Emily Vieira's Fall 2018 Blog

In Aria by Richard Rodriguez, he argues that to achieve public individuality one must  assimilate into the current cultural norms. Assimilation into the public society requires a diminished sense of private identity. Rodriguez makes this argument by connecting it to his own life. He was born into a spanish speaking family in an english speaking culture. At a young age he had to fall back onto his family members for outside support since, not many people around him spoke spanish. He felt that this made his family close. However, the educational institutions in America required him to speak English in school and home settings. His parents were forced to speak english at home so that Rodriguez and his siblings could flourish in school. As time went on, Rodriguez surpassed his parents level of english. English had become his primary language. The disconnect no longer came from the public to Rodriguez but from his own family to himself. Since his parents knew less and less english, t...

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh reminds me a lot about the previous article we read, Privilege, Power, and Difference by Allan G. Johnson. For starters, both articles are about privilege and power especially in the white male. What I found most surprising about these articles was that both were written over a decade ago. McIntosh published her article in 1990 while Johnson published his article in 2001. However, both of these articles are relevant to modern day America. Johnson and McIntosh  explain the importance of unearned entitlements, these are things that all people should have. In reality, they are not spread out to everyone. This becomes an unearned advantage, usually given out to whites, males and/or heterosexuals. In White Privilege , McIntosh states, “I began to count the ways in which I enjoyed unearned skin privilege and have been conditioned into oblivion about its existence.” She then goes on to list 50 privileges she has ov...

U.S.A., Land of Limitations by Nicholas Kristof, discusses the class gaps in the American society. Kristof claims that “In the United States, too often the best predictor of where we end up is where we start… The kind of society in which your outcome is largely determined by your beginning.” In simpler terms, if you were born in the lower class, you will most likely stay in the lower class and rightly so for the middle and upper classes. Kristof raises the issue of the increasingly larger class gap and the lack of opportunity for the lower class people. He points out the disadvantages that the lower class people have. Ranging from poverty to emotional comfort. The Developmental Assets Framework worksheet by Search Institute, is researched to have shown that the more assets a child has, the less likely it is for them to participate in a risky behavior. On the other hand, the less assets a child has is associated with a greater chance of participating in a risky behavior. Now, middle ...

Hi Guys! I am Emily Vieira. I am a health and physical education major at Rhode Island College. I went to both Florida twice this year, first to visit a friend at UTampa and again for a friends birthday.   I also went to Colorado twice this summer. The first time I surprised my twin brother at his graduation from basic training. Then again when my family and I visited him at the Air Force Academy for parents weekend and the Air Force football game.  When I am not in school I am most likely at the gym or working at Bliss Brother's Dairy as a waitress. I also love to go out with friends.