Global Learning Lecture Experience
How to See and Stop Cultural Appropriation
Thanks to the Global Learning Medallion program, I was able to participate in a discussion regarding the prevention of cultural appropriation. The discussion was set-up like the fish-bowl, in which there is a circle of open discussion and a an audience group surrounding the circle. As this topic is one that I am very interested in, I decided to participate in the fish-bowl to present my thoughts and discuss with my fellow peers. The group was made up of culturally diverse people, different genders, and different ages. The presentation on the screen presented a little girl who threw a birthday party in a Japanese tea ceremony theme. The mediator claimed that the question being asked was not whether or not this is a display of cultural appropriation, but when is it okay or not okay to use it. As we learned throughout the discussion, we figured out that, if the girl and her mother had dedicated time to making the theme as
Ending Child Marriage in Florida
Conversation with a Peace Corps Volunteer: Gladys Muñoz Romero
In one of my Global Learning courses, Societies of the World, I learned about various issues around the world and how they are all interdependent. I had learned about child marriages abroad, and had always felt for those children, as I could not even begin to imagine what it was like to be in such a situation in my childhood. This is why, when I saw this lecture opportunity as I searched my email, I knew I had to go. This lecture was led by two women, Sandy Skelany and Allison Sardinas from the Center for Women's and Gender Studies, and the FIU Initiative for Gender Violence Prevention. They also had Florida State Representative Daisy J. Baez to join in and
culturally accurate as possible, then it could be interpreted as cultural appreciation. However, if the party theme were done due to the exotification of the culture, then the theme would be inappropriate. We came to the conclusion that there will be people of said appreciated or appropriated culture that agree and disagree with the use of the theme.
Our mediator then asked us, "What if there were a foreign child's birthday party in an American theme?" Some of us shook our heads. We discussed why this would not be as severe of an offense, or arguably an offense at all, by discussing the role of power among countries and influences of colonization. Some argued that claiming that this foreign child in another country was not culturally appropriating American culture would be hypocritical. Others claimed that, because the United States and other powerful countries have played a huge role in colonizing other nations and even stripping some away of their culture, the argument has no backbone. This discussion ran for about an hour and a half. We all went back and forth, discussing the role of power between the countries. Towards the end of the discussion, we had the majority of the participants agree that, while other cultures can appropriate or appreciate the United States, the action does not hold as much weight due to the fact that they have been colonized and hold less negotiation power in the world as a result. If an American appropriated a foreign culture, it holds more weight as the United States has had a history of washing out the cultures of other countries, or even adopting it as its own and demonizing the people of said culture for practicing it.
speak about the issue. The hosts began the lecture and began their explanation. They explained that, in the State of Florida, the age of consent is 18, with the close-in-age exemptions of 16 and 17 with a partner no older than 23-years-old. However, although this is the law, there are other exceptions that are not commonly known. If a child is sexually assaulted by an older person, becomes pregnant, and belongs to a household that believes having children out of wedlock is sinful, their parents can marry off their child to their assailant/rapist. Hearing this blew my mind. What was horribly ironic of this whole situation was the fact that these children cannot get out of the grasps of their attackers through divorce, as they are not of the legal age to sign legal documents. Therefore, the system hypocritically allows children in these very specific cases to get legally married to the men that raped and impregnated them, but does not allow them enough freedom to get legally divorced from them because of age. The hosts proceeded to present us with the story of Sherry Johnson, a woman who experienced this first-hand. She gave birth at the age of 10. Sherry suffered emotionally, academically, and financially. She described the feeling as having the handcuffs that should have gone to her assailant placed on her own wrists, as she was strung to a commitment that she had no knowledge of or support for.
After this introduction, Daisy J. Baez then took the podium. She explained that she, as Florida State Representative, is trying to pass a bill to make these cases illegal. Her bill would make the age of consent to marriage at 18, no exceptions. Her bill, HB71, is hoping to be effective by July 1st, 2018. She asked us to follow the bill throughout the process, and to please vote on it upon its release to the public. State Representative Baez went on to explain how the bill-making process works, and the various steps it takes to get it even considered for voting. She really humanized her position as State Representative by explaining her very humbling story of how she got involved with politics, and dissecting the governmental system in ways for her audience to better understand the way it functions. I aim to follow this bill throughout the process. I truly do hope we find a way to pass this bill, as this legal exception is personally unacceptable.
A great opportunity I had thanks to this program was the chance to have a meeting with Gladys Muñoz Romero, a Peace Corps volunteer that spent her time in Guatemala as a Healthy Schools Volunteer. She explained that she was in charge of researching and implementing a program that encouraged healthy eating in schools in a practical and affordable way. The talk with her was very interesting, as I have considered joining the Peace Corps at some point. She discussed some of the troubles she encountered when coming up with ideas for
programs to implement. One idea she had was to implement a community garden within the schools in order to give the students and local citizens a source for freshly grown, healthy food. However, an obstacle arose. Apparently, the schools in the area of Guatemala that she volunteered in are owned by wealthier patrons. This meant that she had to get the permission of the patrons if she wanted to make any changes or implement anything new. Hearing her speak about this sole experience made me realize that, while one can have many creative ideas that could benefit a project, there is always the possibility of obstacles arising and halting those visions before they can be achieved. Romero proceeded to show us pictures of the students and local citizens that she had helped and developed friendships with. This was a moment that really got to me - seeing how the influence of her work had affected the lives of the locals.