Be your Sister’s keeper not your sister’s defeater!

Be your Sister’s keeper not your sister’s defeater!

Jasmon Jackson

Be your Sister’s keeper not your sister’s defeater!

Stage I: My Position

I live in Benicia, CA. I partially grew up in Benicia and Oakland, CA. Which are two completely different environments. As a young African American who grew up in Benicia, which is 72.5% white/Caucasian, I have learned the importance of supporting others the same race as you, instead of going against each other all the time. I am not saying to be racist and only accept and communicate with your own race but to realize that there are no color lines, however its important from people of the same culture to stick together.

I was once told that one can compare black women to lobsters, who pull each other down to climb out of the boiling pot. I hate to say but being raised in Benicia in the 1990 and now raising my own daughters in the same environments more than 20 years later, that Benicia still suffers from African American supporting each other in today’s society. 

Recently, the only black teacher at Benicia Middle school was punished for holding a meeting with only the black students of the school, and talked to them about supporting each other and sticking together. The Superintendent of schools, gets on public television, and tells everyone that the teacher was wrong, and did things inappropriately, and that today’s issues aren’t just black issues but everyone’s issues. I strongly disagreed with this statement! Therefore, I felt I had to reach out to our young black youth, especially young black ladies in Benicia, CA, and share my story, some valuable information and persuade young black youth to make a change in our community. I want us as one culture, one society to learn to be our sister’s keeper, instead of dragging each other down and being each other’s defeater.

Although, growing up in Benicia I experienced racism, the bullying and difficult years as a teenager was being bullied by other black girls just such as myself. In recent days, Benicia only has 5.6% African American, equaling out to be approximately I black kid per class, and today my daughter is also being bullied by girls her own race, and even the only black teacher in the school noticed, how we as African Americans are not sticking together but instead hurting each other’s, and tried to take action and bring it to the attention of our young black students.

Race does affect everyone, and as the text says. “Every individual in your audience has some existing knowledge or context relevant to your story.” (Martin Sykes, 2013)  Which I am sure is true and what the superintendent was attempting to discuss, however stats also show that there are more black people killing and bullying other black people, than black on white crime or any other race. Blacks are killing Black! This needs to be addressed! Although, Benicia doesn’t have a high crime rate or even a murder rate, but I do believe everything starts when your younger, the way you were raised and the environment you’re in, and if we don’t address these small groups of kids now at an early age, we can be setting them up for failure in the future where they will be forced to work with others in an environment, where they aren’t adapted to working with others of their own race. Where they to get along, support each other, instead of pulling each other down as if we are always in competition with each other. This is not an; everybody issue this is definitely and black issue!

I believe that when people can find a common ground then they are more accepting and understanding. Find common ground is the place where people can discuss differences, share ideas, find solutions and start creating something together. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  I believe that this is the best approach when dealing with sensitive issues such as race relations, even between the same races.

Although, I realize some like the Superintendent aren’t going to understand blacks talking to other blacks, and building unity at a culture or race, or may feel this is an issue that affects everyone but this issue is not, this is an African American, a black issue that needs to be addressed.

Some need proof that this is a cultural issue, so persuade young black youth and now others who feel this isn’t a black issue, and that it is important for blacks together and discuss this issue, I want to provide some stats.

The 2013 FBI Uniform Crime Report, a compilation of annual crime statistics, also shows similar data: 83 percent of white victims were killed by white offenders; 90 percent of black victims were killed by black offenders; 14 percent of white victims were killed by black offenders; and 7.6 percent of black victims were killed by white offenders. (Lee, 2014)

With these stats it’s evident that not just black but all cultures should work together with their same cultures to make sure we have better race relations in society. To help start defeating statistics such as these, I know that I will have people who disagree with what I am saying or that I am singling out black youth, but this is a pattern that hasn’t changed over twenty years, and needs to be addressed! The statistics don’t lie, and if we don’t start making changes in our young black lives, then we can just about consider ourselves extinct.

References

Lee, M. Y. (2014, Nov 25). Giuliani’s claim that 93 percent of black murder victims are killed by other blacks. Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/11/25/giulianis-claim-that-93-percent-of-blacks-are-killed-by-other-blacks/

Martin Sykes, A. N. (2013). Stories that move mountains: Storytelling and Visual Design for Persuasive Presentations. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

Stage II: My Story

CAST

Why?

