Momma's Memories and the New Equality

Summary:

In Vershawn Ashanti Young's Journal, "Momma's Memories and the New Equality," he talks about his mom's thoughts toward racism, and the advice that she gives him in order to avoid it. Young's mom tries to avoid white people at all cost, because she is still leaving the Jim Crow Laws, and she knows that there are still differences between social groups. This is why at the begining of the story when Young tells his mom that he got a new job at a University, his mom gets really upset with him. His mom believes that white people are engaged in microagressions without being aware of it, and she doesn't want to have any problems with them. At the end of the story, Young says that what his mom wants him to do is "not to confirm the new racism...but to contemplate how to bolster the new equality"(Paragraph 4, Lines 4-6). Young is trying to get rid of old racism and microaggressions from white people.

Synthesis:

I agree with this journal where it says that there is still racism and microagressions, although many people do not think that they are doing it. For example, some may may assume that just because someone has colored skin, they are dangerous. This is a type of racism, because they are assuming something just based on their skin color. Another example would be when someone says the word "nigga". This word is so common now, that people say it without even realizing that it may be offensive and racist to others. Although racism and microagressions are not as noticeable, they still exists, and there must be a stop for it.