PACIFIC OAKS COLLEGE

Pasadena, California

A HD 341 Communication for Empowerment: Journal #2

Developmental Issues for Self

DIANA LISSETTE CAMPOS

Faculty:
Professor Silvia E. Toscano
Spring 2017
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Each author's purpose in writing was overall to explain the struggle people face from an

ongoing oppression, that at this rate seems inborn. As stated by Martin Guevara Urbina (2014),

the point of that chapter was to analyze historical and contemporary forces that have and

continue to shape racial realities. In the reading we realize that racism is unacceptable and come

to terms that oppression from race discrimination is so common, that it has become inborn.

Meaning these racial thoughts and beliefs are passed down from generation to generation,

without any subsequential evidence. The title, ​Twenty-First Century Dynamics of

Multiculturalism Beyond Post-Racial America​, gives us a sense of what we will be reading. The

title itself hints at the current time period and that fact that it discusses multicultural race. In the

reading, ​Chicana Without Apology, ​Eden E. Torres (2003) discusses more about oppression that

women receive and relating teaching styles to Freire’s theory. For this reading we read chapter

three; which is entitled ​Wisdom and Weakness,​ combining both titles it gives us a sense that we

will be reading about the wisdom and weakness a Chicana faces and not being sorry about

speaking her mind. Margaret E. Montoya (1994) in ​Mascaras, Trenzas, y Greñas: Un/masking

the Self While Un/braiding Latina Stories and Legal Discourse, ​is about how our appearance can

hide where we come from or labels us for what we look like. The title gives us a sense that this

reading is about a mask that hides who we are and that the hair symbolizes who we are and what

we want to be seen as.

To begin with, I honestly was not clear with what oppression meant. After looking it up, I

now understand that it’s a cruel or unjust treatment and by understanding that, I now have a

better understanding of the readings. Martin Guevara Urbina (2014) defines oppression as

injustice behavior that dates back to basically the beginning of time because it just keeps getting
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past down from generation to generation. The part that stood out the most to me in this reading

was reading about the dream of the end of racism (Urbina, 2014, p. 155). Eden E. Torres (2003)

defines oppression as a struggle caused by power and privilege. Oppression continues to be seen

as normal, that it was given the name of “commonsense isms.” Torres mentions that “isms” are

never fully separated from people’s attitudes and behaviors (Torres, 2003, p. 84). For this

reading the part that stood out the most to me was reading about the ignorant male ego (Torres,

2003, p. 86-87). For Margaret E. Montoya (1994), she defines oppression as being belittled by

appearance. Making us need a mask to hide who we are and where we come from, in order to

better fit in with society. The part that stood out to me in this reading was when Montoya

describes how we hide ourselves with a disguise to be accepted by others (Montoya, 1994, p.

516). All three readings overlap with each other because all three deal with injustice behavior

based on race. They intersect when explaining how these oppressive thoughts and beliefs

continue to be passed down from generation to generation. Instead of being stopped; the actions

continue, which is why all three is also written as a source of realization to open everyone’s eyes

to enable change for the better.

As I was reading I did make connections that relate to my own identity, self-esteem, and

communication styles. I realized that people do have a preset judgment towards us. Life and

opportunities seem unfair but, when in my opinion, there is no better feeling then when we prove

all those people wrong. I am still currently figuring out my identity but, these readings help me

put life into a new perspective. My self-esteem has not always been the best but, I was able to

learn that there is always room for change. As for communication styles, I learned that although

people can seem stubborn and hard headed; we don’t make the situation any better by acting the
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same way. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words so, instead of fighting why not

prove all those people wrong and that we are capable of so much more.