Who Am I vs. White Privilege

Who am I and what does that mean? These are questions that I think about more then I should, I believe. But living in America encourages me to recognize who I am, so I can stay in my "place". I am aware that I am a young educated Black, African American male with a bright future, which I was told after I became a part of the Advanced Placement program in high school. And it has not changed since I have been attending the University of Texas at Austin, however, after hearing about the injustice killing of Trayvon Martin something changed. That something reminded me of what it means to be me in a society that has much racial tension in its 236 years of existence. This society recognizes my blackness and has minimized it many times through acts such as taking away Ethnic and Cultural Studies in Arizona, opting out of material that discuss important minority leaders in U.S. History, acts of discrimination and racial profiling, and the list goes on. Yet, because of where I am today I have experienced and understand more of these issues. I am well aware that when I walk down the street the first thing someone will recognize is the color of my skin and all stereotypes that come with it. These stereotypes range from working class, low-income, single mother, broken household, drugs, the use of improper English, lazy, government assistance, anything else that could be considered negative. These are mostly comments I will live with until the day that I die. Nevertheless, when things happen surrounding race and justice its something we, as Americans, want to keep quiet about. We do this because we do not know how to talk about race or deal with these stereotypes. Some say it's the reality, but I strongly have to disagree. Look at our institutions; it's the reality for those who are in power, but not the people as a whole, which leads me to the discussion of white privilege.


White privilege is definitely not a topic we talk about everyday, but we see it. We walk into our classrooms and see the professors (majority of them being white), we look at the student demographics at the university, we look at the achievement gaps in our public education system and see that whites are at the top, etc. To define white privilege Robert Jensen’s (1998) essay titled “White Privilege Shapes the U.S.” provides a clear example of what white privilege is and how it impacts others. In his essay Jensen is having a conversation with a student and states,

“I am sitting in my University of Texas office, talking to a very bright and very conservative white student about affirmative action in college admissions, which he opposes and I support. The student says he wants a level playing field with no unearned advantages for anyone. I ask him whether he thinks that in the United States being white has advantages. Have either of us, I ask, ever benefited from being white in a world run mostly by white people? Yes, he concedes, there is something real and tangible we could call white privilege. So, if we live in a world of white privilege--unearned white privilege--how does that affect your notion of a level playing field? I ask. He paused for a moment and said, "That really doesn't matter." That statement, I suggested to him, reveals the ultimate white privilege: the privilege to acknowledge you have unearned privilege but ignore what it means.”

In conclusion, before coming to college, students (like myself) do not know white privilege exist, and are shocked when it is mentioned and its impact effects me greatly. I am a person who strives to have perfection in all that I do, but I feel like I always fall short. I work hard and still feel average, yet my white peers make it seem so easy to do many things or to have such means because of the resources granted to them before arriving to college. Even being a part of an organization that has a majority of white members can sometimes bother me. So, as a member of a racially mixed group going to Ghana, I must say it will be interesting. Interesting because we all go for different reasons and most times do not take the time to ask why another person decided to apply to this program. With that being said, I am sure there will be times when emotions are high for the black students or anyone for that matter, which some may not understand. In addition, I will do my best to keep an open mind and understanding that other members from our group may not have high emotions at times or feel guilty about what happen in history. In my opinion, I believe this will be an interesting learning experience for all of us and we will all capture something greater beyond belief from studying abroad in Ghana. I am excited to see my classmates and I grow together in this experience and I hope to see my questions of Africa and Ghana be answered.

Resources:

http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/whiteprivilege.htm -Robert Jensen

http://wewritewhatwelike.com/2011/08/31/in-the-interest-of-justice-let’s-dismantle-the-solidarity-industry/- Picture

Standard of living in Ghana through History and Culture

In my third point of discussion of the standard of living in Ghana I must post this question. A question that everyone may ask Ghana’s government, “how did Ghana get into a deficit?” As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Ghana was once owned by the United Kingdom, but gained independence in 1957 about 55 years ago (CIA 2012). Since their independence there has been strengthening in their economy, but not enough. “Oil production at Ghana's offshore Jubilee field began in mid-December, 2010, and is expected to boost economic growth. President Mills faces challenges in managing new oil revenue while maintaining fiscal discipline and resisting debt accumulation. Estimated oil reserves have jumped to almost 700 million barrels. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in 2006. In 2009 Ghana signed a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF to improve macroeconomic stability, private sector competitiveness, human resource development, and good governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2008-11” (CIA 2012).

