Minorities

IT’S PUBLISHED!!

Posted onSaturday 8 January 2022Wednesday 1 March 2023

Woohooo! It’s up! It’s accessible! It’s here! My dissertation, as finally published by ProQuest! “Everyone Gets Lifted Up”: How Matrifocal Families Can Enhance People’s Lives and Reduce Systemic Patriarchal Oppressions If you want to read it, please enjoy — and (since I know it’s rather long, and heavy going!) if you get through it, please…

Let’s talk about… money

Posted onMonday 27 December 2021Wednesday 1 March 2023

In specific, let’s talk about student loans — especially since I’m graduating, so the start of my repayment is coming up soon, woot! So, I’ve had people ask me how I can, in good conscience, support any sort of student loan forgiveness — when my doing so is clearly really just self-aggrandizement on my part….

Dissertation Committee Scorecard: 3 out of 3!

Posted onWednesday 4 August 2021Wednesday 1 March 2023

OMG, peeps! I just received the feedback from my third committee member – 3 days early! When I read her report I was so thrilled I was almost hyperventilating! Her first sentence was: This dissertation is truly exemplary: original, innovative, cutting-edge, smart, eloquent, heartfelt, profound, and passionate. …and her last sentence was: In conclusion, the…

Diss chapter wheeeee!

Posted onFriday 14 February 2020Wednesday 1 March 2023

A very wonderful Valentine’s Day to you all! I am celebrating… handing in a chapter! For context: my dissertation has several required chapters — the Introduction and Conclusion, of course. A Literature Review, which is required to show that I’ve done the research on the subject I’m writing on, and nobody’s covered precisely it, though…

Math is easy — it’s writing that’s haaaard! ;)

Posted onWednesday 18 December 2019Wednesday 1 March 2023

Writing up interviews is not easy! From an anthropological perspective, there’s always the worry that I’m committing the ethical crime of appropriating someone else’s subaltern culture. Racially I’m white, and I don’t want to even accidentally appear to act like I’m either stealing the words of, or attempting to speak for, any of the minority…

Review: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Posted onSaturday 15 July 2017Sunday 2 July 2017

Author: Maya Angelou Review first posted April 2004 It took a while to decide to review this book. There is an unfortunately strong current societal meme which says if you are: (less victimized, &/or more financially secure, male, white, privileged, whatever) then you don’t get to comment. I understand it’s a natural reaction to the…

Thoughts on cultural appropriation (pt. 3)

Posted onTuesday 4 July 2017Sunday 2 July 2017

This makes me feel bad — so it must be bad! On deeper examination of this issue, I believe the selfish desire to profit regardless of the pain or damage it causes others is behind the deliberately inaccurate reframing of cultural appropriation as something good. For example, I’ve seen terms such as “cultural evolution” and…

Thoughts on cultural appropriation (pt. 2)

Posted onMonday 3 July 2017Sunday 2 July 2017

But why does it matter? Well, I feel it’s always easier to understand something when it’s personal… so let’s do a little thought-exercise. Yes, I know what this example will most properly describe is something more like a copyright issue, but work with me here; I’m trying to explain something conceptual in an emotive matter,…

Thoughts on cultural appropriation (pt. 1)

Posted onSunday 2 July 2017

A few years ago I was in a class about being a good ally to people of color, or POC. It is a sad fact that often any such class on allyship is least well attended by those who most need it. As a white woman I can certainly understand that — had it not…

The town hall with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren

Posted onSunday 12 March 2017

Just got back from another personal first: a town hall meeting with my Congressional representative, Zoe Lofgren, at the Mt. Pleasant High School. She’s a Democrat and has been this area’s Congresswoman since 1995, if I heard her correctly. She mentioned returning home (this area) each week, and she’s got that smooth way of responding…