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CocoAiten
March30,2016
RaceandSocialJustice

WinterTermReflection

DuringwintertermIwasexposedtomanyinterestingandeyeopeninginformationthat

hashelpedmeformanewunderstandingoftheimportanceofmyraceandsocialjusticeclass.I
learnedaboutwhatkindofissuesthedifferentminoritygroupswithintheMultnomahcountyare
currentlyfacedwith,rereadanamazingbookthatgavetwodifferentperspectivesondrugs,and
learnedabouttheissuesthatthePacificIslandercommunityfaces.InfalltermIlearnedabout
thetermswhiteness,whitesupremacy,andracism.WiththeknowledgeIacquiredIstartedto
sharewhatIwastaughtandgatheredopinionsfrommypeers,friends,andfamily.Afterlearning
aboutmanyoftheissuesminoritiesinMultnomahcountyarefacedwithIwenttoseekoutways
tohelpcontributetomycommunity.IstartedvolunteeringmoreandgotinvolvedwithaPacific
Islanderorganizationthathelpedraiseawarenessonthehealthandeducationissuesthatare
occurringwithinthecommunity.

Oneofthekeyprojects/assignmentsthatcontributedtomyeyeopeningexperiencewas

thegrouppresentationsdonebymyclassmates.Thegrouppresentationswereagreatwayto
learnabouttheissueswithinthevariousminoritygroupsinPortland.Thedifferenttechniques
eachgroupusedonpresentinghelpedmepayattentionandlearninafunway.Somethingthat
clungontomewashowmuchMultnomahcountyislackinginprovidingtheresourcesand
assistancecertainminoritygroupsneed.Forexample,alloftheminoritygroupsthatwere

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presentedwerealldealingwithmajorfinancialandhealthissues.Comparedtothewhitepeople
manyoftheminoritieshadahugegapbetweentheirsuccessandthesuccessofwhites.Another
mainfactorIlearnedfromthegrouppresentationswashowMultnomahcountywasdoing
comparedtoKingcountylocatedinSeattle.IwasshockedtoseehowpoorPortlanddid
althoughinmanysituationspeoplesaythatKingcountyisdoingfarworsewhenstatistically
theyaredoingmuchbetterthantheMultnomahcounty.Afterseeingallofthenumbersand
reportsitmakesmewonder,whatisPortlandlackingandhowcanweaddress/resolvethese
issues?

WhileIwasgrowingupinOregon,IwasalwaystoldthatPortlandwasthewhitestcityin

thenorthwestbutbeforeIleftmybordersInevernoticed.Beingraisedinalowincomeand
ghettoneighborhood,Iwasalwayssurroundedbydiversity.Itneveroccurredtomethatallof
myneighborsandclassmateswereminorities.Withtheanalysisoftheresearchreports,Inow
haveabetterunderstandingofhowwhitePortlandisandtheextentofhowmuchhelppeopleof
colorareinneedofmakingtheirissuesvisibletosociety.Inmostcases,whitepeoplearetooin
needofassistance,butincomparisontotheminoritygroupsthereisabigdifference.Beinga
minoritymyselfandlearningabouttheissuesmypeopleandIface,motivatesmetokeep
pursuingmyeducationandtocontinuetofindmorewaystogetinvolvedinbetteringand
helpingmycommunity.

AnotherkeyassignmentthatIenjoyedandlearnedgreatlyfromwasthereadingofthe

ResidueYearsbyMitchellS.Jackson.InhighschoolIhadtheopportunitytoreadthebook,
butIneverreallytookwhatIreadintoconsideration.Iwasblindlyreadingforthethrillofthe
charactersandplotinsteadoftryingtouncoverwhattheauthorwastryingtoportraythroughout

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thebook.Afterreadingitasecondtime,IunderstandwhyJacksonplacedthecharactersChamp
andGrace.Thesettingandformatofthebookgaveinsightonwhatitlookedliketobeselling
drugsandusingthedrugs.ThebookmademedoublecheckmyselfbecauseIusetobequickto
judgeapersonwhowereondrugsbeforeactuallytakingamomenttostepbackandwalkamile
intheirshoes.ReadingandunderstandingGracesperspectivemademerealizethatpeoplewho
usedrugsarealsohumanandthattheytooneedhelp.ConnectingwhatIwasreadingtowhatI
sawwithinmycommunity.InoticedthatwhenIlivedinGreshamthereweremanypeoplewho
weredrugabusers(themajoritypeopleofcolor)andwhowerenevergivenhelp.Theywere
insteadleftonthestreetsandkickedoutofplaces.Itsaddensmethatithastakenthisfarinmy
lifetoseetheissuesthatmycommunityisfaceduponandhowthereisnoactioncallfor
improvements.Byreadingthebook,itinspiresmetocontinuevolunteeringatmylocal
communitycenterandencouragemanytoreadthebook.

LastlyIwasmostinterestedinlearningmoreabouttheissuesmyAsianandPacific

Islandercommunityface.ManyoftheinformationIgatheredthroughthereportsurprisedme
andInoticedthelackofrepresentationofPIpeople.Learningaboutthemodelminoritymyth
helpedmerealizetheimmediatesupportmyPIpeopleneedinacademicsmainly.Iplantostart
gettinginvolvedwiththeCANNandAPANOorganizationsinordertoraiseawarenessandhelp
mypeople.

OverallIamlookingforwardtolearningmoreinspringtermandcontinuingtoadvocate

formycommunityandpeople.