Campus Activities

I started my day February 16, 2017 excited to attend an on campus activity for the first time. This was definitely going to be a new experience for me. Normally I would not be able to attend functions due to my work schedule. While doing some work on the NCC website i decided to look at the campus activities page. The day was to start with social justice performances by NCC students and would be followed by a guest speaker and ending with a faculty panel discussion.
Unfortunately the planned guest speaker could not attend and Dr. El-Burki from Lehigh University was able to step in and lead a wonderful discussion. The origin of the discussion was to be on how the internet has affected how we receive information and news. Dr El-Burki asked for us to share about perceptions we notice in the media that affect the way people of color are viewed within society.
I am sure we could have been there all day talking about stereotypes and how it affects people and the way they chose to live or how they have been lead to believe they are supposed to live. The perceptions that are attached to a whole race of people just by viewing shows on television like Maury Povich. If you pay attention in most movies to the body type or the way an actor is dressed or how they speak it generally falls within a box. The reality shown in the movie Hidden Figures when intelligent women are not given the opportunities they should have received based on their knowledge and work ethic. The idea that the black person or even a women in some cases does not have the ability to perform a particular job has been a normalcy for so long that it is misinterpreted or goes unnoticed. This should not be normal and people who find themselves not even taking the time to look at the credentials or to interview a person of color with the same level of discretion is only cheating their business of what could take them to the next level.
For me personally the discussion cemented ideas that I had already perceived about the media in general. Since i work in a retail environment I understand how the marketing tools are used both in television and in a physical environment. It still is a bit upsetting to know that no matter how much you achieve or expand your knowledge the world may still view you as what they are used to seeing on the television. Don't underestimate the power of your subconscious, you are what you surround yourself with, watch and read. Thanks to Dr El-Burki for and informative dialog.