My Life as a Welfare Brat by Parker

In the essay “My Life as a Welfare Brat”, by Parker, the author introduces the piece with her experience on the Oprah show. There are two mothers on there that feel entitled to welfare as if the government owes them this money. The author talks about how she used to do the same thing and how the welfare system is a crutch and it discourages and enables people from finding jobs and supporting themselves. Parker then goes on to discuss her own experiences on welfare. She talks about how she lived a reckless life have casual sex and got pregnant three times in one year. She also talked about how she quit her job and was supported on welfare and how others as well as she sold Medi-cal stickers.

This part was the most interesting o me because I have never heard of anyone using their welfare benefits by selling them to others and actually being able to live off of this illegal activity. I didn’t even know that that was possible. And the idea that there are clinics that don’t even ask for id and that will let you use someone else Medi-cal sticker is unheard of. This is what’s wrong with the welfare system and the government. How can you allow this illegal activity to be going on, this abuse of the system, while there are all these people who need these benefits but can’t get them? Can you not clearly decipher between who needs welfare and who doesn’t? Is it that hard? And if so, can you not find people who are capable of doing this job? These are serious questions that I have. I know when my mom was a case workers she would actually do her job and research to see who was lying on their application, this is what all government employees need to be doing.

Black and on Welfare: What You Don’t Know About Single-Parent Women by Sandra Golden

            In “Black and on Welfare: What You Don’t Know About Single-Parent Women”, Sarah Golden makes the argument that "women on welfare [are] affected by discriminatory practices." I agree with this statement because in some ways I feel that this is true. For instance, Golden states that, "Dominating system such as welfare do not recognize Black women's social literacy skills." I believe that this is a form of discrimination, because a system that ignores part of its population's abilities is cheating itself. Black women on welfare have a lot to offer the economy and society, but as long as the government continues to discriminate against Black women's "social literacy skills" then the good that they have to offer will go unheard.

While I agree with Golden's argument that "women on welfare [are] affected by discriminatory practices within the welfare system" (28), I also disagree with this statement. This is because I feel that her argument is to general. How does she know that every "women on welfare [is] affected by discriminatory practices within the welfare system" (28)? For instance, she holds a focus group of twelve women who are on welfare. A focus group made up of only twelve women out of the total amount of women on welfare, is one that in my opinion is to general and not a good representation of the whole group. Also, I feel that Golden's argument is a little bias, because she used to be on welfare. "Even today, over 20 years after my encounter with the welfare system, many young Black females carry the assumed burdened of being uneducated or undereducated, unskilled, and unmotivated because they receive public assistance" (28).

Literacies and the World

In Dysfunctional Literacies of Exclusion: An Exploration of the Burdens of Literacy in Tisiti Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions by Mandi Chikombero, Chikombero analyses Dangarembga’s novel and its literary references. The novel, which is about “black people’s struggle for resolution among the challenges presented by the conflicting literacies”, the different types of literacies bring about burdens and “Dangarembga offers counsel regarding the need to find the middle ground, which becomes a path to inclusion of all literacies”. Chikombero notes the fact that “the book makes significant contributions to the understanding of Black women’s literacy”. Also, according to Chikombero “classroom literacy is but one kind of literacy, but it is not the only literacy”. She breaks down Dagarembga’s novel to explain that traditional literacy and colonial/modern literacy is included within the text. Also, Dagarembga notes that both forms of literacy are dysfunctional in that they have the same goal; to exclude.

When Chikombero spoke about the different types of literacy in her essay, it reminded me of my own personal life. Upon enrolling in this English Composition course, I was unaware that one’s literate abilities are sometimes a result of their home lives. I have always believed that the only type of literacy was the literacy that came from schools, books and teachers. However, I have learned that literacy has many different definitions as it also results from many different factors. For example, one’s culture, values and beliefs, may determine their literate capabilities.  Personally, I believe that my literacy stems from educational institutions as well as family factors. My teachers and their lessons have taught me educational fundamentals while my family has taught me the fundamentals of the world. On a broader spectrum, my family has taught me the ways of the world and most importantly, how to survive and excel in the world.  

Going Against the Grain by Jacqueline Royster

In “Going Against the Grain,” Jacqueline Royster also discussed the importance of education. In the essay she talked about how, “African Americans understood the implications of literacy and learning in political, economic, and social progress” (123). Royster discussed how African Americans knew that if they were ever to have a bright future in the United States then they would have to get their education. African Americans viewed education as a tool that was absolutely necessary in life in order to be successful.

