General Overview: What happened in Charlottesville proves that America has a white supremacy (systemic racism) problem. What happened in the Pacific Northwest, and particularly the Portland Metro area, proves it. What happened in Oregon? For this assignment we will need to WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE (28.36 minutes) or read the Atlantic article "The Racist History of Portland, the Whitest City in America found in module 8.15 or click here: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/racist-history-portland/492035/ (Links to an external site.) . You can certainly do both, but only one (watch or read) is expected. You will need to reference the video or news article for each of the questions below. In addition, you must read the well know short article written by Peggy McIntosh entitled "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack": White Privilege-Peggy McIntosh Article.pdf . Actions You will need this article to help you answer the "Identity" questions below. Important Note: If you are a student who does not identify as white, you certainly have a very different perspective on race. This article is given as a starting point to allow you to reflect on the nature of privilege in all of its forms. As you read through the article, you are encouraged to learn about the impact of "white privilege" in the U.S. culture and consider other social categories that may grant privilege. In the questions below, you will choose a "privilege" that applies to your personal lived experience. Now I know that most of Clark students live in Vancouver, Washington, so why are we learning about Oregon? Well, it is important to remember that Vancouver's history of "racism" is very connected with Portland (more so than Seattle) because of its proximity etc. Remember, that just across the river, there was once a city called "VanPort"! A personal vignette here: just a few years ago, someone asked one of our Sociology professors where he teaches and he told them, "Clark College in Vancouver". The person paused, and then said, "oh you teach at that WHITE school!" True story. Clark college and Vancouver have a very similar perception of being "white" and promoting "white supremacy" or at least not being open to "racial inclusivity". WHY IS THIS? In this assignment, you are encouraged to think about what you have learned from the Conflict Perspective of Sociology and Power, Privilege and Inequity throughout the term and especially in RW (or ES) chapters 7, 8 & 9. Make sure to refer to what you have learned about W.E.B. Dubois and Karl Marx etc. as you consider this very important issue of race and other forms of privilege. Additional Background: According to Peggy McIntosh (see article), some of us experience “privileges” (e.g., such as race privilege) that impact our lives in ways that go unnoticed to us (they are “invisible” privileges). Because of this, we take them for granted. We get these privileges because our group is considered “the norm” in American society; in the case of race, whites are privileged because “life in the US is organized around whiteness” and because, in America, “white means normal” (Wade and Sharp, p. 84). According to McIntosh, we are often taught to consider the disadvantages of other groups, but in doing so we neglect to see how our own group is advantaged. This assignment is designed to help you begin to identify some of the daily effects of "privilege" in your life and identify some of the micro-aggressions that are used by individuals to maintain power and privilege. Please refer to your text and the powerpoint on Micro-aggressions for review (Module 8). This includes not only "privilege" based on race or ethnicity (as discussed in the above article and in class lectures), but ALL types of privilege – e.g. privilege based on social class, age, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, physical attractiveness, height, weight, physical ability, and so on. Timeline (bullet points accepted): 1. Build a timeline: Include 5-7 significant dates (events or policies enacted related to the treatment of black people) on a timeline of the history of "Racism in Portland". Note: A paragraph is not needed here, bullet points are acceptable. MICRO/IDENTITY ESSAYS: Questions 1 and 2 are required (each response should be 2-3 well-constructed paragraphs): 1. Social Construction of Identity: Referring to Peggy McIntosh's article (see link above), what is meant by the “social construction of identity” as it relates to race and racism? How do you see your own identity within power, privilege and equity status (i.e. rank)? Please include a description of "intersectionality" and comment on how you or someone you know experiences at least one other non-dominant status that interconnects with race. 2. Personal Power & Privilege: Choose one particular privilege that you benefit from other than race and carefully describe the privilege and how you benefit from this privilege (give concrete examples). In your response, also include how others around you (or in other groups) do not benefit from this privilege. Draw at least two links to arguments made in Peggy McIntosh’s article (see link above). MACRO/SYSTEMIC QUESTIONS: Questions 1, 2 & 3 are Required (each response should be 2-3 well-constructed paragraphs) : 1. Systemic Racism and Microaggressions: When someone says "I don't see color" OR "all lives matter" in response to the "Black Lives Matter" campaign (choose one or both of those microaggressions), how do those words perpetuate the attitude of white supremacy and systemic racism? Make sure to consult, use and reference the ABC news video clip Or the Atlantic news article at least once. 2. Systemic Solution(s): Given what you have learned about the history of racism in Oregon (and Washington), give one or two solutions for how we can build a community that is more inclusive to all races? If you can't personally think of a way to make a positive "systemic" change toward equity for all, perhaps you can answer: how would W.E.B. Dubois or Karl Marx or Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X answer that question? Whichever method you use (personally or how would Dubois or Marx or King or Malcolm X answer), make sure that your answer includes and defines "systemic". In other words, think MACRO (helicopter perspective). This is where the conflict perspective of sociology and principles of PP&I are helpful. Make sure to consult, use and reference the ABC news video clip Or the Atlantic news article at least once. 3. Choose and Analyze: Choose a current and legitimate sourced news article from the list below. Please include the title of the article in your essay heading. Analyze the context and content (i.e. frame, or setting or meaning) of the news article in terms of how it relates to Power, Privilege and Inequity on a "systemic" level. Show how the Conflict theory applies and suggest what you think is needed for social change. Black man kicked out of hotel: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/us/black-man-kicked-out-hotel-portland.html (Links to an external site.) College Admissions charges: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/20/us/college-admissions-more-charges/index.html (Links to an external site.) Clark College holds forum combating racist incidents: https://www.opb.org/news/article/clark-college-holds-forum-combat-campus-racist-incidents/ (Links to an external site.) Vancouver man convicted in racist hate-crime attack at sports bar https://www.columbian.com/news/2011/jun/08/federal-judge-convicts-vancouver-man-in-racist-hat/ (Links to an external site.) FBI report: Hate crimes up 42 percent in Washington state https://komonews.com/news/local/fbi-report-hate-crimes-up-42-percent-in-washington-state (Links to an external site.) After Online Threats, SW Washington Group Cancels Event Against Racism https://www.opb.org/news/article/vancouver-washington-mall-rally-racism-cancel/ (Links to an external site.) OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT ESSAY (George Floyd Killing): If you choose to write this extra credit essay, please label it "Extra Credit Essay" and clearly show the article or source that you are drawing from, etc. Choose a current and legitimate sourced news article regarding ANY SUBTOPIC surrounding the COVID-19 virus, ethics of health care and pandemic response, civil unrest, law enforcement and White House response to the protesting and (separate) acts of rioting and looting, historic perspective, connection to Civil Rights battles throughout our history, slavery, Jim Crow, local government response, diversity of protestors, global response, etc. Please include the title of the article in your essay heading and a link to your article. Discuss the story and apply the sociological lens to your take on the story. Draw from videos, textbook, discussions, etc. and use at least 5 terms in your essay. Include at least one reference to a theory you think applies to your discussion. (3 - 4 paragraphs) Submission: Using no more than four pages (single-spaced), provide answers to the above questions. Each question should be answered in 2-3 well-constructed paragraphs. Please label the assignment "Portland/Vancouver: Historical Racism" and number your responses accordingly (i.e. 1. Micro: "Social Construction of Identity", 2...., 3....). Make sure that you also reference either the ABC news video clip or the Atlantic news article or both appropriately. Make sure that you write complete punctuated sentences and provide depth of insight. NOTE: In total, you should have one timeline (bullet points) and 5 short essays (2-3 paragraphs each) in your submission.