HDF 100L

I never really thought about what oppression really meant before this class at Central Michigan University. I thought it meant that you were oppressed by how to act in society. Well, that is a partial answer to that. In the Fall, I took the class Oppression: Roots & Impact as an online class to further my leadership education. It hit me big time when I learned oppression meant you were look down upon and unable to help it because you are what you were born as. I learned that this impacts the majority of African-Americans because they can’t help themselves when they are looked down upon by the content of their skin. It doesn’t stop there because it is the physical and permanent parts of a person that can be oppressed. My professor was David Brown and it was his first time teaching it. I mean I assumed he knew what he was doing and he sure fooled me! He said that this was a working progress for him on the account that they reimagined this class as an online course. There was a lot of “bugs” to fix and a good handful of assignments that had to be reviewed over and over. I thought I was going to have a heart attack at times while in the class! I pictured how difficult it was for him and the rest of the class. Yet, David Brown was always on top of things and making sure to always answer my frantic calls. He said he was grateful I was always eager to call and ask questions. In my mind, I was definitely worried about my grades and how well I can do on my assignments. I had two exams in the class and I was thinking I was going to fail them. It was however untrue. I passed them with high remarks. I even completed all my assignments.

The big takeaway from this class wasn’t the point that I passed, but I learned how to go with the flow and not stop in my tracks. I had a lot riding during the Fall and I couldn’t miss a beat. Perhaps the bigger picture was that I learned how race was unrealistic and that no race was better than someone elses. I learned how oppression can be a real struggle. I found out that I am not oppressed but that doesn’t mean I stop there. In fact, I recognize the differences that I share with others on their physical appearances. I appreciate they are themselves and that they strive for a better tomorrow.