Analysis of Everyday Life

“Sex and race because they are easy and visible differences have been the primary ways of organizing human beings into superior and inferior groups and into the cheap labor in which this system still depends. We are talking about a society in which there will be no roles other than those chosen or those earned. We are really talking about humanism.”-Gloria Steinem. Steinem tackles all the main factors that prevent equality in this country as well as expands the control of power structures in this country. Throughout the course of this class I have been exploring my role in society. I have been a victim of stereotypes as well as the initiator. I have been complemented, criticized, and categorized. My name has been slandered and used in both negative and positive connotations. Through it all I am still searching to find myself and to set my mark as an individual in this country. Saying it out loud makes assumptions that the task will be easy however power structures, Matrix of Domination and Marked and Unmarked differences tend to be the speed bumps in a road that we wish was smooth. The following paper will cohesively connect the three previous themes mentioned as well as integrate my own personal experiences and attach the foundation in which stereotypes are built.
Before you can really voice out your opinions on the bigger picture, it is significant that you take a look around you to the little things that often go unnoticed. It is important you examine the environment that surrounds you. Growing up in New York it was almost impossible for me to be narrow-minded when it came to culture, race and individualism. I have grown up my entire life-classifying race by ethnicity and not by skin color. Ethnicity was something beautiful, something that tied our country together. I was possibly one of the very few people in this world who thought that way. I spent my earlier years going to public school until the sixth grade. I remember my dad came home one day, and declared that he was finally capable of affording Private education for both my brother and I. It was something he wanted for us for the longest time. I did not know back then what I do now, but it what his attempt to allow us the proper education that would ensure success in this dog eats dog world. It was his way of cheating the system and allowing us to be above the power structure.
As usual I was very nervous about this brand new start, because I have always been fearful of change. I gave this new school a try. The school was a forty-minute drive from our house and was in a very wealthy neighborhood. I remember staring out the window thinking I was in a fairytale. The school was predominantly white and had very few minorities. I did not realize the racial separation that existed until they made it evident for me by ostracizing me. I feel as though my brother had an easier time than I did because he was a boy and all they ever cared about was playing. However girls were a little more difficult to befriend. It was a coincidence that when my brother and I started attending the private school things were reported missing. There was an incident when a boy’s game boy was stolen, and then a girl lost her bracelet and someone’s pokemon’s cards were stolen. Till this day I have no clue who took them or whatever happened to those missing items but the principle of the school will always feel as though I took them. I remember one afternoon while in class, I heard over the loud speaker “ Will Ashley Taylor report to the principle’s office”. Typically all the students made all types of sound effects, which made me even more nervous. As I was walking I was shaking because I had never been called to the principle’s office let alone been in trouble before. She asked me to sit down and explained to me the list of items that had been missing. I remember being so confused as to why she was telling me. Then she went on to say “ I don’t know if stealing was appropriate at your old school but it is not tolerated here. You are to return each and every item that you took to its rightful owner.” It amazed me how she could just accuse me and not ask. I was in no way shape or form a thief. Later that night when my parents came home I immediately told them what had happened and they met with the principle and before I knew it I was back in my old school. My dad’s integrity was way more important than the reputation that came with attending a private school”. It goes without saying that I felt discriminated against and was being Marked because of my race, upbringing and economic situation.
In everyday life the power structures and factors that divide us as a community are often acknowledged yet neglected and swept under the rug. When examining power structures and the basis of them, it is essential to define what power structures are and who belongs where. Power structures are those persons or groups in a nation, city, organization etc., who through economic, social and institutional position constitute the actual ruling power. Whether it be intentionally or accidentally power structures are responsible for the three distinct social classes that exist in America. The first of these classes is Upper Class. Ironic to its actual definition it is the minority of the other two classes. Upper class consists of the economically wealthy population. Then there is the middle class, which a large portion of Americans fit into. Middle class consists of the working class and is the middle ground between upper class and lower class. Middle class occasionally has financial burdens, however not as drastic as those of lower class. Lower class is the final social class and possibly a majority of the countries population. Those apart of lower class experience poverty at first hand and depend on government assistance for survival.
