My goal for this podcast was to to try to make something that I was proud of and something that would keep people  interested. I also trying to make something that could show my idea in well enough that even though when there would be times when you listen and seem like the topics did not relate they actually do.

100.0.0.Racism and stereotypes towards African American human beings.

Now I could sit here all day and talk about the “facts” that this world has created on African Americans on stereotypes. The reason in the last sentence that I put facts in quotes is because they aren’t facts they’re just people who are still following the stereotype, and it’s sad to say because even after years of African Americans doing well and spreading great music,acting,producing,directing,painting etc. A good amount of African Americans have made historic songs and one I’ll name right now is the man who created many pieces that brought the world together or on the same page and he was named Michael Jackson. The man was a phenom and now he’s a legend, but some people don’t even know that he’s actually black but think he’s white and it’s sad that he bleached his skin because he gave the wrong impression to others of why he did it. Many white people were then given opportunities to throw shade on African Americans because they would say harsh things like “You should change like michael” and that hurts to a black man because he could’ve had a skin disease just like michael did, but people don’t think about others and feelings and that was used for when white people treated African Americans like trash because they had the “Upper hand”. They actually didn’t have the upper hand but they kind of did because of the color of there skin. If the world was focused on the importance of people like it is now then I don’t think White people would’ve started or created any type of revolution because African Americans would’ve took the spot of control and would’ve been grateful for the opportunity that they were given. The reasons of why White people didn’t think African Americans were smart was because to be quite honest it wasn’t that they weren’t smart it was that the white people were giving them old books from the 1700’s or hand me downs from when the White people were done using their books in school, but it just wasn’t school even the water the African Americans used wasn’t fresh or even as close to being as fresh as the White people water. If a African American were to even think about getting White people water or use their fountain they’d get beat up terribly and that’s just sad to even think about because it’s kind of silly if you think about it now because they were about to get beat up because of the color their skin and being thirsty… Again it’s very sad to think about something so silly that was taken so serious like wow that’s messed up. If White people were treated like that it would be the whole Army on the African American Guy but even if it was a woman they would’ve been used as a maid for eternity that’s why everyone should celebrate Martin Luther KIng day like it’s their last day to live because he changed all of this and it sheds a tear to this eye to see that he’s gone and couldn’t see his accomplishment because 1 of his accomplishments ended up multiplying and spreading toward billions of people and the message of peace for everyone is still being shown today. The picks of these sections weren’t from sources they were knowledge a thing that some people still don’t think we have today and it’s very sad to say and think that. Other stereotypes are whenever and African American walks in a store it doesn’t mean we’re going to steal anything.

Some people think terrorist means a lot of bad different things. Most people think of this definition is a horrendous thing. Most people think the definition of a terrorist is an international person who isn’t from the United States Of America and that kills people and makes bombs for no reason. Most people have this definition wrong and or the wrong idea. Misjudgement is a big thing in the world now. People are misjudge muslims as terrorists or horrible people. It because the things they see in the world like September 11, when Islamist extremists hijacked a couple planes and crashed into the twin towers.  

A terrorist is a person who uses terrorism in the pursuit of political aims. This is the correct definition of a terrorist. I hate when people say the word terrorist and don’t even know what it means. Some people say the word as a joke and this isn’t no joking matter to play with the word terrorist. I hate the stereotypes against terrorist like some people say muslim people are terrorist or people who aren’t from the United States Of America aren’t, lastly men with long fully grown beard.

I was dreaming and heard all this noise and when I woke up it came to reality. All I heard people coming up and down the stairs and the bathroom water running. I tried to go back to sleep, but my mother came in my room and said “wake up it's time to wake up for our holiday Eid!” I finally woke up and squinted my eye because of the very sunny sun. I woke up smiling hard because I know today is my holiday and I will see all my family members I haven’t seen since last Eid. All that I could think about was the amount of money I would be making today. Last Eid I made about 50 dollars, and this Eid I want to see if I could make more.

My mom drove me and my siblings to the park so we can do our Eid prayer. My brother and I had a black throbe on which is like a long dress and people would call it. My mom and sister had a black cheetah print overgarment on. As we were walking to the the huge park, people in cars were stopping and look at us and the people on the trolley just stared at us like we weren’t human.

I thought in my mind if some people never seen muslims before or they just thought that something was wrong with us. I don’t know if what we was wearing or they thought something about us I wonder. We went and prayed at the park. After that I got up and got some money and seen my uncle. We had a long conversation. He was telling me how he was on his way to the Eid prayer and how some lady said something very disrespectful about him.  

He said “While I was walking to the masjid some white lady was talking to her daughter and overheard them talking about how he looks like a terrorist.” At this time, I was a young age and I really didn’t know what the word “terrorist” meant… He told me what it meant. Until the day I heard somebody called someone else a terrorist, I didn’t know how it felt to be called that. There was talks about how you could be muslim or a different skin color or just be different and be consider as a terrorist.

Misjudgement is a big thing in world right now and always will be. It used in a lot of different things. For example being muslim or a different skin color means you have to be a terrorist. No one should ever judge a book by its cover! Regardless anything no matter how they look.

There were many times in my life where I felt I didn't belong and they were in close relation to not only my identity, but the identity of the people around me. I felt like I didn't belong growing up in Serbia as a person with learning disabilities. I discovered I had dyslexia and dysgraphia when my teacher thought  that I was stupid because on my tests I finished almost none of the questions and when writing, I mixed Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, as well as printed and cursive letters. The real reason I felt like I didn't fit in is because learning disabilities are very rare in Serbia, and the tests are conducted in a mental hospital, where I later had to visit a therapist. The therapist banned me from writing in cursive to help me use only one style of writing at once. People not only saw me differently, but also treated me like there was something wrong with me, especially the teachers. The only two things that my therapist told them to do to make this process easier was to give me extensions on reading and writing assignments and to test me orally, instead of me struggling through reading and writing it. My teachers kept everything the same, until I told them “Imagine I fell down the stairs and broke both my arms, how would you test me then?” Her answer was: “Well, orally of course.” At the end I got her to test me orally and I got a 100, but I never changed her mind. I think that happened  because she was a person with a fixed mindset and not accepting a change.

I’ve come across a lot of people like my teacher over the years. They think that everyone functions the same and that kind of thinking is the reason that some people struggle with changing their view. Even if all the information is pointed against their argument , they would stubbornly stick to their own opinions. I, on the other hand, have the adapting mindset where I can change my views if I get good evidence. As an article from MindShifts states “ It is the belief that qualities can change and that we can develop our intelligence and abilities. The opposite of having a growth mindset is having a fixed mindset, which is the belief that intelligence and abilities cannot be developed. The reason that this definition of growth mindset is important is that research has shown that this specific belief leads people to take on challenges, work harder and more effectively, and persevere in the face of struggle, all of which makes people more successful learners. ”

These mindsets are not only opposites, but they are both necessary to balance out. This is a part of the way my identity was shaped, as a person with learning disabilities, since I had to change the way I looked at things and the opinions I had on learning, as well as basically anything I knew before about myself.

The lesson I learned from this experience is that our identity can change in a moment, and we would never expect that, but we have to accept the person we have become, and trust ourselves enough. By that I mean trust our brains, our bodies, our flaws, our disabilities, our reasons, and our hope.