Week 4

            This week we're learning and reading about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s role in America's Civil Rights Movement and Nelson Mandela's role in ending the Apartheid system in South Africa.
MLK and Mandela are both people I really admire for their work. Both Mandela and MLK were well educated and earned a college degree. MLK received a doctorate in theology and Mandela received a law degree. I found it very interesting that Mandela's father was a tribe chief and had multiple wives. After Mandela's father died, another tribal chief acted as his guardian. Dr. King's father was a Baptist minister and his mother was a teacher. So in their early upbringing I think the two are quite different, but both were given access to an education.
          When their political careers started developing, both Dr. King and Mandela established organizations in which they could fight for universal freedom. Dr. King headed the South Christian Leadership Conference and Mandela lead the African National Congress. Both originally started their movements with non-violent ideology, but later Nelson Mandela followed a fact with a more radical and militant approach. Both were imprisoned for their work, but Mandela spent far more time in jail than Dr. King. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela both received Nobel Peace Prizes for their lifelong work.
            “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”
            I believe these words from Nelson Mandela capture his and Dr. King's extraordinary character. These two men both faced an opposition that was so strong and dream that was so large. They did not falter in their visions and regardless of being imprisoned, their houses bombed, or seeing continuous injustice to colleagues, these two let these kind of instances fuel their fire rather than allowing themselves to quit. The goals of these two leaders are truly amazing to me. The fact that these two took on these missions, never quit and continued fighting the good fight after winning a victory is why I think Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela are similar and incredibly inspiring individuals.


― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

Week 3 - Destination South Africa!

         This week, our readings revolved around the history and people of South Africa, current events in South African culture and as a nation. I am super thrilled we get to meet Mr. David Gilmour, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of African Affairs, next week! So we also read a little, yet very interesting, background about him.
         From overlooking all of this information, my impressions of South Africa are that it is developing very fast and is also incredibly diverse with a huge array of culture. From their history, to sports, to population, everything seems so foreign to me - so different than what I know with my American identity. I don't think I even know what cricket is... But collectively, I think South Africa's main strength is the diversity within its population. Different experiences, different backgrounds and points of views have the potential to be extremely important for education and success as a nation. I feel like the main challenge for South Africa in the future is the large degree of intense poverty coupled with lack of education. Poverty and lagging education creates potential for facts of violence. When one has known nothing besides poverty and lacks the education to know how to get out of it or other options, often times, people in these situations resort to violence or illegal activity to solve the "stuck-ness" they face in society.
        Two things surprised me the most about the history of South Africa. The first is how back in 1833 when the British Empire annexed the Republic of South Africa, British authorities did not support the slave trade and it was forbidden with hopes of promoting racial equality. The progressive thinking of these British authorities back in 1833 is what surprised me. Having established the American colonies as a means for profit, which capitalized on the slave trade, I was very surprised this was the case in South Africa. Not sure why there was a change of heart there. The second fact that surprised me, was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that was founded following the end of apartheid. It was created for racial crimes committed during apartheid to be confessed and let off one's chest for the sake of forgiveness. Another progressive and super fascinating idea. I wish America had established a similar commission, allowing Americans of all descents to start a conversation about race and more importantly apologize or express feelings of guilt for one's actions during slavery up until the civil rights era. Instead the afterthoughts and feelings about slavery, post-reconstruction and the civil rights era are pent up and rarely discussed in modern America and is left as one of those topics swept under the rug.
          Regarding the current events of South Africa, their international relations were of the most interest to me. I found it fascinating that South Africa is seeking an ally in Sudan. I think it is very exciting that the two republics are going to work to further their economic, social and political relations together. I also read about how South Africa is seeking to cooperate via trade with China, not surprising but also interesting.
          I cannot get over how awesome it is that we get to meet Mr. David Gilmour. Since high school I have wanted to work internationally with some sort of focus on Africa. To get to meet someone like Mr. Gilmour who has worked extensively in Africa and other nations in many aspects is a huge opportunity. I would like to ask him what role America plays in the development of Africa. I have been fixated on the relations between the two and still consider partaking in it via the peace corps or some other non-profit agency. I'm all about international development as a means for national security and an alternative to our current interventionist foreign policy. I want to know our intentions and strategy when it comes to aiding development to Africa as a whole as well as relations with specific African nations.

Week Two

        “Unpacking the Knapsack of Privilege” was a very interesting and opening read. Peggy McIntosh drew attention to my own White privileges; experiences I would not have thought twice about prior to reading. I'm disheartened by the systemic nature of racism and how deeply rooted discrimination and oppression are today and throughout history. I liked how “Who Am I” acknowledged that multiple identities, whether dominant or targeted, can coexist. I'm a Caucasian female, one dominant identity and one submissive identity. It's interesting to me which identity I recognize more with and also how the identity I least identify with holds privileges I was unaware of. The fact that stood out to me in “Is Race Real?” was “Race and Freedom were born together”, which discusses how racism was used to expand power in American history. The irony that lies in a country which was founded upon freedom and independence relied on a system of oppression and discrimination to power its rise as a nation. The People Sorting Activity displayed how one's race is growing more and more ambiguous and I'm thankful diversity continues to expand. Perhaps will eventually realize our commonalities are more important than our differences.