Reflection 2

What does it mean for a person to be “multicultural?” Does a “multicultural” person have to relate to diverse cultures? Reflect upon them and accept them? Throughout the semester, the Film 150 students have been asked to analyze the ways in which visual media proposes or tries to challenge the status quo surrounding the issue of race and ethnicity in the United States from the perspective of Caucasian artists and those of color (African-American, Asian, Latino, and Native American.) In the process of this enlightenment on cultural diversity, I found it is quite apparent that the lens on a camera is able to capture what is being presented in front of it, but does that necessarily entail full truth? Ultimately, the images that we see in the assigned films do not have to shape the way we view others. In other words, the media mimics stereotypes and reproduces archetypes that follow the assumptions that illustrate the social groups that are present in our society.

If I traveled to 35th and Lisbon every Monday and Wednesday and assigned stereotypes to everything I saw in the media to real life, my experience at Our Next Generation would have been much different; African-Americans are characterized as criminals, gangsters, and drug dealers growing up in “the hood” in many cinematic instances. The Walnut Hill community is known to be an impoverished area and its outer layer- what is visible to the eye during the first glimpse of the sight- would support this fact. Nonetheless, I know that this is a mere portrayal of a person, or one group, out of a whole nationality. Many of the children I interact with at Our Next Generation are loving and nurturing people who have been taught by others to be this way. Most of my time was dedicated to two different girls- one was Asian-American and the other was African-American. I got a chance to meet both of their parents at the beginning of the Thanksgiving dinner that Our Next Generation held this year. Not to my surprise, both of their parents were kind souls who repeatedly thanked me for helping their girls throughout the semester. It was heartwarming.

Documentary

Presentation 1

Research: Part I of Final Project

As history has documented, social and economic conditions heavily impact the accessibility of new materials a public school system may filter into their classrooms. Since funding for public education is provided by tax revenue in a given area, many may get the short end of the deal if it is an impoverished area where tax revenue is much lower than in an affluent neighborhood draped with private schools. In impoverished areas of large cities, including Milwaukee, many pupils may stir away from educational institutions to join other activities that usually do not further career planning. In order to instill hope in these kids, a non-profit organization called Our Next Generation (ONG) set up shop in the Walnut Hill neighborhood surrounding the 35th Ave. and Lisbon Ave intersection. In an urban area of Milwaukee where 48.3% of the overall population lives below the poverty level, ONG strives to create a collaborative team of educators through one-on-one relationships with children in this neighborhood through programs that focus on achieving skills that lead to a fulfilling education. According to the ONG website, those who live in poverty have “increased chances of academic failure and school drop out.” Due to these circumstances, ONG tries to make a personal difference in the lives of children and young adults who join the programs offered through the organization. According to Codi Alger, the Public Relations Manager and Volunteer Intake Coordinator, her goal at the end of the day is to “offer at least one child an experience they otherwise would not have experienced, offer one volunteer the change to make a difference and offer [the] community the chance to support our youth.” Through programs such as Homework Club (1st-6th grade students), High School Connection (9th-12th grade students), and Community Learning Centers at Westside Academy 1 and 2 (4th-8th grade students), pupils are able to interact with volunteers who, in the end, become mentors to students who want to grow, intellectually and personally. In an article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel titled Program puts next generation on right path by Felicia Thomas-Lynn, Deandre McCarty told Thomas-Lynn that “in some ways [Our Next Generation is] a second home” where he can talk to people “like you can talk to your mother.” This comfort established between tutors and pupils is the foundation to the relationship built through help.

Film 150 Midterm

Film 150

Reflection

Since I am new to Milwaukee, the neighborhoods that closely surround UW-Milwaukee were quite unexplored and exotic to me. However, the concepts of urban neighborhoods are not foreign to me; I grew up in Chicago and have seen the difference social and economic institutions make on neighborhoods. Many of us have learned about the social infractions placed in our society for hundreds of years in Sociology and Social Studies classes. Therefore, going into this project, I had an idea I wanted to explore and perhaps prove as well; I wanted to challenge those who believe that happiness is achieved through materialistic means. While my family and I did not live in squalor, we certainly did not live lavishly. My parents always told me that through community, family, and hard work, that happiness is definitely attainable. When I first got off the bus on 35th St. and Lisbon Ave., I saw similar motives and beliefs in people simply through observation. Not to judge a book by its cover, but I feel like it is quite apparent that the neighborhood of Bunker Hill (where Our Next Generation is located) is not resided by the rich and powerful of Milwaukee County. Upon further research about Milwaukee and its surrounding communities, I stumbled upon data that showed low educational attainment rates, low income, and great population density. Consequently, as I started to interview not only adults of the community, I mentioned the statistics to those interviewed and they confirmed my findings. Once I started to work with the children at Our Next Generation, I saw the same values beam through their souls- through the constant smiles, laughter, and interaction they have with the volunteers at Our Next Generation. It is arguable that the expressions and signs of high spirits may have been performed for the camera, but I do believe there is a way to tell if someone is acting or truly feels their emotions. By interacting with the people in the pictures, I strongly believe that the expressions in the pictures were not being portrayed- they were felt.

Before the day of the photo shoot, I made sure I got the feel of Bunker Hill and its residents. When I took pictures, I didn’t tell anyone to pose, nor did I tell any one the reason for taking pictures because I wanted to see them in their natural demeanor. What I learned, in the end, is that while setbacks do damper a person’s life, it does not control their destiny. Those I interviewed, volunteer with, and spent time with were happy, strong people. In the end, this is a short documentary of the Bunker Hill community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin about cultural diversity, values,and strength.

Film 150 Midterm