Boys II Men

We finally had our screening of Boys of Baraka at the Utopia center yesterday! I wasn’t really sure what to expect but from all the promoting we have been doing I thought people would be genuinely excited to view the film and have an open discussion. However, what I realized is as soon as people found out about the topic, they didn’t seem as interested. I can understand that classes are coming to a close and people had test and other group work but I was a little disappointed with the turn out. However, I was so thankful for those that did take the time to come out and also discusses the topic.

From class we all had seen Boys of Baraka but watching it again I was just as interested the second time as I was the first time. What I was surprised by was the film Kate Martin put together from her Boys II Men group. The film was well thought out and the message was similar to the Boys of Baraka film. I guess when I watched the Boys of Baraka, it was more of a movie just because they were from Baltimore and it didn’t affect me directly. Not to say that it wasn’t sad or touching but watching the film about kids from right here Austin and their desire to learn, same desire the Boys from Baltimore had was really inspiring. Overall, if one person that came out learned something or was inspired by Katie’s film then we have done our job. Personally, it has definitely inspired me to be more involved with the community.

Boys of Baraka

We are having our film screening and discussion on Wednesday from 5-7 pm. We hope everyone can make it!We are planning on showing the film and having an open discussion regarding 'achievement gap' and also topics the film touches on like why there is a lack programs like Baraka school here in the United States and systematic racism. we also hope to come up with solutions that can be enforced moving forward.

Police Don't like Black People

 This article focuses on a study of 40 black men in St. Louis, Missouri to understand black men's experiences with police.  The study age ranged from 13 to 19. Interviewing took place between spring 1999 and spring 2000. Participation in the study was voluntary, and assured confidentiality. Brunson targeted young black men because research has identified them as the group frequent involuntary police contacts in the United States. In the study, most of the young men interviewed had had an overall negative view toward police.

The in depth interview was divided in parts:

AGGRESSIVE POLICING

POLICE MISCONDUCT
POLICE VIOLENCE
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
WITNESSING POLICE VIOLENCE

 Experiences range from getting picked up and being dropped off in remote location instead of taking them to the police station, causing physically harm and taking money if the teens can’t explain where they got it from.

 Finding: Black adults and adolescents report more dissatisfaction and distrust than their counterparts from other racial groups. They never report misconduct because they don’t feel like it would be taken seriously and some are not comfortable going to the police station.

 Brunson explains at the end that citizen complaints against officers could be initiated in the prosecutor's office rather than in police stations.

 Flaw in study: African American’s perception of police before encounter came mostly from family and friend’s experiences which might be exaggerated.

Hip Hop

The film, Hip Hop and Beyond Beats was really insightful and a deeper take on what many have tried to understand: Hip Hop. I walked away kind of disturbed at some of the footage especially at the part where he asks men why they call women “bitches and hoes”. Just because the women were in outfits that were reveling doesn’t give a man a reason to call someone a hoe. If attention is what the women want in the way they dress than they are getting it.However, when many of them where asked about this subject they all said in defense that it doesn’t apply to them. I don’t have a problem with the way the women were dressed but the fact that these men thought it was okay to speak and physical touch them in such manner was just wrong.  In regards to Nelly and the Tip drill video, he was asked in an interview why he thought it was okay to objectify women and his response was that most of the action in that video was ideas from women, which is even more disturbing.

As far as examining explicit lyrics and young boys, I thought it was insightful when one of the men said that they get a clear message form top executives and from what is popular right now and that message is explicit disrespectful lyrics sell. It’s hard to argue and teach young men the opposite when they see their favorite rapper making a lot of money because of the stuff he/she raps about. However, educating men at a young age to see wrong from right is a step in the right direction.

As far as African American girls watching music videos and the message it sends out, I think that parents need to have discussion with their children. I had friends whose parents censored their TV from shows  and music videos they considered inappropriate but with the use of technology  children will get exposed to it one way or another so an honest open discussion is very much needed.  Girls also have to understand that the glamorized images are unrealistic and over exaggerated. I believe the results from the study are results of lack of education and open conversation.

Boys of Baraka

Boys of Baraka

I enjoyed watching the film, Boys of Baraka. It was funny, educational and at times really sad. The main thing that stuck out to me was how smart the boys were, not only about their surrounding but the bigger picture. They all knew that the place they call home was not the safest or nicest but I felt like they knew something better was out there for them. Many times we are forced to think that African American students don’t want to be in school so watching the boys with excitement when they found out they were going to Africa and the disappointment when the school shut down was eye-opening.

 In regards to systemic effect I feel that society simply doesn’t care. These boys have the ability to learn and succeed but the lack of resources available has kept them down. One of the saddest part of the movie was when they went to Africa and they were evaluated, finding out some of these boys who are supposed to be looking forward to high school were at second grade level was disheartening. How is it possible for a teacher that spends so much time with these kids not to notice that they are not getting the attention they deserve? We mentioned in class that if teachers were better prepared than we could begin to solve this problem. When it comes down to it resource is one the main missing.

 From individual level, the main thing I noticed was the physiological effect their surround has on them and the way they view their future. All of the boys grew up seeing people get arrested, in constant fear and drug dealers so when they were taken out of that surrounding you can see their views change. They recognized that people that look just like them live in “unity” unlike the atmosphere they are used too. Also, they saw people who didn’t have money making the best out of the situation. I think the trip was a confidence boost as far as individual factors are concerned only if they were given the opportunity to continue with the tremendous growth they experienced while in Kenya for that one year.

Closing the Gap

I wasn’t surprised to see such a gap exist between African Americans and Whites a letter grade difference (B for whites and C for Blacks). The attention African Americans get in school is incomparable. I can easily relate it back to high school where I felt like the success of white kids somehow measured the success of the teachers. Teachers had to give extra attention to white kids because they had parents coming to the school to check on their kid’s progress. Most of the teachers also happen to be coaches so school wasn’t a main priority, as long a passing grade was passed out no matter how low; some kids were okay with that. I don’t believe in a “real” achievement gap but rather structural oppression which forces this gap to occur. To assume an achievement gap exists would require an even playing field and we know that’s not the case so there is no way of figuring out this “gap”.