oh nah nahhhhh, what's my nameeee?

"No Name Woman" by Maxine Hong Kingston is quite a compulsive essay. I guess that it's for the fact that Kingston give space for the reader to collect the minor details and try to put it together into a mystery. For example, when she says that " I wonder whether he masked himself when he joined the raid on her family. " She gives her own ideas to the readers, maybe he planned this or maybe he just a evil being. She gives different plots, such as maybe her aunt was raped or maybe she wanted to commit adultery. The one thing that I noticed is that she doesn't talk down about her aunt. Even though her mother told her and warned her that, " Don't humiliate us. You wouldn't like to be forgotten as if you had never been born. " All cultures have their own consequences to the way that people act out with their own family and friends. It doesn't amaze me the fact that only men have a saying and are able to talk down towards women. Maybe this is a way of Kingston to go against the " rules " and try to eliminate the cycle her family have. 

" What Happens When Your Hood is the Last Stop on the White Flight Express ? " A.K.A. Gentrification

Taigi Smith and many other groups have experienced gentrification, including myself. I got to see the point of view from the people moving into my neighborhood and basically " invading " our culture. As being part of Brownsville community, seeing a different group of people such as White people, it's a bitter sweet experience. For one, rent has basically raised sky high. My family and I used to pay for a 3 bedroom apartment for only $1000/ month. Now as a result of gentrification by White people my family had to relocate to a new apartment now paying $1,500/month for only 3 bedrooms. As Smith said in her essay," When White people move into black neighborhoods, the police presence increases." Due to the fact of more police presence there's been less crimes around my neighborhood and more safety. You can now walk around my neighborhood past midnight and it's rare that you'll run into trouble. Though, Black people have to be cautious while walking around that time of the day, because most likely you'll be stopped by a cop, black male specially. Also, it's pretty cool to have a " chic cafe " around the corner. It's safe to study, and even chat with a friend. Before then it was rare to have a cafe in my neighborhood 5 years ago. Ever since White people started to pop up so did the " chic cafes ". I just wonder would had my neighborhood become a better place if the White people wouldn't had moved in. 

Latino U.S.A : A Cartoon History

I really enjoyed reading this pop art by Stavans. While reading this comic book I found it personally funny. I'm not Mexican, but I'm a Latina. A Latino to Stavans is a person that is "Spanish-speaking.. living in the United States." Though i refer to myself as a multicultural person, Dominican and French, people point me out as simply Latina. There's nothing wrong with classifying me as that for the fact that I am. To me this comic book is formative and funny at the same time. For one he does say in a way that Latinos basically don't have a saying in what they do or say because they are in "American" territory. What people don't seem to understand that a Latino person isn't straight up a Mexican. Mexicans do take up most of the Latino population in the U.S but that doesn't mean that people that look Mexican should be called Mexican (I know from experience). All Latinos have different heritage and way of living, the same way that languages have different pronunciation and origin. I consider myself a Latina, always have and always been. 

"Dutiful Hijas"

Martinez can really relate to me, or I can relate to her. When she says "Giving birth to a daughter was the equivalent of buying life insurance" (143), truly made me giggle while reading this. This is for the fact that I can relate to her and understand her. My mom is the same way, she always reminds me that she gave me birth and that she can take it back, like she saved the receipt and forgot to read the return policy. The culture that we are part of truly is enforced to the future generation. We have responsibilities from a young age, and that's just the way it it, there's no changing that. It all depends on the family as well, not many Hispanic families continue the same cultural view as the others, some may be more modern about the way of living but some as will have a way of living from the past generations. The way her mother is towards her family is the way that my mom is in some ways. Like when Martinez says that , "My mother was by no means quietly compliant, but my father was frequently the decision-maker.." (149); I thought of my parents, and just said "PREACH GIRL". This is so true. I don't know if it's the way women are pushed back on the sideline and aren't appreciated as much as men are, which is truly a sad matter. My parents expect me to be the same way when I grow older and get married, well I'm sorry to disappoint them but that won't fly with me. I believe everyone has ownership of their own life, and no one can change that. 

                           

" Class and the Politics of Writing "

This chapter from the book truly made me want to go and buy the book. Some of my classmates find it that the author is playing the " race card ". Which is very shocking to be part of a group of people that believe this. Sure she blamed the people that were in charge of publishing books which at the time been white folks. And even if the book itself was published in 1999 doesn't mean the events that took place were in 1999. Me myself don't believe that she is playing this so called "race card ". She is just defending herself and stating that the people that run the publishing of books are white people, and to be exact white men. So i don't believe this is a racial thing, but more of a sexist way of doing things. According to the author, many women were turned down because they simply were women, not because of their race or their sexuality just simply for their gender. Even though this happen centuries ago women are still treated this way. They don't get the same job tittle as a male, they don't get paid the same as a male and so on. Like in this article by the Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/09/23/why-fans-ignore-women-pro-sports/A37CAUWxMv0cvF5xkkAe1J/story.html. The article not only states why people ignore the sports that women play but also how they are pretty much pushed to the side from the media most of the time. I just think society needs to step it's game up because there are still racist and sexist people around, and it's not going to change any time soon.

Little Failure.

Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of this "memoir" by Gary Shteyngart. Most of the information that he went on and on in the beginning weren't that much interesting to me. For a fact i did learn about his background and why he happen to had immigrated to New York, which is totally understandable. I happen to had gone through the same thing as he did, start a new life in a whole different country. He didn't take himself moving to New York as pitiful as I did. He was actually glad he was moving, even if he does mention different memories, which happen to be questionable at times. I wasn't surprised that racism landed in the class conversation. What I do wonder is if Gary actually don't consider himself racist anymore and if his actions are actually valid. He has this character which i really honestly wouldn't take seriously in person. The fact that he's a liar most of time and he admits it, and he complains about every time big of thing that goes in his life. Like hello? There's people out there that are going through a much serious thing than him just trying to make his parents happy. I understand for the fact that my parents expect me to be good in school and life, but that's what parents do. I don't think this book had a effect on me in any type of way. I know the school expected the students to be effected by the book but I don't think its a book the students could really relate to other than him going to college and being in a surrounding with different cultures. I give the book a 6/10.