This was a workshop I attended that I at first only attended because it promised me extra credit for my history class, but I actually ended up really enjoying it. There were several guest speakers, most of which I forgot the name of, but I do remember that Professor Pence was hosting it.
The workshop focused on the life of Sonia Sotomayor, and how, against all odds, a Latina woman from a working-class background was able to accomplish what she did. They discussed how racism was always around, and even though it seems like an ancient practice, it is still around. One crucial fact that I remember is that Sotomayor was one of the first Latina women to attend college, and was one of the first women to work in the government. That was something that came as a bit of a surprise to me, since I didn’t quite realize that the Latino population was as discriminated against in her time as they are now.
One of the speakers called the Latinos the new African Americans. They play the role that the black population once played, and I find that absolutely disgusting. We may think we’re above racism now but in truth, we still practice it — it’s just that the victims have changed. The players might be different, but for some people, this horrible game is still the same.
I would recommend this workshop, even for those of us that aren’t very politically-minded. It makes you think, and realize that while the world may be different, some things are still very much, unfortunately, the same.