“The idea that any hardworking American by dint of good character and hard work could rise up the social ladder has long been celebrated in the great American myth of Horatio Alger who rose from “rags to riches” providing a fictional example instructing young men--- and it was men--- of what they needed to do to make their fortunes in 19th Century America.”- Frank F. Furstenberg, Jr. I completely agree with this quote. I especially love Furstenberg’s choice of words. He explains that it is the common belief to think that anyone can be successful and climb up the social ladder if they receive proper education and work hard is a myth. There are exceptions and this myth does apply in certain cases but in others race, economic background and networking are key issues in who is more qualified for the job. Furstenberg claims that there has and perhaps always will me social/economic inequality in America. A rightful question to ask is “How can we change this?” How do you change a society where hard work is not always acknowledged; where what you look like represents what your capable of doing. It almost seems as though there will be no solution, however I like to think that if American government made more of an effort or expand opportunities or immigrants to climb the social ladder as well and not just make enough to get by then possibly we can eliminate the notion if inequality in a country that promotes equality.
Social scientists believed that life chances are also determined by the values and skills obtained in the family and structures of opportunity in the child’s immediate environment; that these values and skills have shaped their chances of economic success. Furstenberg explains that “Fine gradations of social class could be linked to virtually everything from toilet training to marriage practices” Social class, has become a tool or strategy to label and categorize people. It has become a tactic to divide a country that thrives on unity. I love Furstenberg’s argument that social class has become this idea of who is rich and who is poor. Furstenberg also uses the example of single parent families. He explains that stereotype that comes with being a single parent and how it often gets categorized under poverty rather than “a differentiated category of families that experience life differently as their two-parent counterparts.” I feel as though Society narrow down people in this country into two categories, poor and rich. This is an unfair practice because there are many categories that people can fall under.
Among the three social classes, I have been a member of two of them and often feel as though I am the middle ground between lower class and middle class. It was not until the Conceptual Map exercise did I feel that my social class defined who I was as a person and truly separated me from a lot of the students that go here. The purpose of this exercise was to distinguish each person’s location in society through social class. The exercise began with a series of questions. The questions were scrambled and varied. For each question that was asked, the instructor would state if we were to step back or step forward depending on the question. We were also asked to hold hands and refrain from letting go. For a large portion of the questions I had to step back, but there was quite a few that allowed me to step forward. A lot of the questions were phrased to determine/differentiate who the privilege and unprivileged were. While discussing the results with my partner she realized she was over privileged and often took it for granted. It was through this discussion I developed a new concept. I was neither over privileged nor under privileged but rather middle privileged. There were specific questions from the exercise that stood out and persuaded me that I was of neither category but in between. The first question was “Have I ever been to a Broadway play/show?” My response was no, and I felt as though things like plays and shows are things you go to or do on a special occasion. I’m sure many people go on a regular basis however where I grew up, it wasn’t common to go see a play unless it was a special occasion or we won tickets. A few other examples/questions that stood out for me were “If I have ever been dependent on public transportation, If I had my own credit card and if I grew up in an environment surrounded by drugs, violence and prostitution. The first question implies or rather subliminally suggests “ who owns a car”. Unfortunately I do not have a car nor did I ever need it growing up in New York. A car for each of my siblings and I would have been expensive therefore we grew accustom to the subway and public transportation. Cars are not as abundant in urban areas as it may be in suburbs where there is actually space to drive. To follow up on the question in reference to the credit card, I feel as though attaining a credit card is a big deal. In order to have a credit card you have to be financially qualified. The banks has to be almost certain that you are accountable to pay back all the money spent on the credit card. My personal opinion is that even something small and materialistic like a credit card gives you status and can sometimes place you on a economic pedestal. Credit cards may seem helpful but it can also be a scam. For those who are unable to pay off their balances, they are fined, which puts them in more debt that they originally were in. having a credit card may not be a luxury but it is definitely a privilege. The last question that stood out to me was in reference to the environment each of us came from, this question truly separated the minority from the majority. It opened the eyes of those that are not familiar with a world filed with violence, drugs and another negative aspects. It also gives hope to those who do come from such upbringing that a perfect world possibly does exists.
The one thing I am proudest of is knowing what I am and loving every bit of it. Despite peer pressure and media influences I have never tried to change who I am in order to blend in with the normalcy that society has constituted. However, throughout my entire life my ethnicity has been unclear to everyone else. I have often been told that I look Black, Indian, West Indian, mixed, Hawaiian and some have rightfully guessed Hispanic. A lot of people assume my race because of my skin color, facial features and even the texture of my hair. It is almost unbelievable how people often associate you with a certain race because of your appearance yet fail to see that ethnicity is an internal thing as opposed to external. Oddly enough I did not experience this racial scrutiny in high school but outside of high school. My four years of high school were spent in a predominantly Hispanic environment. As sheltered and narrow-minded as this may sound, I felt safe; I was in my comfort zone. I am far from racist however there is something abut being around people of a similar ethnicity who share the same morals, values, culture and language that is comforting. It was as if high school was one big sorority or sisterhood; to be completely honest I still miss it everyday of my life.
