Why We're Here
Amilcar, JohnKarlo, and Brittney are students at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. They all come from different backgrounds, perspectives on life, and interests. Nevertheless, there is one thing in particular where they share a common ground: justice! They all decided to dedicate themselves to three different justice issues, but they all focus on how society and the media have influenced these issues and how stereotypes and bias were created. As a team, all they want is to promote awareness and confidence, so that people who may be possibly facing these issues will know that it is okay to be who they are and always walk with their heads held high.
We are a group who advocates for social justice and equality for all regardless of sexual and cultural background. Our general audience represents those who support and fight for equality and justice so that all can enjoy the same opportunities and freedoms in our society. Each justice space on this website has its specific audience but all have the same purpose, advocating justice for all. Be- You-Tiful is a digital space that specifically targets people who are concerned about beauty or physical appearance. Its specific audience are middle school students and older people who don’t accept who they are physically. The LGBTQ space advocates specifically for social equality regarding sexuality. Its intended audience are those who fight for equality because equality does not exists when same opportunities are denied to a group or groups due to their sexual orientation. And finally, Angry Black Women Syndrome? No! It’s Just a Stereotype is a digital space that advocates for people to avoid stereotyping based on physical or social characteristics. Its intended audience are those who stereotype others based on external agents. In fact, people who stereotype black females with anger are the primary audience of this digital space.
Many of us will go day to day keeping our insecurities to ourselves, feeling like a social outcast. We don't need to feel that way, and yet, that concept seems to allude us. Becoming confident is about accepting the things about us that we can't change, and being empowered by the things that make our individual selves great. Whether you dislike the shape of your nose or the shape of your waist; whether your sass is associated negatively with a group; whether your sexual preference is different from a "norm," you are all beautiful people!
We are a group who advocates for social justice and equality for all regardless of sexual and cultural background. Our general audience represents those who support and fight for equality and justice so that all can enjoy the same opportunities and freedoms in our society. Each justice space on this website has its specific audience but all have the same purpose, advocating justice for all. Be- You-Tiful is a digital space that specifically targets people who are concerned about beauty or physical appearance. Its specific audience are middle school students and older people who don’t accept who they are physically. The LGBTQ space advocates specifically for social equality regarding sexuality. Its intended audience are those who fight for equality because equality does not exists when same opportunities are denied to a group or groups due to their sexual orientation. And finally, Angry Black Women Syndrome? No! It’s Just a Stereotype is a digital space that advocates for people to avoid stereotyping based on physical or social characteristics. Its intended audience are those who stereotype others based on external agents. In fact, people who stereotype black females with anger are the primary audience of this digital space.
Many of us will go day to day keeping our insecurities to ourselves, feeling like a social outcast. We don't need to feel that way, and yet, that concept seems to allude us. Becoming confident is about accepting the things about us that we can't change, and being empowered by the things that make our individual selves great. Whether you dislike the shape of your nose or the shape of your waist; whether your sass is associated negatively with a group; whether your sexual preference is different from a "norm," you are all beautiful people!
Our Digital Justice Issues
BE-YOU-TIFUL
When you think of the word beautiful, what do you think of? Is it an individual who is lean and fit, with straight hair, perfect skin, or colored eyes? What about the people who don’t exactly meet those requirements? Are they not beautiful? How did you even get this image of beauty in your head? Was it society? Ok… Ok… Ok… I’m done with all the questions. Nevertheless, I hope that made you think and realize how much of an impact society and the media have on our lives and thought processes.
