Reflection On Attending Spelman's College

African-American communities have been asked to sacrifice hiring qualified, capable Black teachers for a promise of increased test scores. People of color are to shout to the heavens for school choice and accept a lottery. These are all false dichotomies and inconsistencies that reflect our allegiances to organizations and ideologies rather than community. We are a community driven institution, which is at the essence of our mission. Dillard remains one of the few places that promulgate the black middle class in both word and in deed. We as an institution supports Dr. Darwish in his efforts to secure funds for this STEM program, because it is our belief too that education is an incubator for literacy, employment, citizenship and activism. These courses are prerequisites for upper level classes in STEM programs, including nursing, physics and public health. For the 24 girls selected each year to participate Dillard University serves as more than just another university but rather an educational map, economic development plan, political stage and protector for not only the low-income families, but also future generations. Let us not forget, HBCU’s were the original Teach for America in this regard, therefore, we have an obligation to ensure the success of young

My sophomore scholar's research project thoroughly investigated the history of medical abuses against African-Americans. I researched racism in medicine dating back to slavery through the 1990’s, and I found astounding medical injustices against the African-American community. My

African Americans are twice as likely to die of an illness such as cancer and heart disease as well as, less likely to have health access compared to any other race. African Americans are yet subject to racial discrimination and stereotypes in the health care, that leads them without the correct health screenings and treatments. The root of these racial disparities connects with the intersectionality of race, class, gender and education.

Though it has been apparent that people of color have been treated as a subclass within the medical field for centuries; as was brought to light in The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, the recognition of forced hysterectomies and sterilizations of African American women in the 20th century and, to “The Negro Project” which worked to reduce the African American population through eugenics (Feagin & Bennefield, 2014). With even these three examples it is clear that the medical field has played a large role in creating both psychological and physical disadvantages and trauma for minority groups in America. Yet, it seems to be a subject that many professionals refuse to address. A meta-analysis conducted by Mayberry, Mili and Ofili found that,

Choosing to attend Spelman College as one of many decisions I have to make as a student was an easy task. Ever since I can remember, one of my biggest aspirations was to be accepted to and attend Spelman College. Through the years, Spelman women in my life have demonstrated their commitment to uplifting children, families and the community. Considering that Spelman is a liberal arts college that provides an intimate and nurturing environment, I have no doubt that it will provide the tools I need to be successful.

Today, African American students are under-represented in college and universities, and the reason is the ongoing disenfranchisement of African American students. Our education system needs be more responsive and needs to pay more attention to the college preparation for these students. People of color historically have been misrepresented, exploited, silenced, and taken for granted in education research (Dillard, 2000; Stanfield, 1995), (H. Richard Milner IV, 2008).

It is probably the worst kept secret in the United States that minorities living in low income areas have the worst access to health care in the developed nation. Oftentimes they have to choose between going to the doctor to get treatment that could potentially save their lives or risk putting their families in millions of dollars’ worth of debt. Crooked CEOS jack up the prices of insulin, EpiPen’s, and a host of other lifesaving medications just to make an extra dollar. Research on Black Americans is typically underfunded, not to mention the underlying mistrust that people of color in low income communities can occasionally exhibit to doctors, police officers, etc. It is hard to trust someone in a position of authority when historically they have oppressed and hurt your people. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, a study where black men were used as laboratory experiments to examine the effects of syphilis, is proof enough. Therefore, I propose a 3-step plan to help people livening in these situations.

