Final Course Reflection

This semester, we were taught many things about black culture and its history worldwide. Many times, we get carried away by black issues and black culture being a topic only in America. Still, there are African roots everywhere, and this class was an eye-opener in the Black Diaspora's eyes. My most favorable discussion was learning about African history in Brazil. During this time of the semester, it was precious learning about African history in Brazil, considering how much black people are connected through our ancestry. It amazed me how we all have carried African practices, dances, and music throughout history in many regions of the world; it is like we're all connected amongst one another regardless of what place. The timeline was a project I was passionate about since I enjoyed researching and finding journal articles and videos related to the roots of Samba. Holloway's "What Africa Has Given America" was a reading I did not resonate with because we didn't analyze it as long as I wished we could have and needed to move on to a new reading so quickly. 

Where do I go from here? I keep learning. In this class, I've had the opportunity to learn new reading and critical thinking techniques that have helped me retain essential knowledge related to the African Diaspora. I've enjoyed learning about black roots in different countries and soon want to visit these places. As we learned about the African diaspora in Brazil, I was intrigued to the point where I wanted to see for myself. I want to know how it is to be black in America and everywhere. 

As young black people, it is precious that we make it a mission to know about our history and issues related to the African diaspora. As we are still facing the problems of being black every day, knowing our history amongst the African diaspora makes us aware of what we are facing in today's society and what ways we can contribute to moving forward and fixing these issues. 

In this course, I've realized how important it is to analyze, think, ask questions, and research your reading. I've gained skills in those areas, which will be essential in my journalism courses, including interviewing, analyzing, and writing. 

Questions:

What are the main differences between The Case for Reparations and the 1619 Project?

How does everything we've learned this semester relate to the issues black people face today?

At times, people only focus on Black America, but black people also suffer issues in different parts of the world due to us being systematically disadvantaged. What are some widespread misunderstandings regarding this, and how can we avoid these misconceptions?