There should never be a day that you look in the mirror and hate yourself because you don’t look like the people in the magazines. Those people don’t even look like that in real life. They are being digitally altered to appear “Perfect.” Those people may be starving themselves or taking other dangerous precautions to keep up. Therefore, you should never base the way you look and feel off of the models and what you see in the media. As long as you look and feel beautiful, that’s all that matters. It is beautiful to have short curly hair, long wavy hair, braids, dreads. it is beautiful to have brown, blue, green, hazel, grey eyes. Those acne bumps and scars you’ve been trying to hide? Yeah, those are also beautiful, because they are a part of life. Being skinny or chunky is beautiful too. Flaunt what your mama gave you and always take pride in it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all about self love/loving the skin you're in no matter what, but we must also consider health. It’s more than fine to be superskinny or a little chunky. But it is not okay to be anorexic or obese. This could negatively affect your body’s health. It's ok to want to get in shape, but it should be done in a healthy way. You should not be taking/doing things that may not be genuinely good for you. |
New Guns for the Same BulletsThe topic of gay rights and LGBTQ issues is not a new topic in the 21st century. Different movements have been occurring dedicated to equal rights with the LGBTQ community since the early 1900's, and very likely decades prior to those most documented points in history.
What's different today is that our social media and other internet-based outlets are creating a new digital world for this current revolution. While new forces to liberate and support LGBTQ are able to reach many more, the same outlets are used to spread a homophobic and, at many times, hateful agenda. My goal with this project is to create an awareness in those who believe that the LGBTQ community has somehow won their revolution, because there is much work to do. There are still groups and individuals who believe they do not qualify for equal rights. As a New Yorker myself, it is a reality check to remember that the rest of the country is not like New York City. There are many organizations that don't exist with many places in the rest of the country that believe in abolishing gay right legislation, even going as far as suggesting damnation on LGBTQ communities. What should be taken away from my project is that LGBTQ communities still need our support. The majority of this country have not even legalized gay marriage. |
Angry Black Women Syndrome? No It's Just a Stereotype
We all feel angry about things we dislike happening around us. Our responses to each event in our lives are affected by the environment in which we live. We express our feelings, thoughts, and emotions according to what we perceive from the outside. We produce different physical, verbal, and emotional reactions, not because we deliberately choose to, but because we are forced by other external factors. Anger reactions are explicitly affected by external factors, because people get angry about any circumstance in which they feel they are being abused or disrespected.
It is important to realize that being angry about something does not mean hating everything or everybody. Being angry means that there is something unjust or hazardous against one's self or against a group, and it could be something physical or emotional.
Angry Black Women Syndrome? It’s what many think of black women, assuming that black women’s angriness is due to health issues and craziness. Nevertheless, many label all black women with this untrue concept without evaluating what causes black women to even be angry.
Honestly, I really hate all the arguments and reasons that people post on various social networking sites claiming that all black women have gone crazy. And I have three reasons to hate it so much. My first reason is that people assume that black women are angry because they are mentally ill; the reason I dislike this argument is because they are creating a stereotype of black women. Although it is possibly true that some black women might be angry because of health issues, it is also true that not all black women are angry because of health issues. My second reason is about those who label black women negatively based on the fact that black women are angry. This is something that disturbs me a lot because people are criticizing the problem but ignoring all the agents causing the problem. Finally, I am really concerned about this issue “Angry Black Women" Syndrome because it stereotypes black women negatively as if only black women get angry. This is just a misconception about the black community, because white, black, and women from other races get angry as well. In fact, we all have these issues.
It is important to realize that being angry about something does not mean hating everything or everybody. Being angry means that there is something unjust or hazardous against one's self or against a group, and it could be something physical or emotional.
Angry Black Women Syndrome? It’s what many think of black women, assuming that black women’s angriness is due to health issues and craziness. Nevertheless, many label all black women with this untrue concept without evaluating what causes black women to even be angry.
Honestly, I really hate all the arguments and reasons that people post on various social networking sites claiming that all black women have gone crazy. And I have three reasons to hate it so much. My first reason is that people assume that black women are angry because they are mentally ill; the reason I dislike this argument is because they are creating a stereotype of black women. Although it is possibly true that some black women might be angry because of health issues, it is also true that not all black women are angry because of health issues. My second reason is about those who label black women negatively based on the fact that black women are angry. This is something that disturbs me a lot because people are criticizing the problem but ignoring all the agents causing the problem. Finally, I am really concerned about this issue “Angry Black Women" Syndrome because it stereotypes black women negatively as if only black women get angry. This is just a misconception about the black community, because white, black, and women from other races get angry as well. In fact, we all have these issues.