I am a sociology major and I want to use
media as an outlet to bring attention to the problems that are a constant
source of threat to how we relate to other people. I remember when I first
learned about sociology in a college setting and how unsettling it was
for me to learn about the vested interest groups that play a role in
maintaining the –isms, sexism, racism, etc. This was when I first began to
develop a consciousness and the way I saw my world completely changed. Looking
back, I feel naïve that I used to think of our society as picture perfect when
this is not the case.
I believe we have a lot to learn from our daily interactions with people whom shape who we are. I am interested in expressing the issues that lurk in our social lives. These issues can be subtle such as microaggressions and may not be blatantly obvious. Microaggressions are social exchanges that occur when a person-- intentionally or unintentionally, belittles another person on the basis of their marginalized status. One encounter I witnessed at a coffee shop:
Barista: “Where are you from?”
Friend: “New Jersey.”
Barista: “No, where are your parents from?”
Friend: “New Jersey.”
Barista: “No, where are they actually from?”
Friend: “Like, what country are they from?”
Barista: “Yeah.”
Friend: “The Philippines.”
The barista had implied that because of the
color of our skin, we were outsiders. Microaggressions, is just one societal
issue that we have amongst others. By bringing these issues to the forefront
through the use of media, I hope to provide a glimpse into the power structure
of society—there are the haves and
the have-nots and the haves want to ensure that inequality
exists so the haves can maintain
their privileged state. The power structure that is embedded in society divides
us into groups and subgroups and creates a us vs. them mentality. Through my
work in this class, I hope to show the subtle roles we play in maintaining the
current structure of society. I want to express that in many instances we are
both the oppressor and the oppressed and that none of us are truly free.
