Chapter 7 & 8

As someone who worked in youth development, the reading about youth violence did not surprise me at all. What I mean by that is that often times young people are blamed or portrayed in society negatively. However, as someone who worked in youth development, I was able to see young people who were leaders within their communities and who do positive things. Some of these youth would be stereotyped by their peers due to the community that they came from as "bad" and I saw how hurtful it was to some of youth that I worked with. I remember a girl said that she had met another girl at a conference and the girl asked her where she was from. She answered "Cabrini Green", which is a well known projects area in Chicago and the other girl said "you don't speak like someone from Cabrini Green". The girl from Cabrini Green was very upset and told me about it later. When I read about articles like these, it makes me think about my past work experience and the work the I want to continue to do which is to illustrate to other young people that they can and are people who can create difference in a positive way.

The second reading about beauty pageants made me think about and A&E show that was created a couple of years ago about beauty pageant. I remember watching the promos and having very mixed feelings. I know that the little girls that do participate in them may say yes in the beginning but I don't believe many of them have the capability to fully understand the long hours of work it takes. And of course it makes for great television when you see the child and parent become upset at each other. Which I think is another way that society is exploiting the child again. I have known some people who have participated in beauty pageants and because I know them, I've seem them change their personality completely just so that they can win it. It's usually by stifling who they really are and creating this who persona of the "yes woman". This meaning that they will do anything or please anyone to win. In the end, it's the girls and women who are exploited.