadvantage but never ourselves as the advantage?
2. One of Peggy's points that I found interesting was number five which stated that she can turn on the television and seeing her race widly represented. This makes me wonder about television series and sitcoms that focus on families of color. What is it that causes these shows to be popular or to get shut down? Is there success based on how similar they can act to a white family if people can't actually watch them as a white family? And what do people have to say about Disney's new princess of color?
3. Peggy lists twenty-six privileges she can attribute to her race, most of which I had never even considered before. As I was reading them I had to wonder how many of these directly affect and speak of my life and my privilege? Things like flesh toned bandages and easily finding a hair salon that people don't even think twice about.

About little 'ol me... :)

I wrote a little bit about myself in the 'About Me' secton of myprofile, but I'll elaborate more here!

I am a musical theatre and english double major, and am in my second year at RIC. I have been on the competitive team for my dance studio for three years now, taking lessons in ballet, hiphop, acro, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, and finally going en pointe this past spring! My last competition was the Miss Olympic Nationals in New Hampshire in July, and unfortunately I don't think I'll have the chance to compete this year because of my busy schedule.

I also love literature, reading, and writing. I want to teach english primarily but I have no idea what age group is best for me and how I should go about doing this. I feel like I would work best with either very young children or college level students. I really enjoy literary analysis which is probably what I would get my next degree in.

The most exciting and time consuming thing for me this year however is a sorority which I cofounded last spring. The sorority is named Lambda Chi and our philanthropy is animal rights and welfare. I spend all of my free time getting rooms reserved for meetings, tracking down my advisor, planning events, setting up volunteer work, registering for walks, and staying up until midnight covering the Student Union quad with sidewalk chalk!

When I'm not dancing or in school or running around for the sorority then I'm either working at Babies R Us or talking to my boyfriend of four years who recently moved to Philadelphia for school.