I have been exposed to other races an cultures while living in New York but it was not until I attended the University of Maryland that I had full on interaction with people of various races and cultures. It took awhile to adjust and accommodate to the College Park atmosphere. It was almost impossible for me to find my niche at this school because I was that city girl looking for security and acceptance with the Latin crowd. Despite what I thought and how I felt, I was able to make friends pretty fast. Most of the friends I made were African Americans and I would always accompany them to numerous Black Student events. I am not sure if I made myself comfortable or that sense of comfort came naturally but it did. This caused even more speculation on campus as to what my race was. Here was this girl with a heavy Spanish accent hanging out with African Americans. It didn’t bother me though because it felt right to me. However this “new me” was not what my parents had in mind when I returned home. They reminded me almost everyday that I changed and that they did not recognize me anymore. They felt as though I traded in my Latina culture and pride to assimilate with the black culture. They found it odd that I hardly ever wanted to speak Spanish and would respond in English whenever they spoke to me. They saw a change in my accent, they saw that I had a taste of both worlds and were almost scared of what this would do to my identity. The irony of this all was that while they thought I was abandoning my Latin culture my friends thought I was too attached to it. They often considered me “too Hispanic”. It was as if both sides classified me with the other when in reality I was a combination of both.





This is a broader scope analysis of the power structures that exist throughout the world today. Through personal experiences, the effects of immigration, education and religion on a money-oriented society are examined.
Nature is an omnipresent force that drives human behavior, both by providing a natural environment for humans to grow in and by creating the biological response that makes up human thought. It both separates and brings together different marked and unmarked categories of people. However, within the U.S., for whatever reason, we choose to separate each other by race and socioeconomic status. Our country does not have an inherent desire to help others, but relies mainly on defending its own. This is seen in developing countries that still lack a constantly available fresh water supply, medical technologies and dependable food supply. Although the leaders of more developed countries have access to technologies that can improve the lives of millions, they find no reason to invest in poorer countries when they can invest in their own security. Because we live in a wealth-dependent world, it is more in nature to do something that will benefit both you and the benefactor.
Burdens such as the energy crisis, natural disasters and global warning test the human race’s ability to work together for survival. Global warming is a test to see how far we are willing to go before we realize that we are exhausting all of our natural resources too rapidly and taking action. It is also a time to see how capable we are of helping those in less privileged areas because when natural disasters strike, the richer, more developed areas are more likely to survive. Unfortunately, disaster relief demonstrated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina proves that we are not a united race, but one easily divided by race and social status.
The tunnel of oppression did cover issues being discussed all over the world, but sadly the stereotypes and prejudiced mindsets that are perpetuated in our present society are broadcast internationally through television, radio and cinema. Most countries around the world depend on Los Angeles for entertainment and the most famous American actors are famous around the world. This cannot be said about the actors who are native to countries such as Mexico, Spain, France and Colombia. Many non-Americans look to the U.S. as a central distributor of ideas. Whatever music, style or thought is seen as popular at the time is easily communicated through international channels such as MTV. The world’s two richest men, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, are born in the USA and therefore most of the rest of the world believes we are the richest nation.
Ever since man was created, reproduction and dominance over nature to use resources wisely were needed to survive. Lust and desire to dominate are innate human characteristics that are seen in everyday human interactions. Because women were the divine bodies that carried children, they were treasured by man, but this resulted in females becoming sexual objects. Sexuality is a force that many would not consider a power in their lives. Everyone always talks about how often men think about sex, but could this saying exist just because sexual feeling in women is suppressed? In some ways, I feel that this oppression of feeling has resulted in the greater objectification of women versus men. This power structure has existed since ancient times when women were forced to wear wardrobes that covered their breasts. In that time period, women were valued and sought after for either the fortunes they inherited or for their mystery. Unfortunately after a while, those who wanted the same rights as men to be free and express their bodies as they wanted to were discriminated against. Even today, a woman who is rumored to be promiscuous is called a “slut” and often disrespected by other men and even other women, where as men are allowed to make jokes about how much sex they have. Presently, this discrimination against promiscuity among women is seen less, but insults such as “slut” or “whore” are still used commonly and throughout joking conversation, even among women themselves. As seen in the tunnel of oppression, women are made into sexual objects daily in songs like “Superman that ho,” which is a metaphor for disrespecting a woman in the bedroom. Most gladly accepted the song lyrics; it is continuously popular in clubs and definitely hit the music charts. Both women and men laugh at the lyric’s implications and no great activism on part of today’s youth. By simply laughing off the joke, we as a society are accepting and agreeing to that treatment of women and not taking a woman’s worth seriously.
