Juneteenth and 2 Blocks Represent a Demand for Change
Illustration by iFp Teen Creative Maxwell
A Demand for Change
Written By: iFp Teen Creative Joseph
Our society still faces the effects of historical inequalities, where certain groups are disadvantaged. Institutions that make up our society have been designed to favor some people over others. These inequalities exploit our differences and make it much more challenging for people who don’t match the profile of the creators of these systems to succeed. This systemic favoritism exists in forms such as gender, socioeconomic and racial inequality. An example of this would be the gender wage gap. This exists in part, because the workforce was originally created by and for men.
There are ways to reduce these inequalities. It usually starts with making large scale changes that address expectations and culture. In our 2 Blocks movement we want to remove the prevalent achievement gaps in the education system. We want to shift the focus away from stressing over grades and towards developing skills that can be applied in the real world. Currently there is a massive focus on test results and grades, especially in the fields of English and Math. This means that talented students may might not fit into the academic profile are told they are not as competent as those who are acing their standardized tests. This shows that the educational system is set up to help students who fall into the “academic” profile rather than helping students with different learning styles or skill-set from reaching their full potential.
Juneteenth gives us another opportunity to look at ways to constructively deal with inequality in our society. The story of Juneteenth is the story about ending slavery in the US and specifically in Texas. Soldiers (most of them of color) showed up to enforce the country’s end of slavery that Texas chose to ignore. They wanted to continue with the cruel practices of slavery because they had built their society around it. Change was tough because removing slavery meant that the Texans would have to rethink the way their farms were operated and the way society was structured. Juneteenth was a significant day in American history because it represents a time that equality was enforced and the cruel system of slavery was taken down.
Juneteenth and 2 Blocks both represent a demand for change in our society. Both of these movements aim to challenge a system that has played a major role in society and looks to remove the inequalities. By applying principles of absolute equality, we can make sure that the differences we have are used to make our communities stronger rather than using them as a way to divide us. We need to recognize that every student learns differently and provide support for each student so that they may to reach their full potential. By taking firm action against systemic racism, just as the soldiers did in Texas, we can make significant strides towards the equitable world we all want.In solidarity!
Uncertainty is Difficult to Overcome
Written By: iFp Teen Creative Henry
Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the day news of the emancipation proclamation reached Texas. 2 Blocks represents the foundation for equitable change in education. Both promote the advancement of equity and shine the light on issues like inequities and lack of student voice in education.
In both cases, the powers that be resisted change. Texas had built its economy on slavery. Cambridge Public Schools is built on an industrial age model. Uncertainty about the impact of change is difficult to overcome.
Our ongoing project, 2 Blocks, will hopefully make the educational system more open minded towards change, sparking passion in our future innovators to become scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. Maybe some will travel on interplanetary flights to ultra realistic VR!
Let’s Run the Same Race
Written By: iFp Teen Creative Sabrina
Absolute equality will be achieved when everyone not only gets treated fairly, but recognized for their individual differences. Instead of treating everyone the same, equity acknowledges the differences in each person’s needs. Some may need more resources than others, while others may not need as much.
We created 2 Blocks project to highlight the inequities in education in Cambridge. One of our hopes is to create equal opportunities for success. Giving students an equal amount of resources is not enough to reach absolute equality. Students should be given the appropriate resources to help reach their full potential - in school, in jobs, and with passions.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Despite steps towards equality - racism and discrimination against black people persists in subtle and impactful ways. The discriminatory effects of the policies and laws that support inequalities need to be changed.
If you run a race with your side of the track being full of hills, mud, and cracks you will have less of a chance of winning against competitors with a smooth track. Life isn’t a race.The amount of opportunity you have for success should not be determined by your race, ethnicity, or background.
