After doing the diveristy surveys I came to realize that my life is pretty monocultural. While I also liked to think a little diversity in my life I now realize I don't. I grew up in a pramily white neighborhood and went to school with primarily white people, I did have friends in both middle and high school of different races. In college I worked with a variety of students with special needs as well. I don't think that I view people in a negiative light that are different from me, I simply just don't have alot of interaction with, "the others." I also noticed when completeing the survey about people with disabilities in the media that after reflecting very rarely is that population present and that I have no had one teacher in all 17 years of schooling that had a visible disability. When completeing the survey about surviving in poverty, I already pretty much knew I would be dead meat if that was the case. Money is such a huge part of our society and just trying to get by now and pay my bills is a challege. I can't imagine if I didn't have a car how I would get to my job everyday. The only thing that I really knew how to do was apply for food stamps and aid because I had to help my friend figure out how to last yeat.... which by the way they made him jump through so many hoops it is a pain in the butt for anyone that didn't know. In the future I am going to try to be more aware of my monoculturness and try to push myself in a more multicultural directon in life and spice things up a bit!
Natalie
Natalie,
ReplyDeleteNot seeing people with disabilities in the media was one that struck me as well. I notice that mostly they are never presented as a population unless there is some "medical novelty" that doctors come out with. Just a few weeks ago they were talking about children with Autism and the doctor who was behind some miss information, but again it was about the doctor not the population. It is something that people in the media should be aware of. Instead of all the negativity they should inform people.
Stacey
Others do not want to accept that there are people with disabilities involved in everyday activities that they participate in as well. If you were so see someone with a disability in the media, it would almost be a shock. Others do not want to accept the fact some people with minor disabilities can do the things that they can.
ReplyDeleteStacy said something about all of the negativity that the media feeds people which are very true. They focus on the tasks that people can’t do and the help that they need instead of the things they can do. While at work today I was sitting in the break room listening to Charlie, a man down-syndrome. He was talking about football and the teams that are going to the super bowl. Later I saw him getting ready to go outside and do some work. I am not surprised at all of the things that Charlie is able to do or talk about with you. However, I feel some people would be surprised because in the media they do not present all of the positive things one with a disability can do.
Melissa