Exploring critical topics in Asam 101

Welcome to the Asam 101 E-portfolio. This site showcases key learnings from our course, delving into significant societal issues that shape our understanding of the world. Join us as we examine these crucial topics.

Favorite quote                                    Fun Fact

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

I have saved 5 people from drowning all which were family members 

White privilege

One of my favorite things I’ve learned about in this ASAM class is the topic of white privilege. Before this class, I mostly thought racism only referred to obvious acts of discrimination, but the reading “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh helped me understand how privilege can exist in everyday situations that many people do not even notice. The article explains how white privilege can affect things such as feeling represented in the media, being treated fairly in public places, or not having to worry about racial stereotypes. Looking at the list in the image made me realize how many advantages some people experience daily without thinking about it. This topic stood out to me because it challenged the way I previously viewed racism and helped me better understand the experiences of others.

Corporate hypocrisy

Another topic from class that stood out to me was when our teacher talked about her experience working at Philz Coffee and how many companies only publicly support Pride when it benefits them financially. She explained that even though Philz had many LGBTQ+ employees, the support from the company did not always feel genuine outside of Pride Month or marketing campaigns. This discussion made me think more critically about how businesses sometimes use social movements to improve their image rather than actually supporting the people they claim to stand with. It was interesting to learn how representation alone does not always mean employees feel accepted or valued in the workplace. Hearing a real-life experience from our teacher helped make the conversation feel more personal and showed how these issues can affect people in everyday environments.

 

Racial injustice in sentencing

A third topic that stood out to me in class was learning about the differences in legal consequences for crack versus powder cocaine during the 1980s. I learned that although both drugs are essentially the same substance in different forms, they were treated very differently under the law. Powder cocaine, which was more commonly associated with wealthier and white communities, often resulted in much lighter sentencing compared to crack cocaine, which was more common in poorer African American communities at the time. This difference led to much harsher punishments for crack-related offenses, even though the drugs were so similar. Learning about this made me realize how laws can be applied unevenly and how that can contribute to larger patterns of inequality in the criminal justice system.

 

Stereotypes and racism against Asian Americans in the United States.

Another important topic we discussed in class connects to the article “The long history of U.S. racism against Asian Americans, from ‘Yellow Peril’ to ‘model minority’ to the ‘Chinese virus’.” The reading explains how Asian Americans have often been treated differently depending on how society chooses to label them at the time, shifting between stereotypes like being seen as a “threat” or a “model minority.” One idea that stood out to me was how these labels are not neutral, but are used to support certain narratives that benefit dominant groups while still keeping Asian Americans as “outsiders” in different ways. This helped me understand how racism is not always direct or obvious, but can show up through media, history, and the way people are categorized. Learning about this made me think more critically about how different groups experience racism in unique and sometimes overlooked ways.

BLM beyond February

The last topic I learned in this ASAM class is how some companies and institutions can show support for social movements like Black Lives Matter in ways that feel more performative than genuine. For example, many people point out that brands often release BLM-related statements or clothing during times like Black History Month, when the issue is already getting more attention, but the support doesn’t always continue throughout the rest of the year. It can feel like a marketing strategy rather than a long-term commitment to the cause. Another concern is that when these products don’t sell, they are sometimes quickly put on clearance or discounted, which makes it seem like the focus was more on profit than actually supporting the message behind the movement.

What Have I learned: 

Coming into this class I didn’t have a whole lot of expectations. I thought I had already learned most of what there was to know about these kinds of topics, but I was definitely wrong. This class really opened my eyes through the discussions, videos, and even hearing personal experiences from the teacher. These topics were 5 of the many things I learned throughout this course. First is white privilege, and learning about it in the beginning of the year really started the eye-opening process for me. It helped me realize there are a lot of privileges that come with being white and definitely more than I could have originally named. Next was Philz Coffee, and that discussion taught me how close these issues really are to us. A lot of the time when I hear about things like this, it’s hard to fully understand how serious they are, but hearing a real personal experience made it feel much more real and important. Another topic was how companies sometimes only show support for things like Pride or BLM when it benefits them, which made me question how genuine that support really is. A third topic was the differences in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine in the 1980s, which showed me how unfairly laws can be applied depending on race and class. Lastly, the article about Asian American stereotypes like “Yellow Peril” and “model minority” helped me understand how racism can change over time but still continues in different forms. Overall, this class really changed how I see and think about a lot of these issues and made me more aware of how they connect to the world today.

Works Cited 

 Peggy McIntosh article
McIntosh, Peggy. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” Peace and Freedom Magazine, July/Aug. 1989, pp. 10–12.

Asian American racism article (The Conversation)
Lee, Jennifer Ho. “The Long History of U.S. Racism Against Asian Americans, from ‘Yellow Peril’ to ‘Model Minority’ to the ‘Chinese Virus’.” The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2020, https://theconversation.com/the-long-history-of-us-racism-against-asian-americans-from-yellow-peril-to-model-minority-to-the-chinese-virus-135793

Marco Alfredo Sixtos