Lastly, culture plays a significant part in the country means and where the country can go in the future. Ghana does not have a set religion, but it is understood that 68.8% of the population identify as Christians. However, from the data collected from CIA I can interpret that there may be a language disparity due to lack in education and transportation, but English is the official language with only 36.6% speaking the language in the 2000 census. And with globalization on the rise this could explain the reason for English as the official language for economic purposes and to survive in this fast growing world economy. As a result, Ghanaians must learn how to stay connected with the world and adopt new standards of living because of the globalization of the Western world philosophies. Thus indicating, that as time travels forward we most likely will begin to see Ghana standard of living adapted to the way we live our lives in today here in America. 

http://todaygh.com/2010/08/30/youth-urged-to-embrace-african-culture/

Standard of living in Ghana and Education

As a result to the lack of funding towards education, many Ghanaians cannot afford to send their children to school. This could explain the high agriculture sector labor in Ghana since many do not go or have the chance to receive an education. “Ghana is well endowed with natural resources and agriculture accounts for roughly one-quarter of GDP and employs more than half (about 56%) of the workforce.  Ghanaians are employed industries like “mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement...(CIA 2011). Even though Ghana has a strong agriculture workforce many developed countries, like the United States, have moved from agriculture into a technological workforce and due to the lack of education and resources they cannot keep up with the rest of the global market. We can interpret this hypothesis from the data collected about their budget deficit CIA reported in 2011.

Resource link:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html

Standard of Living in Ghana and Government

 

In my opinion, Ghana’s standard of living is a low medium. I say this understanding that they are not among the worst of the worst and definitely not close to being part of the Great Eight. However, from most the Center of Intelligence Agency World Facts, I was able to interpret that my standard of living is different from Ghana’s standard of living. Take for example, Ghana’s weather issues such as “dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds that occur from January to March, and the droughts” (CIA 2012). This makes it hard to harvest food for the family or even to sell to local people. According to CIA, the recurrent drought in north Ghana severely affects agricultural activities, deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, poaching and habitat destruction threaten wildlife populations as well. With that being said many issues are presented because of Ghana’s physical geography such as hunger, migration, scarcity of food, and water pollution causing an influence in several diseases and illnesses in Ghana. So, what is the government doing about it? That is a question we, Americans, would ask if we heard about these problems, which brings me to my next point of discussion the Ghana’s government system.

The Republic of Ghana is ran under a constitutional democracy, but has not been under its own government long. Ghana gained its independence March 6, 1957 from the United Kingdom and approved its constitution April 28, 1992, according to CIA World Facts. In addition, legal system is mixed with English common law and customary law and legal suffrage age is 18 years old, which can be great and refreshing since most of the population ranges from 15-64 years of age. Ghana has a legislative, judicial, and executive branch similar to the US, but it did not surprise me since we both, the US and Ghana, were under the King and Queen of England. However, just like today in the US, Ghana’s governmental system is suffering and trying to find solutions to their country’s problems. I believe this problem is because of lack of money towards educating the next generation. The Center of Intelligence Agency World Fact last reported that the education expenditures were 5.4% of Ghana’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005. This is close to that of the United States, yet “Ghana is about the size of the state of Oregon” (CIA 2012). 

Resource links:

http://www.expat-blog.com/en/destination/africa/ghana/

http://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=181863

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html

Who lives in Ghana and can we relate?

Week after week I continue to ask myself how will I be able to make a difference in Ghana if I do not have much knowledge about the country as whole. This week’s assignment over the demographics, standard of living, and quality of life in Ghana was an eye-opener for me. For many of my classmates and I, we imagine Ghana and we think Africa, and we have been socialized to think that there is not much good that can come out of Africa besides animals for our zoos, children in poverty, or the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa. Despite all of the negative connation’s Africa has been given for centuries, I must say Ghana is one of a kind. From the words of previous visitors, “Ghanaians are very happy and friendly people.” This May I will be ready to experience the friendliness of the Ghanaian people, but first I must know who these people are and how can I relate and make connections to learn from the people as a group. With this in mind, in this blog I will discuss the demographics in Ghana and how it well affect my service-learning project at the Ashamian High School.

