Diversity and equity are learning objectives within the school of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at UW Bothell, which provide students with necessary skills to understand, embrace, and develop diverse and equitable spaces. However, just learning about or studying these topics may not make a noticeable difference, therefore it is even more critical and necessary to be able to put knowledge about diversity and equity into practice and act on it. Being able to discern how equitable a situation is for oneself and others is important, as it can challenge oppressive norms and create new spaces for equitable practices, whether it is at school, work, or elsewhere.

 

During my time at UW Bothell, I was able to engage in coursework that explored diversity, equity, and privilege, as well as questioned and challenged the power structures dominant in our world. Through this coursework, I believe that I am able to embrace diverse aspects of those around me, while also recognizing the ways in which historical events have shaped various cultural expressions within our society. Put into practice, learning about historical power structures and systems of oppression, along with researching intersectionality, has informed much of my studies. Examples of this include a research paper on intersectionality, and a critical analysis of the political and cultural influences within popular music.

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“An Intersectional Examination of Gender, Sexuality, and Ability”

 

In this final essay, I chose to build on previous topics discussed in my Critical Gender and Sexuality Studies class, by exploring the ways in which gender, sexuality, and ability intersect. This paper bases its claims off of academic journal articles written by researchers and experts in their fields, but it is unique in that it also includes my own reflections and experiences with the topics discussed within. I felt that this aspect of the assignment allowed me to examine the ways in which I am privileged as well as disadvantaged, with respect to those whose backgrounds vary from my own. One of the main conclusions I made in this paper was that looking at identifiers, such as sexuality, gender, or ability, through an intersectional lens can help us understand one another more, rather than judging or brushing off those who do not conform to what our society deems as normal or acceptable. The ability to think critically about diversity and equity in this way has impacted the ways in which I interact with others outside of the classroom; I think I have become a more thoughtful and understanding person after putting these objectives into practice.

 

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“Liner Notes”

 

The final assignment for my Politics and Popular Music class was to compile a track list, liner notes, and an essay that explained the cultural and political impacts popular music has had on our society, as well as the other way around. This artifact examines the social and political contexts that underlie and influence the chosen tracks. I chose to include songs that varied in sociopolitical background, as a way to demonstrate the ways in which different demographics are/have been challenging oppressive power structures, with the intention of showing their similarities. For example, learning about the implications of the Vietnam War within African-American communities can inform us as to why it took extremely successful mainstream pop artists to expose and politicize racial injustices, or explain why we heard that same protest music at the recent Black Lives Matter marches and protests. In doing this assignment I feel like I strengthened my self-reflection skills through research and applying historical, cultural, and political implications or ideologies, to varying styles of American music. I also built off of the knowledge of intersectionality that I explored in the paper above, which I believe enhanced my understanding of diversity and power within music that we may not recognize.

 

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It is important to recognize one’s own privilege in relation to others,’ as it is useful in putting into perspective and better understanding other communities, even if there is some social or cultural disconnect. Overall I have learned that, if we do not have the ability to recognize and understand oppressive power structures, there is little we can do in terms of creating and maintaining equitable environments.