            I found this part of the essay particularly interesting, because I think that urgency to receive an education has been lost in the African American community today. Royster also talked about how African American’s were denied education. She discussed that by being denied to education African Americans were able to see the importance of it, “They could see clearly – from the extent to which they were denied access to it- that education could make a difference for individuals and for whole communities” (123). I think that today we do not value education as much as African Americans did during that time period, because we are not denied access to it. Unlike African Americans during Emancipation, we have numerous opportunities to receive an education. The problem today is not, “How am I going to get my education?”, but rather the lack of motivation that has overwhelmed our society.

            Our generation has been spoiled, because we have never really had to overcome any obstacles in order to obtain an education. This part of the essay made me ask myself two questions. First, should our generation have all of the privileges that we have taken away in order for us to appreciate them? Second, will our generation ever return to the mindset that our ancestors had in terms of our views towards education.

Going Against the Grain by Jacqueline Royster

In “Going Against the Grain”, the author also discussed slavery. Jacqueline Royster talked about slave owners such as Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, and their views on slavery. Both Adams and Jefferson disliked slavery, however Adams “…made no attempt during his presidency to bring about any change to the system” (119). In the essay the reader is able to see that Jefferson clearly did not agree with slavery, and the inhumane conditions that many slaves experienced.

            Although, Jefferson disliked slavery, I believe that he was not fully opposed to the issue. This is because in the essay Royster states, “Jefferson’s distaste for slavery was shared by others whose opposition was in some cases like his own, that is, against the system but not necessarily in support of the equality of people of African descent” (119).

Personally, I felt that this statement had many contradictions, because how can you be against slavery, but you do not view African’s as equals to Caucasians? I feel that that is absolutely absurd, because I think that either you are for slavery and against the equal treatment of Africans, or you are not for slavery and you are for the equal treatment of Africans. I do not believe that one can straddle the fence, that is take Jefferson’s view, on an issue this serious. I believe that Jefferson was sincere in his views on slavery, but I do not think that he was ready to view people of African descent as his equal counterparts. I believe that Jefferson was too afraid of what other individuals in society would say and think about him if he said that he thought Africans should be viewed as equals to Caucasians. Also, I think that Jefferson did not want to compromise his position in society because of his views.

Reel Women: Black Women and Literacy in Feature Films

The essay by Joanne Kilgore Dowdy discusses black women in films and books and the roles they play. It focuses on analyzing the role that literacy plays in the lives of the black women in the films. The author discusses how you can learn a lot about the time period, the society and the culture from these black films. Dowdy talks about how you can experience and observe women of different literacy levels as well as how these women are depicted by black actresses.

Dowdy also discusses the importance of location or as she calls it, “the politics of location.” (Dowdy 155) She talks about how depending on where you are, people will treat you differently concerning whether or not they respect you. Then she goes on to address the issue of what it means to be black. This particularly stood out to me because the color of your skin really does matter in the black community. Whether or not you are light skinned or dark skinned determines how you will be treated in the black community.  In some parts of the black community you will be respected or better treated if you are darker and in some parts because you are lighter.

Thinking back, I realize that people have treated me differently because I’m lighter skinned. Guys tell me I’m beautiful or they call me “yellow bone” which insinuates that it is better to have lighter skin than darker skin. It also insinuats that light skin is equated with beautiful while darker skin is not. However, if you go to a part of the black community where Africans are prevalent, darker skin will be embraced, appreciated probably even preferred over lighter skin. Therefore it depends on where you are in the black community.

Women and Literacy in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple by E. Yvette Walters

            In “Women and Literacy in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple” Yvette Walters discussed the five categories “….from which women view reality and themselves and draw conclusions about truth, knowledge, and authority” (138). In this essay, Walters performed a critical analysis of the character Celie from The Color Purple.

            The author begins by giving a brief synopsis of The Color Purple. Then, she goes on to explain how Celie falls into each one of the five categories that she has previously described. Throughout the essay, the reader is able to see the transformation of Celie’s character from a timid, quiet young lady to one who develops a good sense of self. In Celie’s silent stage, Walters emphasized how she acquired her literacy from “…more in-depth ways of knowing that extend beyond basic reading and writing skills” (139). 

            I found this statement very interesting, because it never occurred to me that literacy could be viewed beyond the traditional definition of the word. This statement also made me wonder if the situations that we go through in life are considered as different forms of literacy. I also found it interesting in the essay the strategy that the author used to point out the different ways that women view themselves and the world around them, and what situations in life shape these views. The way the author connected the development of Celie in The Color Purple to the different ways that women view the world and themselves really allowed to me understand what she was trying to explain.