Health is a state of well being, and ideally, in an equal society, all people should be provided with the necessary tools to maintain that state of health. Ideals are mere fantasies, however, since even the most developed countries fall victim to health inequities. These inequities are avoidable inequalities in health between different groups of people. African Americans are among many other groups of people that fall victim to a system that, sometimes inconspicuously creates barriers wherein people cannot adequately arm themselves with the tools to remain healthy. One of the most common health inequities among African Americans is the HIV/AIDs virus. This viruses significance is relatively recent in human history, but the damage it has

Pierce, Beverly et al. (2017). Summer Health Program for African-American High School Students in Baltimore, Maryland: Community Partnership for Integrative Health. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, Volume 13, Issue 3, 186 – 197

“African Americans have the worst health profile. Disparities in health status are well documented and widely known. However, research on race, ethnicity, and health is controversial. The reason for this is probably linked to the thorny role that race has played in American history and contemporary culture. Because of this history, race engenders emotion, and emotion is the antidote to rationality. Some have called for the end of research on race and health” (Isaac, L pg.

According to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1.2 million individuals in the United States have HIV (about 14 percent of which are unaware of their infection and another 1.1 million have progressed to AIDS. Over the past decade, the number of HIV cases in the US has increased, however, the annual number of cases remains stable at about 50, 000 new cases per year. Within these estimates, certain groups tend to carry the burden of these disease, particularly the gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) and among race/ethnic groups, Blacks/African American males remain disproportionately affected. (CDC)

In the context of the many worries that Black American mothers must relentlessly carry for their daughters’ safety, you [Emily Bernard] claim that “hope” is what drives you to release your daughters into the world and cease the rage you experience each time you hear about a young African-American being murdered. However, in response to your article “Between the World and Me: Black American Motherhood”, I would say that not only should you continue to carry “hope”, but it is also crucial that you have a desire to incite change. Given that you are a professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of Vermont, you could also initiate serious discussion about race among your students that could then hopefully carry over to the rest

Topics such as pregnancy, rape, race, and parenting are rarely discussed within the school system, contributing to black girls mental, emotional, and physical insecurity (Crenshaw, 2015). In many cases, African-American female students that are affected by any of the issues often become "segregated from their peers and stigmatized in a manner that may undermine their attachment to school" (Crenshaw, 2015, p. 39). By providing educational programs that create awareness and consciousness of common issues, and give helpful information on how to solve dangerous circumstances, black girls become more engaged in the curriculum and learn how to cope with the trauma that is encountered outside of the academic setting. These individuals can utilize these educational programs as mean to express their personal experiences, removing any form of internalized trauma that can be detrimental for their academic attainment. By addressing what these individuals encountered within their everyday lives, blacks girls become more focused and involved in their

Although African Americans make up merely fourteen percent of the U.S. population, thirty-seven percent of people who are homeless are African Americans. Forty-two percent of African American children are educated in all high-poverty schools. In 2012, the mean critical reading SAT score for college accepted students was 428 for African Americans and 527 for whites. For mathematics, it was 428 for African Americans and 536 for whites. For writing it was 417 for African Americans and 515 for whites (National Center for Educational Statistics). These staggering data manage to encompass just a few of the issues that are prevalent among African Americans in the United States. However, people may find themselves wondering how these figures came to be; who is responsible and what can be done? Many will begin turning to stereotypes for justification of this issue: African Americans are lazy, African Americans are criminals, African Americans are indifferent towards education. Indeed, that shallow assumption can be made made based on sole observation, but further research unveils an extraordinarily different conclusion. In order to understand this, one must dig deep into the history books and study the turbulent past of African Americans. Doing so, I was able to form a deduction that shows the origin of so many issues that the African American community is pressed with. African Americans experience the ramifications of their pasts everyday through the effects of denied access to

Various studies show evidence that link the relationship between social determinants of health and the risk for HIV. Interrelated social determinants of health can create a context of vulnerability and risk for HIV. It is very important to be able to recognize the interrelation components of HIV risk in order determine the HIV prevention response that is the most effective. For instance, research shows that HIV rates are significantly higher in Black men who have sex with men (MSM) than for MSM of other races. These rates, which are very disproportionate, are not attributable to a higher frequency of sexual risk behaviors. To appropriately address risk for MSM of different races, it is imperative to understand the process of disease transmission among these populations, in other words, the social determinants of health that are involved, such as access to healthcare (CHLA, 2012).