Author: Talha

As a resident of New York, I have witnessed the recent effects of neoliberalism. Inflation has caused prices to skyrocket. Gas, homes, rent, and basically anything else has increased and the pandemic has not helped in this cause. People’s lease for their apartments and homes that they signed are starting to expire and rent is becoming to expensive for people to afford and live that lifestyle. So many places are being gentrified so the wealthy and middle class could come an take over along with other businesses. People who lived in certain neighborhoods for years and all their lives are being forced to move out because they can not afford housing and afford to live that lifestyle anymore. People of color and low income communities are being impacted the most causing them to resort to government aided housing or projects which are already so crammed and packed and are unsafe living conditions. People of color and lower class minorities face lots of accessibility and inequality whether that come to housing, health, or anything really. People of color and poor communities are not vaccinated and cannot afford COVID tests. Health is not accessible to these communities. Immigrants seeking a better life populate most low-income neighborhoods. The privatization of insurance businesses makes it more difficult for low-income groups to apply for insurance, as well as a financial barrier. Inflation is also seen in food. Groceries and food used to be much cheaper but due to inflation has increased drastically over time. Relating back to Maggie Dickinson’s article and a quote of her find that I found quite interesting ” “People of color and lower class are constantly  being displaced to make room for the upper class and elite; they are being thrown out of the city. organizations only care to serve and cater the elite or wealthy. Gentrification happened for the wealthy to get rid of the poor and middle class to make room for the wealthy.” A quote that applies to our society today that has to do with Gentrification and Neoliberalism. 

Adrian Piper’s “Decide Who You Are, Anita Hill” was my choice because it may be read rhetorically in a variety of ways. It was the one that stood out the most from the rest. A number of text appear above a portrait of a young Anita Hill in the first artwork. There are countless red-word statements related to various social and political movements. The first two that came to mind were the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements, both of which I believe encapsulate what this piece is trying to express. “Surely you’re exaggerating a little,” “you’re being irrational,” or “what’s the issue?” You’re being paranoid” sounds like someone is gaslighting someone else. The two movements I described deal with power dynamics in specific societal settings, such as between men and women, white people and black people, and affluent people and poor people. Piper’s usage of a picture of a black small girl accurately reflects what women and black people go through as they grow into adulthood. Art has the potential to have a significant impact on social and political issues in our society. Art begins a discussion and allows people to express their thoughts on the topics presented. Like Piper’s artwork, it can elicit a variety of responses and inspire others to think deeply about the issues depicted in the artwork and possibly take action to address them. Other pieces of art that support diverse causes can help stimulate conversations and put attention on other critical topics, like this art piece does with the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements. The text could also be interpreted as a social issue. It can be compared to a wealthy and impoverished individual. There is a man and a woman, as well as race. The statement “What’s the matter?” reminds me of the Black Lives Matter campaign. You’ll get over it” refers to the racial mentality that pervaded the movement in the United States.

For my art piece, I chose to write and talk about the recent Bronx apartment Fire that happened in 2022. I wanted to talk about it and go in depth explaining what happened and how this event shows racial disparity. Real going into context and giving a definition or meaning of racial disparity. How it is defined and seen in todays society. The article or artwork of my choice highlighting these problems. Neglect, discrimination, and inequality. Government neglect and being oppressed. Harsh living conditions seen as a result of environmental racism and the atmosphere these people live in. Especially in the Bronx where government aid housing and projects are right next to chemical plants and power plants releasing harmful toxins into the air.

Link: https://time.com/6138342/bronx-fire-racial-disparities-accident-deaths/

 

“Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and the Limits of Representation,” by Keeanga-Yamahatta, was very informative and exciting to me, and after reading it, I noticed how some people are not represented and are overlooked in various ways. This article  focused on how black women, in particular, are never given the opportunity to be heard or to wield authority. The author made various points that demonstrated this. “Nearly a quarter of Black women live below the official poverty line,” she added, for example. “The fact that 29% of Black children live in poverty and another 57% are categorized as low-income are stark reminders that inequality in this country is strongly entwined with race and gender,” she says. These figures demonstrate how no one in the world seems to care about black women. The fact that a black woman currently holds such much influence demonstrates that we have made progress. Race, gender, and social rank, according to the author, are the “limits of representation.” If you’re a lower-class black woman, you’re unlikely to be represented by those in positions of authority. The author discusses how members in this group are frequently disappointed and underrepresented. I agree with her sentiments because, despite being a woman of color, Kamala Harris, despite her wealth and status, does not genuinely understand the struggles of black women. People of color are in general not represented  and suffer because the government and system neglects them. I remember how we discussed in class that Kamala Harris can not really understand the struggle of these women even though she is a person of color because of her power figure and authority. She is not living a hard life in poverty or in a poor low income community.  

1. The death similarities that Reed draws between the CUNY “retrenchment period” of 1978-1992 and the Covid-19 pandemic are striking. CUNY’s free education program died during the “retrenchment” period of 1978-1992. People no longer looked forward to receiving free education. “We cannot accept the death of this wonderful, free university because we cannot accept the killing of the spirit, aspirations, and the future that will inevitably befall our children, the students.” Because of how many people were affected, this was heartbreaking. It completely transformed the lives of many students. Reed then relates this to the Covid-19 pandemic by underlining the fact that there was actual fatality at CUNY. At this time, it wasn’t just a figure of speech, and he used it to show how the pandemic affects so many students. Both points were made in order to demonstrate the negative consequences. Many CUNY employees and students lost their jobs and education throughout both periods. There was a layoff and termination of peoples jobs.
2. In order to emphasize how CUNY changed, Reed uses the term “death cult.” Also, how is CUNY’s demise in some ways? Underfunding and disregarding CUNY’s demands have detrimental consequences for the city, workers, and students. He employs this term to demonstrate how CUNY, which was formerly famed for its openness and accessibility, became a component of neoliberal America. Many things, including education, have been privatized by the cult. Taking CUNY away from students from minority areas benefits the rich and powerful. Students attend CUNY because it is affordable and provides an opportunity to continue their education. Cuny is crushing many people’s aspirations by making it pricey and changing it into a system that cares more about money than individuals. While this was going on, demonstrators’ efforts to keep CUNY free and open for the most part were being undone.
3. Reed advises anti-racist and anti-austerity groups at CUNY to join together to discuss ideas rather than focused on themselves. Reed recommends that you think for yourself, actively seize any opportunity to share helpful knowledge and ideas with one another, and then spread those ideas throughout the community. He believes that all CUNY college programs should share their feelings and opinions with one another in order to have a greater impact on the CUNY environment. The message might be louder and bigger if all of the colleges came together.

The strategy that I chose was number 5, “to restructure your essay and discover new ideas in the process.” and strategy no. 1: “To Say Something Better.” I really struggle to dive in and dig deep to give analysis and context. I feel like expanding more will greatly benefit my writing and paper. Also I find that I tend to be repetitive with my analysis and claim and do not really introduce new ideas. I am trying to focus on that and the overall organization of my paper. Having everything organized and structured so it can flow nicely and be fluid. I just need to work on analysis in which I can explain the evidence and quotes that I use and how it both benefits and supports or proves the claims made in the paper. Isolating a single topic and attempting to develop it as far as possible could be a useful method for me to clear my mind and understand how the idea will fit into the larger essay. Strategy number 1 allowed me to go deeper into a topic and provide more examples. I was able to strengthen my point by building on it further. I believe I chose strategy number 1 because it made it much easier for me to organize and clarify my thoughts.

I originally took this picture in October this previous year during the day on my birthday. On my birthday I decided to go the Brooklyn bridge piers with a few of my friends after we ate food at a restaurant. We decided to go to the piers for the views and because it was a good spot to take pictures. I love going to the piers at Brooklyn bridge because of how it makes me feel. I love the whole mood, atmosphere, and environment. The view is beautiful and iconic which is why many tourists actually go visit the piers when coming to New York. In the picture you can see the beautiful sky and the bridge behind that. A wonderful day outside which is why there are tons of people. The green really makes the picture pop and you can tell the enjoyment in the air. New York City is unique and has views like no other city making it special.