            After reading this essay I had two important questions. The first question is, what category would I fall under? The second question is, what events in my life have shaped my view of myself and the world, in order for me to fall into that category.

"Going Against The Grain The Aquistion and Use of Literacy" by Jacqueline Royster

            In “Going Against the Grain: The Acquisition and Use of Literacy” the author discussed how and why African American women attained their literacy. The author shows the reader the various forms in which African American women have used literacy in both a traditional and nontraditional manner.

            She begins the chapter by talking about the numerous images that have been given to African American women dating back to slavery, “Since the beginning of Africans’ lives in the Americas, African American women have been encumbered by racist, sexist, class-bound ideologies” (pg.109). The author then goes on to explain that these various forms of oppression acted as the stimulus that help motivate African American females to gain their literacy. These women recognized that literacy was a powerful tool to acquire in order to overcome the negative stereotypes. Royster also talked about how African American women used literacy not only as a form of resistance, but also as a way to help preserve their culture.

         On the other hand, the author takes note of some institutions such as Atlanta University and Spelman College, which have served the black community. The essay mentions the fact that whites have indeed contributed to the education of blacks. For example, Spelman College was actually founded by two white woman missionaries. Also, during the time of slavery, many white slave owners would pay for their black children to earn an education.

         Conclusively, the educating of black females is indeed important. Even today, black women are portrayed as sex symbols, low class, child bearers etc. Therefore it is beyond important that as a whole, black women rise above the stereotypes. Education will serve as one of the major stepping-stones towards becoming successful in the world. By becoming educated, we as a race and a gender will eventually rise above the glass ceiling.  

" Transformative College Literacy of Literate Black Women Peer Counselors" by Robin Wisniewski

The article by Robin Wisniewski started off discussing the importance of literacy in black woman from a quote from a third semester which basically says that literacy is your agent of change and influence because without it you are ignorant and in ignorance you can't cause change. If you are knowledgeable about what's going on around you in the world, then you can't change it and that is why it's important to be literate. The author then goes on to discuss the peer counseling program which "provides literacy support for college students with disabilities." ( 70 Wisniewski) She discusses the growth of the program and analyzes how much it helped the students as well as her and the peer counselors and introduces her own journey.

What stood out to me was when she discusses the process of schema construction that is the construction of your own knowledge based off of what you know and what someone else teaches you. This was interesting to me because I had learned about the construction of knowledge in ADW and this is exactly what happens when you go to college. You take everything you know, challenge it with what you are being taught and find what is real and what isn't thus controlling your own literacy.

Construction of knowledge is especially important in contributing to your own personal literacy because your literacy is yours and you solely are responsible for it. Meaning that you can’t just accept anything that someone tells you is truth or knowledge but you having the right, for you literacy’s sake, to examine and research and determine on your own whether or not the information is valuable or necessary. As Wisniewski further discusses construction of knowledge she talks about the classroom being a democratic setting and everyone contributing but even then, don’t just rely on others for your literacy.

“Literacy and the Black Woman”

by Sharon M. Darlings

              The essay entitled “Literacy and the Black Woman”, by Sharon M. Darlings, spoke of the well-known gap between Black women and literacy. In her essay Darlings was sure to note the fact that this “vicious cycle of illiteracy” has been around as early as the period of slavery and is as current now as it was then. According to Darlings, illiterate women outnumber illiterate men [on account of] reproduction issues, social position, and inadequate formal schooling (Lim, 1966; Safman, 1986)” (pg. 19). In addition, Darlings noted that “Lim (1996) reported that 25% of the world’s population is illiterate. Women compromise 60% of this group, and Black women compromise 44% of all illiterate women (Safman, 1986). Illiteracy, therefore, is a woman’s issue” (pg. 19).

While reading this article I thought a lot about my mother, my grandmothers and my great-grandmothers. My mother and the rest of the women in my life have always had influential roles in my life. I have always known them to be very strong and intelligent women. However, I have also known them to be misfortunate women. My mother and my grandmothers have only had the chance to acquire a limited education. None of these women attended college because of their teenage pregnancies. As a result, I have watched them suffer at times. In accordance, I have watched others, such as the white mothers and fathers of my high school peers, live with the upper hand. My peers came from mothers and fathers who have long had social and economic advantages. Based on my experiences as a first generation college student, I was able to understand Darlings’ ideas and opinions on literacy and the Black woman. Personally, I feel that it is very important for the Black woman to attain literacy. Black woman are already at a disadvantage, as we are the subordinate race as well as the subordinate gender. Without literacy, a Black woman will become lost in the world, over looked and stepped on, by those that surround her.