First, I must discuss the demographics of this fine African country. According to the Center Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Facts, Ghana has a population of about 25, 241,000 inhabitants and a majority of the population is made up of 15-64 year old men and women. This may mean that the majority of their population is working. Although that is true Ghana’s unemployment rate is 11%, including the city of Accra 15.8% unemployment population and all other urban areas 12.4%. In 2006, the rural areas of Ghana maintained a lower unemployment rate at 5.4% then the urban areas, but this could be due to less people interaction and transportation to move around. In addition, with unemployment being high and less access to resources birth rate, death rate, and life expectancy are affected. Ghana’s birth rate is 26. 99 births for every 1,000 people, and death rate is 8.57 deaths for every 1,000 people. Through the data collected from the CIA World Fact, I can interpret that with 28.5% of Ghana’s population living below the poverty line have some affect on life expectancy in Ghana, which is about 61 years of age with women living to be two years older than man. However, education is the key reason why Ghana is not at its best. As defined by Odoro (2009) paper, “about half of the Ghana adult population has received less than nine years of education. The education attainment profile does not reflect the considerable quantum of resources that has been allocated to education over the years. A factor that will explain the education attainment profile is migration. Ghana has not been successful in retaining its graduates from the training colleges, technical schools and tertiary institutions and this is an important determinant of the education attainment profile.”

            Thus, by collecting and interpreting this information about Ghana I will be able to better understand the types of hardships or issues these children may face when going home such as poverty, homelessness, horrible living and working conditions, and a great amount of family loyalty and responsibility. I can attest to some of these issues these children face even in America, but I would like them to know that education is the key that could unlock doors and many opportunities.

Resources:

CIA World Facts: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html

Abena D. Oduro: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/PDF/Outputs/ImpOutcomes_RPC/povertyandeducoutcomes.pdf

Early Education

Ghana's Minister of Education, Mrs. Betty Mould thinks she has a solution to Ghana's economic and social problems. The Minister believes that by providing an early childhood education will reduce or vanish some of the problems in Ghana. In my opinion, I do believe that if the early childhood education plan goes into effect immediately it would change the perspectives and problems of Ghana if the citizens are willing for their children to be exposed to these different solutions. Yet, with all of this in mind, the parents of these children know that is one less person in the fields, one less person working in the family, one less person earning enough money to support the family, and I can see this becoming an argument if this idea was to pass. Thinking back to my early childhood and pondering what I would have done if I did not learn the alphabet during the childhood stage or even how to count to ten until I was 12 years old. It would be dreadful, but after reading this article I understand that their are people who are not educated on the importance of education. So, with the Ashamian High School Project, I would like to let everyone of their students know how much we are willing to educate, inform, and transform the lives of each one of those students working us. 

Article: http://www.modernghana.com/news/373625/1/government-committed-to-early-childhood-education-.html

Picture: http://dailynews.col.org/?cat=128&paged=3

False Future for Ghanaians

Fellow Readers,

As most of you may know that in America anyone is capable of receiving a free education, receiving educational grants for college, and are able to fill out a Free Application for Financial Student Aid that is all provided by the government. In my opinion, it surprises me to read an article such as this because the individual behind this foolish act is creating a falsehood for Ghanaian students and parents. By giving false information that triggers an “imagined” hope for many Ghanaian students and their futures. With this in mind, this article, in relation to the Ashaiman High School project embodies a new idea for hope and change in the future of Ghanaian children as well as the administrators in the schools. Ashaiman High School has been a developing project for the Maymester group year after year and we, as Americans, should be considered “lucky” since we are provided with a free standard education without punishment. However, the Ashaiman High School project will give the students a great hope for their futures. So, they can adventure and see the world in different views like myself. In addition, after hearing from Amanda Sergeant, one of the student’s to participate in this project last year, she discussed that the students as well as the schools will be excited to see an African American male helping out the children. Thus, an article such as this does not help the students of Ghana, but creates a falsehood for them. With this project I would not want to develop a false sense of hope or to send letters of untrue information to these students of Ashaiman. I would like for us to think about why Ghana does not have a free public education system? OR why does America offer a free education system even if some do rather not use it?

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”- Ghandi

Article: http://www.modernghana.com/news/377185/1/beware-of-fake-admission-letters-legon-authorities.html