 If we don’t start to make changing how we raise, spend time, and teach our children, then we are deciding our faith faster than predicted. Evidence has proven that children who spend quality time with their parents, do better in school, have less behaviors and tend to be more social able.

Our purpose for encouraging change is that bullying is not just affecting Benicia, but all communities. In the text they mention the Three Big Whys, although I feel this issue addresses all three big whys, I believe that my argument best fit two of the whys. Many are dealing with bullying in different ways. Due to technology advancements there have been more ways for harass, cause harm, or threaten others. Bullying doesn’t just happen at schools, or playgrounds anymore but cyber bullying is a whole new extension to bullying that parents are oblivious too. Unaware of this issue and how the world is slowly becoming a camera into our personal lives, the first thing I want to do is; to bring about something new and useful, to open the eyes of my audience, and trigger and urgency for change.   I have to convince my audience that my proposal will improve their lives, possibly in a way that’s never occurred to them. (Martin Sykes, 2013) After bringing this enlightenment of the facts, we need to do something to improve an existing situation. Bullying is becoming an epidemic, a conflict of pain all over the world, and will affect everyone. By pain, we mean inconvenience, inefficiency, loss of potential gain, or physical emotion, or financial discomfort. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  This situation will possess all those affects, if we don’t start making a change now.  The emotional effect of bullying is traumatic, and both the emotional and physical effects can be even fatal. Suicide in teens and young adults are on the rise. Awareness of bullying is in our communities, especially of same race on race bullying, assaults, and killings, are rise at an alarming rate!  This issue needs to be brought to the awareness of our young people and the guardian’s and parents of our young people.

Many may feel why do they have to change anything? Well, the truth is bullying is a cycle that will affect everyone eventually. There are already so many factors that are contributing to why people bully. Bullying is a learned behavior, which starts at home. We watch how our parents and other people around us; and how they interact with each other. Children then grow up to mimic the same behaviors. Although these factors may be out of our control, if everyone aware of the outcomes, come together; support each other and then maybe we can come to a solution. After learning the facts, one might ask why this will affect me if this is a community problem in Benicia. I am targeting black youth in Benicia, but as I mentioned before, this issue affects every community. These bullies may move out of Benicia into your environment. Your family, friends, and your children, can all be victims. Then as they grow up and move away they will interact with others who will not have the same values or morals that you taught your children. With the lack or parenting, and lack of child supervision, we have more kids raising themselves, than parents raising their own kids.  Therefore, not only will bullies, but other communities, schools, and work places affect Benicia and even public places will be infested with individuals who don’t have any respect for themselves, and especially others. Like the Columbine and Texas University shootings, bullying is a problem that will eventually affect everybody. Providing safety for our families and us, will soon become more expensive and our society becomes war zones where everyone is carrying guns, trying to protect themselves and the ones they love, which will cause panic and financial discomfort.

The lack of parent supervision, and non-awareness of cyber bullying, as well as bullying within the schools; we are causing a cycle of bullying that will not end. We can’t make everyone be nice to everyone, or stop bullying all together, but we can all take steps to make sure it is not happening to you or around you.

I learn a long time ago that big issues can be solved if you break the issue into small solutions, to make an overall greater situation. Although this race on race bullying crisis seems too big for one person to handle, I agree but if everyone contributes than we have a greater chance in numbers to solve the issue. There are realistic individual things we can do to help fight this world crisis. Such as teaching others about the affects of bullying, stand up for others when you see someone getting bullied. We can all help provide safe places for children to speak to someone they can trust and talk too, and having more community building activities, which will help build race relations and maybe even friends. Don’t instigate, promote, or participate in bullying at any time. Lastly, we can spread the word, awareness is the first tool to conquering an issue. The more people who know and change their behavior, the longer we are preventing the inevitable and to providing longer, safer environments, and healthier lives.

The race on race assaults, bullying, and killing crisis that will affect every person, community, and co, so those who believe this isn’t for them or feel that this won’t affect them, is sadly mistaken. This issue is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone actions affect everyone else, therefore it is imperative that each and every one of us take the steps needed to contribute to the world’s well-being.