With that in mind, I think about the socio-economic environment that established my lifestyle and thoughts. Thanks to my parents’ financial decision to take advantage of the economic recession in the early 1990s and the urban sprawl around Germantown, MD, I was raised in a new neighborhood with access to a new school with great teachers and all different kinds of resources. I was even able to attend pre-school, something only a small percentage of the 3-4 year olds could take advantage of at the time. With GT and magnet programs getting all sorts of funding, and Montgomery County having one of the best public education programs in the nation, I grew up with a tremendous support system and learned from teachers that knew I could and encouraged that I reach my full potential. I’d say that the reason I am here at a top-ranked university today is because of all that support early on that drove me through several special talented programs. However, the current government policies and academic institutions that set tuition rates govern many of the fundamental factors affecting my academics, from monetary worth to the amount of stress and motivation in me. Because tuition rates are high, not only will I have to plan ways to pay off my loans right after graduating, but I am motivated to help others in the area. The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) is a society that encourages outreach to younger students in the College Park area as well as students on campus seeking professional development and mentoring opportunities. When I see the numbers of admitted Latino students and see that they are pretty much exactly the same from year to year, I wonder what is keeping Latino students from being accepted and wonder if there is some sort of quota for minority students that needs to be filled year to year because the numbers are almost identical. I wonder if these numbers stay the same because no one is being outreached to, or if it is a reality in our society too rigid that cannot be changed through our society’s efforts. I understand that change takes time, but maybe we need more effective leaders to initiate this change effectively.
Most of the leaders I look up to and really have faith in to change people’s mind are our student leaders. Student activism can provide the greatest voice. Role models that many in my generation look up to, however, include the rich and the famous. Those music artists who produce music to the wittiest, but sometimes discriminating lyrics, along with the rich producers who create reality TV shows are continuously shaping kids’ minds.
The Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants are a pageants put on by one of the most famous entrepreneurs in the world. There is nothing “dirty” about placing young models in a competition where talent, physique, and public speaking skills are the core criteria, but why is there even a focus on appearance? Why is the focus of the most appeareance-oriented competition on women? Men love watching, thanks to their hormonal drive, and women love watching and comparing themselves with what is considered beautiful. Society’s perception of beauty and overall way of thinking has been developed by those who hold the money. Other producers of lust-driven primetime shows and other dating shows are making money by convincing youth to watch their shows; the most proactive and sometimes violent episodes are the ones that peak interest in viewers. Unfortunately, the mentalities of future leaders are being shaped by the media and society and the media is directed by money.
Competitions such as these can become famous around the world and can be fun, but at the same time severely harming the reputation of women as serious leaders in the workplace and are often responsible for eating disorders and a desire to fit a certain image. As much as I disagree with some of the stereotypes associated with some pageants and the scandals, sex and violence portrayed in reality TV, I myself have benefitted from the media by receiving pageant scholarships in the past. I participated in order to receive a scholarship, so the end goal was legitimate, and the money I raised to enter the competition was directed towards a cause, so the money was going to the right places, and the talent competition did make up 35% of the score, but many people still stereotype pageants as superficial and focused on looks.
Where government regulations fail to inhibit media deemed indecent by some, religion comes in. The dress of modern Mormons is meant to show modesty and conformity. Outfits usually go down to the ankles and wrists, and are often worn over garments or pants, making sure every possibly provocative inch of skin are covered. John Llewellyn, a polygamy expert and retired Salt Lake County sheriff's lieutenant, says the women cover themselves "so that they're unattractive to the outside world or other men."


Importance of Education
One major contributor to my level of motivation is hearing my mom’s experiences as an exchange student from Colombia. She didn’t have access to a private school because it was too far away from her home and her dad forbade her from walking to school because it would have been “too dangerous for a girl.” Though she was raised in a loving family, her father never believed that the girls in the family needed an education. He paid full tuition for his sons to attend the best private school, while his daughters attended the nearest public school.
In areas where public schools are out of reach, private schools are the only solution, but are unaffordable for many, especially around certain towns in South America. My mom’s first exposure to the English language was in Colombia but she received little training there and it wasn’t until she entered the ESOL program at her high school in the U.S. that she understood the importance to her learning. Upon arriving, she was in shock at all the things that were available at her disposal. A few things she never imagined having were library access to all types of books, good teachers and a chance to meet students who were just as motivated as her.
