“We’re a culture, not a costume.” by STARS

Let me start by thanking fellow bloger Melissa for bringing attention to this wonderful propaganda by STARS, you can find her blog, the “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, here!

STARS stands for, Students Teaching Against Racism (STARS) and it’s a student organization from the University of Ohio. They recently launched a poster campaign against racism that is starting quite a buzz. The poster aims to show people that it’s not okay to stereotype a culture. And that racism is still very much alive in our society.

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You can read several articles on these posters in The Daily Wildcat, The Huffington Post, Jezebel, Clutch Magazine. Check them out!

Living on an island racism has been a part of my day to day life for many years. As I was growing up there weren’t many people from other cultures here and so racism was somewhat dormant, but as the years rolled by and people from all over the world came to visit and live here it was soon evident the discomfort of our elders and the difference in treatment these peoples received.

Nowadays it’s no longer as evident as it once was but there is still prejudice, people still look twice at a black man in a high priced store and Ukrainians are still look at as delinquents and free-loaders.

But change is coming! As the younger generations come into adulthood racism seems to evaporate and even the elders seem embarrassed to be racist and make efforts to change their ways.

Now one’s perfect, I shamefully admit that I get nervous if I’m alone in the middle of the night waiting for a bus with a black man besides me, but I do my best to overcome that fear and talk to the person and see just how wrong I was, and that at the end we are all the same. It’s a reaction that comes from lack of practice and little contact with other cultures, but it’s a reaction a aim to abolish every time!

I believe that as long as we all do our best to let go of our prejudice and teach others to do the same racism can truly be abolished.

It is important to remember that racism is still alive, and that is still a problem in our society. But a problem that can be overcome!

Related articles

• “We’re a culture, not a costume.” STARS, a student org at Ohio University (lissawriting.wordpress.com)
• A Culture, Not a Costume (neatorama.com)
• Killjoy Students Campaign Against Racist Halloween Costumes (thegloss.com)
• We’re a culture, not a costume (osocio.org)
• Culture Not Costume Campaign (reimagineimago.wordpress.com)
• ‘We’re a culture, not a costume’ this Halloween (cnn.com)

Gratitude List

Being grateful is important. It allows us to remember all the things that were given to us or that we were allowed to get. It reminds us that not everyone in this world has the same opportunities as we did and that we should be thankful for it.

So I have allot to be grateful for…

Image via Wikipedia

I am grateful for my health, so that I can enjoy life at it’s fullest.

I am grateful for my family and for all the love and support that they give me.

I am grateful for the knowledge that I’ve been given, so that I am wiser every day.

I am grateful for my friends, those that love me every day and share with me the good and the bad.

I am grateful for the place where I was born, so that I could grow up free and without fear.

I am grateful for the time in which I was born, so that so many more possibilities are open and known to me.

I am grateful that trough all that I’ve seen I can still say that I love this planet and the people in it, and that I still believe that there is good at the core of humanity.

What are you grateful for?

How Would Life Be Like Without Siblings

Image via Wikipedia

How would your life be different if you had grown up without any siblings?

prompt by Plinky

I often hear friends talking about their brothers and sisters, about the fights and the play times, the sharing a house and the companionship, and all the other things that having a sibling means.

But I know nothing about these things. I’m an only child.

So I know exactly what it’s like to not have any siblings. Most of the times it’s  lonely, you have no one to play with, which is why children with no siblings get so close to their parents. You learn to play on your own and talk to your parents every chance you get. It’s a lonely, special little world that you create around you, and it has it’s own magic.

So the more appropriate question for me would be: How would your life be different if you had grown up with siblings?

The truth is I never really wanted a brother or sister growing up, I loved having my parents and the holidays for my self. But looking back I can see it would have been good in many ways.

I think I would of learned to stick up for myself a lot sooner, and became more independent. Brothers can teach you how to take criticism, and that it’s okay to be different. They are also a companion in games and some one to talk to. You learn to do more because your parents have more in their hands.

With all the drags of having a brother or sister I still think it’s a wonderful thing, so count your blessings and cherish your siblings. It’s hard to grow up alone!

Five Things I Love About My Culture

Here are my top five traditions from my small Atlantic island of Madeira.

Number 1: Dacing

I love our folklore dance, it may look funny and silly but I love it. It’s a very simple dance and because it’s so simple anyone can do it. So both kids, adults and elders get together and dance. It’s great to watch!

Number 2: Poncha

A traditional alcoholic drink that is the delight of anyone that visit us. It’s sweet but strong and we love it.

Poncha

Number 3: Embroidery

Our traditional embroidery has been a part of our cultural identity for many years, and it still has it’s place at every family Christmas table. It’s intricately done by hand and it can take hours to make a simple cup base.

Embroidery

Number 4: Market Evening

Every year on the 23th of December the market stays open trough the night. Fruit, moss and trees stands fill the streets surrounding the market place, and stands selling food and drinks keep the visitors in good spirits. The streets fill up completely making it hard to move around. but I still love it!

Market Night

Number 5: Festivals

Throughout the summer we have dozens of festivals, lots of music food and drink and mostly lots of fun. They’re not the typical music festivals with big concerts, it’s more about the food and the drinks than the music, so what you see are stand lined up in the streets as you travel from one to the other eating and drinking.

A Consumerist society and a Crumbling World – Part 2 (Greed)

This is a follow up on the post A Consumerist society and a Crumbling World.

Image by 快樂雲 via Flickr

I ended the previous post by stating that the problem of this world is greed. And today I heard a story that, in my view, confirms this.

A man won the lottery, 15 million Euro, more than enough money to lead a care free life. You would think this person would buy a house, a car, go on a trip and use the rest of the money for an early retirement. And he probably did all these things! But he did something I don’t understand. For some reason this person continued playing the lottery! And a few months latter won it, again!

It’s not that I’m jealous, really! I just don’t get the logic behind it! You’re a millionaire! Why would you play in the lottery? They’re other people who actually need the money!

A few months ago I heard another story that shocked me. A TV broadcast where a company complained of having had a very low profit during the past year. At first I thought: That sucks! But then I hear the reporter saying: “Only 50 millions (or something in the vicinity) of profit” Only? In what world is 50 millions only? … and he continues to say:”that will be split by all 12 (or something) of the investors”… Poor guys only 4 million each…. Seriously? People are starving out there! And you’re crying that you only made 4 million this year? What world do you live in?

It seems that so many of us have been detached from the “real world”. We’re so caught up on buying and buying, that we forget that there are people around us that don’t have the money for food, let alone those black stilettos! And don’t think I’m above it, I’m not, I do it to! But I truly believe we need to change. We need to look at those around us and take care of them. Because, alone, we’re noting. We are social beings and yet we have grown so solitary.

In the past I dreamt with the perfect house, the perfect car, the perfect vacation house, the boat, all that stuff! But nowadays when I see how bad it gets for some, I can’t dream all those big dreams with a clear concious, not when the world is so messed up. I’m happy with a good home, a good car and some money to travel once in a while. I wish one day I will have one day enough money to live comfortably, and be able to help others.

This could be a wonderful world, if only we could care a little bit more about those around us and stop worrying about having all the perfect things. Because owning all those things won’t make us happy. We need human contact for that. Human love!