What?

When learning of this problem we have determined that change needs to happen if we want to continue to provide a brighter, safer future for our children.  To make a change we need to know what it is that we need to change. In this part of the CAST process, you look at the content you have and identify all elements that will be affected by the change: things, people, and processes or activities. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  Related to the Race on Race bullying, we have learned why, we need to influence change. However, what we need to change is important too. Our own behaviors and actions, everyone has to do their parts to contribute, and change their behaviors, to prevent bullying, and cyber bullying worldwide. People may need to behave differently as a result of the change or may need to develop new skills or abilities. There could also be changes to the number of people required for something to happen, or consider changes in organizational behavior and culture. On a personal level, you could change yourself or change your relationship with someone else. (Martin Sykes, 2013) These elements of change is the first step to attempting to fight this devastating crisis.

To determine the changes of what we need to change we need to brainstorm the changes. By creating a visual model of “the reasons for failure,” he created an easy-to-use tool to help people structure their thinking and explore the commonly repeated reasons for failure. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  With groups of people brainstorming ways to beat this crisis, we can be better prepared and closer to a solution. A method developed to help this situation is Ishikawa’s diagram. The method, as used today as is a mechanism to encourage creative investigation and, to some extent, brainstorming. We take this method and reuse it specifically for investigating the possible elements that must be changed to address the reasons, why which we discussed previously. (Martin Sykes, 2013) Using that CAST method, we are able to link the “what” and “Why” together.

To be able to create this link we need to filter and focus the link between the two. To make this connection explicit, it is time to link together all the reasons “why” with “what” to change. (Martin Sykes, 2013) An example related to the current crisis we’re solving would be that we have determined
“why” we need to change our behavior related to how we raise our children, because technology is so readily available, makes bullying anywhere at anytime possible, which will affect everyone all over the world. To link the “what” were trying to accomplish, is awareness of the affects of bullying and negative race-to-race interaction. With everyone taking part individually to help with a problem that affects everybody, each of the things, people, or processes that will change should link to one or more reasons “why.” (Martin Sykes, 2013) Just like cause and effect, our actions as a group has a cause and effect by numbers, and together we can make a difference.

I look not only for life myself but life for my children and my children’s children. Our actions and behaviors will predict our future. So when teaching our children right from wrong or to get along with their brother’s and sister’s, you need to ask yourself, “what” type of relationships are you building? Your actions don’t no longer just affect you, but the relationships your building and the whole wide world.

How?

When breaking down this extreme problem, we need to decide “how” change must take place. The texts tells us that change takes place through a sequence of events that your characters will follow. The sequence has to be realistic for the audience to believe in it, and they should be able to identify with the progress of the characters. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  Like any process, each person contributed to the system and holds a vital the role to “how” the change takes place.

We have talked about what we want to change, we discussed why things needed to change, now we have to link what, and why to how we will makes these changes and how we will link these together. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  Bullying eventually will affect everyone. What is the world coming too when we can trust people who look like us, or comes from the same culture of us? This is a world without humanity, and peace, if we don’t bring awareness to this issue and change our behaviors, than we will all see a world who is killing each other off. This is all our responsibility, and how we can continue the link, to why, what, and how we need to makes these changes. This reminder will also be how we defined it for ourselves.

Through the sequence of events, we develop a visual story, where we all play vital roles. When reviewing our visual story map we are able to filter milestones. Milestones show highlights and progress. With the sequence of events and each milestone, helps to build a visual story. Highlighted, milestones where there is resolution of steps toward achieving one of the reasons “why” for the visual story. (Martin Sykes, 2013) One example could be if we start making progress now, and ten years from now we can show proof of reduction of the same race on race crime. This record of decrease would be a milestone of achievement, and also serve as encouragement, and proof the change of behavior and our progress is working. 

What if?

