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Community Event Observations. Please write a 100-200 word post (minimum) for your community event observation. What did you do? Where did you go and why? What did you observe? What did you learn? How did you feel? What did you learn about black politics from this experience? (Example: film, protest, community event, etc)
8 Comments
Makamae D.R Heinz
3/18/2015 08:01:21 am
For my community Event Observation, I went to see the movie Selma. This was such a deep movie. I was crying most of the time. The movie is about Martin Luther King Jr and the whole horrible process they went through to be able to vote. One thing I learned from this movie is how much we take things for granted. I appreciate my life and everything in it but I do take sometimes the simple things for granted. I am able to vote if I want too. I am able to get on the bus and sit anywhere I want. I get people being racist towards me everyday but it is nothing compared to what Dr. King and the rest of them had to experience. People died for us. I do not think people ever appreciate that. People stood up for there rights and died. I did think it was interesting how they put in the movie about Dr. King being a cheater. This was new news to me. I think the point of them putting that in there was to show that he was still a human being and we all make mistakes. I learned about the struggle with being black and in politics. The pain and suffering people had to go through. It bothered me in the movie to see how African American people were treated when they walked. How they would hurt elder people also. I always wonder where did this all come from. How can you bring Africans here, slave them, and then be mean when there free like they do not deserve anything. If they wanted my ancestors to go home. why did they not pay for it and send them home. The positive out of it though is look at us now. There is still a lot to look on but I know all those people that died including King are shinning from heaven. They are happy and looking down with joy that we did get some freedom but knowing there will be better days and more to come.
Andre Mouton
3/19/2015 05:55:52 pm
I attended the Year of the African American Male meeting at the newly built West Oakland Youth Center where Alameda County “Supervisor Keith Carson of District 5” (keithcarson.org) hosted the event. Upon arriving to the event I noticed a crowed of young black men just two buildings down from the Center, they were hanging out and presumably from my experience and knowing that location they are involved in drug activities. I decided to go and have conversation with them to remind myself why I am attending the event in the first place. I had good conversation with them and they were receptive they also knew I was a person they were familiar with also I approached them with the right attitude not showing fear. The Youngster pick up immediately if you are a real or fake, it is an instinctual attribute they possess.
Marcos Guzman
3/20/2015 04:57:58 pm
For my community event I went to Berkley to watch the film Selma. Through the film I got an insight first-hand look at how racism was exercised in the South. From the beginning of the film the opening seen was very impacting as to how difficult it was made for African Americans to vote, those who voted were targeted by whites. The sense of segregation was felt through the film it was such a strong presence that it made the viewer’s relate in a way. Many of the viewer’s clearly observed the police brutality that existed in the south. The scene of the family who seeked refuge in the dinner from the police was the turning point of the film. The young man defending his father was shot dead, something that correlates in today’s society. Police brutality against African Americans is nothing new though media has presented it in its rawest form today. It has always existed in this country. This film made me feel sad and disgusted. To know such atrocious acts and actions are permitted on its very citizens that built this country. It angered me to know that this is a struggle that African Americans are still fighting today for equality and justice. This government has forever turned its back on racial minorities the way the president was portrayed in the film in ignoring Dr. Kings demands made me realize that this government is truly broken. I learned that black politics have been and continue to be ignored in this country. It’s a shame to say that this film made me realize that not much progress has been made in this country for the Black America. Watching the film during its scenes of racial inequality and police brutality I continuously compared the scenes with current events in the black community today.
marie brown
3/21/2015 04:46:01 am
From what we was told that Friday Jan 16 was the start of the MLK 96 hour of force weekend with protest being occupied across the Oakland Bay area and round the United states. They said the weekend acti8vities will ended on MLK Jr. Day, Monday Jan 19. That where a large group packed in front of the Fruitvale Bart station where the killing of Oscar Grant in 2009 took place. We were told that protest also began Monday morning sat 5: am in front of the newly elected Mayor’s homer. Where protesters stood outside chanting, wake up the Mayor. Approximately 11:00 in the morning a group arrived at the Fruitvale Bart station where speeches, wer4 given from the rear of a truck that acted as a stage.
Gabriela Hernandez
3/21/2015 11:26:07 am
For my community event I watched Fruitvale station It's about a young African American male by the name of Oscar Grant who was shot by an officer on New Years at the bart station watching this movie made me feel sad and angry to know that some officers feel that they can do whatever they want and treat humans horribly and even kill them, knowing that its based on a true story and that it has happened multiple times to many unarmed victims frightens me because if it has happened to them it can happen to anyone. It's also a shame to know we have people like these as officers. Black lives matter !
amal pujol
3/22/2015 03:09:00 am
For my community event I choose to watch Selma. I really enjoyed the movie. I thought it provided a pretty accurate insight of the segregation and racism that occurred in that era. I was quite surprised to see them include other details such as infidelity and gender roles in the movie. However, I feel that it is important to include these details because it shows that Dr. King was still a human and while he made a lot of sacrifices for the African American community and humanity as a whole, the sacrifices his wife made were important too. I can't imagine how much courage she must have had to be left in the house with her kids while he was away and receive threats left and right to end their lives. There were some moments that almost brought me to tears as well.For example the cops murdered an innocent young man who was trying to protect his mother and grandfather, who were fighting for their right to vote. One surprisingly new detail I learned was that Dr. King was only 39 years old at the time he was killed and that he had been a civil rights leader for 13 years at that point. That detail gave me chills because to think that he had such wisdom, and courage at such a young age and all that he accomplished. It is truly inspiring as a young person and shows that our actions do make a difference.
Jessica Jaime
3/22/2015 08:46:19 am
For my community event observation I went to go see the movie Selma and I was really excited to see it for many reasons. It takes place in Alabama in 1965 where Martin Luther King Jr. is trying to fight for people of color to be able to vote. I would have to say that during this whole movie I was in tears because what was shown with all the social injustices, segregation, racisms, hate crimes, violence that was thrown at Martin Luther King and his follows who wanted nothing but equal rights for all men and women. We are so blessed to have the rights to vote and eat or sit anywhere wed like and I wish people understood all the sacrifice that millions and millions of people went through to have the freedom we do now. I’m so glad I went to go see that movie and we are truly blessed and I couldn’t believe that he was only 37 years old at the time of his passing, a tragic brilliant mind and person lost to young.
Jordan S. Leopold
3/27/2015 02:03:18 am
I've attended a couple of events and some I've helped organize. I saw Selma with students from UC Berkley as a part of another field trip a friend of mine organized as she bought tickets for many Berkley students that she was close with. She wasn't a professor, just close with student activist within their BSU. So, I attended and saw the movie. It was an amazing, exciting, heartbreaking, and revealing experience. I've never seen a movie that has such an impact on me as Selma did. Witnessing Dr. King, SNCC, and many other historical figures mobilize and take action on the biggest issue at that time was amazing. It made me rethink and reflect upon my current endeavors as a student activist, looking at my capacity and the environment here within the Bay Area and around the nation. It showcased that much of what is happening then is happening today. A random sound bite that stuck to me was when one of the men was furious, threatening to grab a gun after news of Bloody Sunday. He was then countered by someone saying, "We shoot two of them (cops) and they shoot 10 of us!" This really made me reflect upon the killings of the two New York police officers that took place the week prior, because that exact line is what I thought was going to happen today... Leave a Reply. |
POSCI 3335This blog is strictly for CSU STUDENTS registered in Prof Crain's /African American/ (Black) [Politics] course. Archives
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