POST 1

What Black Studies courses have you taken and how has your perspective evolved until now?

I attended Santa Barbara High School, so I was very fortunate to benefit from the dual enrollment program that Santa Barbara City College had with the local high schools. I took Racism in America which covered racism in America from 1865-1960's. I think to some degree I have always had a great interest in Black studies because of my interest in the political. Naturally the history of slavery has always offered a contradictory or irrational counterpart to everything American politics 'represents', and thus my curiosity for a real dialogue on this political and social dilemma has been a part of my perspective for a while. When I encounter conceptual or theoretical material relating to the political I cannot help but value the material based on how well it accounts or does not account for the evolution and co-existence of Racism.

When I came into college I had already experienced few events in my life that led me to believe that Political Science would satiate my curiosity and questions about the injustices in the world, after all if the problem is rooted in the political should not the solution be found there as well. WELLL...no.

My first quarter I took two pre-req's for my major, political science and Black Studies 1 with Lipsitz. The most amazing course, though given my status as a freshman and my greater interest in my social life...I did not pay much attention to my greater passion and interest in Black Studies as a major.

After I completed my major in Political Science I was not satisfied with my understanding of the role that the political has in social injustice. I mean you know like anyone that already has an interest in matters of social injustice, I knew the basics, racism is a product of or related to capitalism, maybe personal prejudice combined with power, this nation was founded in an unjust manner, people of color got screwed and so on, and all things related. BUT, I had no conceptual or theoretical knowledge that could help me view one situation and compare it to another. These are the tools I knew I lacked and did not acquire in Political Science, and as much as I respect the field veryyyyy few professors are willing to explore or integrate conversation on how racism seems to throw off allot of well regarded concepts and political "philosophers". I remember in one of the last courses I took I ended up in an argument with a professor in lecture because he refused to acknowledge that the "development" of one nation was dependent on the subjugation of another nation, thus making it a relationship that could not be disregarded when when considering the value of liberalism being fit for only some nations over others. Anyways the best he could offer was that we overlook that for now and consider the "time period" and context...well I've never known a time when people did not know that starving a nation of its own resources and exploiting a people would not lead to one inferior nation and one superior nation, or empire or whatever political body is being considered.

After my completion in Political Science I came to the conclusion that the only major that could really answer the question I had was Black Studies. I consider Black Studies to be the hidden and overlooked Part of American politics and history that is necessary for anyone interested in the political and social justice. My perspective upon my culmination in political science courses and my new endeavour  in Black Studies led me to understand that the political is not in government, nor is it in theory or concepts rather it is in the community the people, and that social justice is one's ability to be aware of their role and duty to the community.