Although, we can show progress many will still question what if? There will always be alternative scenarios. We cannot predict the future, but we can plan for it. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  That is where scenario planning comes into place. Scenario planning is a technique developed by Peter Schwartz. Scenario planning looks at the “what ifs.” The technique goes well beyond simply forecasting the future and starts to identify how to prepare for it and spot when the circumstances are right for certain scenarios to happen. (Martin Sykes, 2013)   To better prepare for our youths future, we have to prepare for alternative scenarios.  Although, through CAST we have constructed a visual story map, to be able to reduce bullying in schools, and cyber bullying, however this will not be an easy fight, therefore we need to consider other alternative scenarios to be able to survive.  It is harder to changed learned behaviors, and this situation is a perfect example of that.

What if educating our youth doesn’t help? What if bullying gets worst? What if everyone doesn’t contribute and change their behaviors? All these are questions that psychologist and others will ask. With scenario planning we are able to also plan for other solutions and alternatives. For years bullying hadn’t been taken serious, however recent studies show that our youth are killing each other, and more between youth of the same races than cross race relations bullying. With more studies and better resources, we will be able to change the way we communicate with others.

It is ok too worry, and wonder about our future. We do have some control over the way we deal, and contribute to our future. The change in behaviors of everyone in the world, will have greater consequences and benefits that will benefit everyone. Not changing these behaviors will have fatal consequences that will not affect you individually but affect the whole world and our future children.

With each step of the CAST we have linked the why, what, and how, by the affect this problem will have on everyone. Also, that we can make a difference with numbers, and that we all have to do our part to fight this epidemic. We can always question; ”what if” but we can’t change the “what ifs,” if we don’t make changes ourselves. There is nothing worse than something terrible happening and you asking yourself, “what if” I would have done something different? Why question yourself, on what you could have done and how you could have did it, and what if you did things differently when you can step up and change your behaviors now and make a difference with an issue that affects the world. 

Conclusion

 Through the CAST process we were able to develop a visual story map to carry out the elements of change to attempt to have a solution, which is successful at building successful relationships, and promoting a longer life span on Earth. For this to happen there has to be cohesiveness all around the world. Therefore, since the crisis affects everyone, my audience is everyone; all women and men who raise children and youth who are bullying other youth. We all have to step up and make changes. If not imagine a “World filled with Hate.”

I want to give a visual on how our lives can be if we don’t make these changes. I want to give an explanation for all the hate and bullying.  A Poem called, “Haters” by Maya Angelou describes the troubles plaguing our youth and our communities.

“Hater” By Maya Angelou

A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.

They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever good enough!

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters…

That’s why you have to be careful with whom you share your blessings and your dreams, because some folk can’t handle seeing you blessed…

It’s dangerous to be like somebody else… If God wanted you to be like somebody else, He would have given you what He gave them! Right?

You never know what people have gone through to get what they have…

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don’t know my story…

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!

We’ve all got some haters among us!
Some people envy you because you can:

a) Have a relationship with God
b) Light up a room when you walk in
c) Start your own business
d) Tell a man/woman to hit the curb (if he/she isn’t about the right thing)
e) Raise your children without both parents being in the home

Haters can’t stand to see you happy.
Haters will never want to see you succeed.
Most of our haters are people who are supposed to be on our side.

How do you handle your undercover haters?

You can handle these haters by:

1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are *(VERY IMPORTANT!!)

2. Having a purpose to your life: Purpose does not mean having a job. You can have a job and still be unfulfilled. A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.

  

Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live…when its your time to leave this earth, you want to be able to say, ‘I’ve lived my life and fulfilled my dreams, Now I’m ready to go HOME!

When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, ‘Don’t look at me…Look at who is in charge of me…’

Don’t worry about it, it’s not your problem, it’s theirs.

Just pray for them, that their life can be as fulfilled as yours! Watch out for Haters…BUT most of all don’t become a HATER!

‘A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.’

Maya Angelou (Angelou, 2009)

 

Stage III: My Delivery

References

Angelou, M. (2009, November 12). Haters.

Bozzo, S. (Director). (2009). Blue gold: Water water wars [Motion Picture].

Lee, M. Y. (2014, Nov 25). Giuliani’s claim that 93 percent of black murder victims are killed by other blacks. Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/11/25/giulianis-claim-that-93-percent-of-blacks-are-killed-by-other-blacks/

Martin Sykes, A. N. (2013). Stories that move mountains: Storytelling and Visual Design for Persuasive Presentations. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

ZeroSixtyFive (Director). (2013). A World Without Water [Motion Picture].