Now that I’m in college, I see how privileged I am to have all of these resources and more. I still hear stories from foreign students who moved here 2-4 years ago. A large part of my current life is my involvement in college academics. First, there is the burden of taking out student loans knowing I have to pay them back. Second, there is the need for me to be involved with campus life outside of academics to become a more competitive graduate school candidate. So how is the U.S. system of government allowing me to get a free and productive education, while others around the world are barely able to get to class? When those students arrive in the U.S. seeking the same education that’s offered to me and other American’s, why are they sometimes turned down by immigration laws?
Issues like these motivate me to be involved in societies such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and other outreach programs. Through these we are able to reach out to students and families around the College Park area that may not have a clue about how to graduate high school and move onto college successfully and possibly qualifying for financial aid. In an academic year we are able to reach out to hundreds of students, but why must students such as those involved in SHPE be responsible for establishing the equality that the U.S. government is trying to promote? All students should be rewarded for their hard work and determination no matter how much English their family speaks.
However, there is one problem to minority programs like this, and that is that they are known to target a minority. As long as society focuses on the word “minority,” I do not think we will ever succeed at promoting equality. The government’s goal is to serve its people and provide benefits to as much of the population as possible. But as long as a group considers itself a minority, it will receive minority treatment. In order to change this mentality and finally end the grouping of minorities that lead to stereotyping, we need to promote outreach to students of all backgrounds. Lack of communication is a problem that affects people of all backgrounds and does not need to target Hispanic families only.
On a more global scale, how is education being dealt with? Sure, those students who do make it to the U.S. with a decent knowledge of the English language have the potential to be successful students, but those who stay behind in developing countries are left pretty much hopeless unless their family has a decent family income. The wealth distribution in these countries, however, is so large that a decent education is basically impossible.
In reference to bell hook’s “railroad tracks,” I am not on the margin, but on the other side across the tracks. I am not prohibited from entering certain stores or looking at someone in the face, nor do I aspire to someday work in a position no higher than a maid or janitor. I do, however, see those with similar stories as my family who think they are living on the margin because they see the number of workers who do work long hours in minimum wage jobs and sometimes because it is illegal for them to work. “We could enter that world but we could not live there. We had always to return to the margin, to cross the tracks, to shacks and abandoned houses on the edge of town.” This is not the case for me, but because so many immigrants have arrived without a proper academic background, many in the U.S. are forced to see Latin Americans as incapable of living and working in this country. In a way, it is my job to encourage those who are still across the tracks to take advantage of the opportunities offered to them and not be afraid of the stereotypes or fall into a certain category of immigrant.

Is this fair?
When I first examined the conceptual map for where I see power in my everyday life and saw how privileged I was, I began to think about the reasons for why I am where I stand today. Time, location, and inherited wealth all contributed to my success and all of the actions that lead up to my current state seem to add up to sheer luck. I didn’t need to attend and pay for a private school because I was welcomed into a highly gifted math and science program throughout middle school and high school. The main reason that I was accepted was because of the preparation I had received in elementary school thanks to my parents choosing a nice, new neighborhood to move into. Though I have received many of the privileges I do have today because of the family I was born into, I know that the progress I’ve made up until this point in my life is due to passion and determination on my part and my constant desire for challenge.
I have always been thankful for the experiences I have received; they are all thanks to a supportive family and group of mentors that have helped me throughout the years. I’ve never seen a point to categorizing people by appearance or accent, but it is inevitable to see that others do see me by the marked categories that I belong to, especially race and gender. Whether it was me being one out of 24 girls in a 100 student magnet program, or the fact that less than one percent of employed engineers are Hispanic women, I have tried to turn this attention into motivation and continue pushing towards a world where the word “minority” doesn’t need to exist.
I’ve heard other students make racist jokes about Mexicans in reference to me and make statements such as “Women are meant to cook, clean and not own companies,” jokingly. As much as I enjoy jokes, I do not think that those immigrants who are living underprivileged in real life would feel as accepted as they should feel in a society made up of different cultures. As for the gender jokes, I think it is just a matter of time until women change around those gender ratios in tenure positions and are more welcome in higher management positions.
I hear news reports about guerilla warfare and petroleum demand conflicts that bring turmoil to my family’s native countries daily. How did the situation escalate to this point and is there a reason for why I’m here in the U.S. and not there? It’s not fair that I was born into a family fluent in English, with a college education, and ready to raising a family in the U.S., while others are struggling to feel accepted in the U.S. let alone make it across the border. I am American who happens to be strongly rooted in Hispanic heritage and proud of Latino culture, but there is no reason why I should receive special attention just because my background indicates that I am some kind minority by appearance or the number of languages I speak.