HERE IS THE MAIN POST

The requirements for this Discussion Forum are slightly different, than the others.  Please read the instructions carefully.

Watch each of these videos -The Standing Rock Resistance

https://www.ted.com/talks/tara_houska_the_standing_rock_resistance_and_our_fight_for_indigenous_rights#t-79223 (Links to an external site.)

An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter 

https://www.ted.com/talks/alicia_garza_patrisse_cullors_and_opal_tometi_an_interview_with_the_founders_of_black_lives_matter (Links to an external site.)

These two activist movements/organizations have gained much media attention. This has resulted in a mix narrative regarding these two groups. After watching  the videos. Please answer the following questions. What was your overall reaction to the video? What personal perceptions about these movements did the video confirm or challenge? What was the most impactful aspect(s) of the video?

After completing your initial post, please respond to at least one of your classmate’s post.

HERE IS THE STUDENT POST THAT NEEDS A RESPOND
ANG PST

My overall reaction to ‘The Standing Rock Resistance’ video was that I surprised that Indigenous people seem to experience racism in similar ways to other minorities. Racism is commonly spoken about, but often I hear it in reference to Black and Latino communities, and I never really thought about Indigenous communities and the racism that they may endure. One in three Indigenous women is raped within her lifetime (Houska, 2017). Houska describes how an individual can go commit a crime on an Indian reservation and not be upheld to the same legal consequences (Houska, 2017). It seems to me that the Indigenous people were here before any of the rest of us and their traditions and practices should be honored. Indigenous people are doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists, engineers, and the fastest growing demographic in today’s society (Houska, 2017). In my own experience, common stereotypes of Indigenous people make them appear to be simple-minded and ignorant. Indigenous people have a strong cultural background and should be considered equal with all other humans, but Houska says that they are not viewed as real people (Houska, 2017). This video was impactful because it provoked me to think about how Indigenous people have been treated in our society and I would like to further examine how they have fared thus far, as new cultures have arrived and challenged their beliefs.

My overall reaction to ‘An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter’ video was that
I was surprised, and that I was very educated by the interview. First, when I heard about the Black Lives Matter movement, I just assumed that it was occurring in and based around the United States. When one of the founders discussed Haitian poverty, racism, and other disparities, it made me realize that Black Lives Matter is a global human rights movement. It was referred to by one of the founders as a tool for black existence and a tool for allies to show up differently for black individuals (Garza, Cullors, & Tometi, 2016). I also thought about the comments made that racism exists on a spectrum from white to black and that the closer an individual is to the white end of the spectrum, the less likely they are to experience racism (Garza et al., 2016). I believe that this is a great way to frame this information, because it seemingly demonstrates privilege by skin color. The other daunting statistic in the video was related to the work wage gap. It is said that women make about 78% of what men make in the workplace, and in the video it was revealed that these are statistics of white women and men (Garza et al., 2016). Black women make somewhere around 64% of what white men make, Latina women make somewhere around 58% of what white men make (Garza et al., 2016). If Indigenous women and Transwomen’s wages were examined, the numbers would continue to go down (Garza et al., 2016). This is a sad truth. This video is a great example of all of the racism and sexism present in society today.

Garza, A., Cullors, P., & Tometi, O. (2016). An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/alicia_garza_patrisse_cullors_and_opal_tometi_an_interview_with_the_founders_of_black_lives_matter (Links to an external site.)

Houska, T. (2017). The Standing Rock resistance and our fight for indigenous rights. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/tara_houska_the_standing_rock_resistance_and_our_fight_for_indigenous_rights (Links to an external site.)