Power and Privilege 2015
We are all individual people. As individuals, we all have our own, unique privileges. A privilege is an advantage or right that we have by just being us. For example, being born a male automatically gives you the power to be the stronghold of a family. My team studied privilege but, more specifically, invisible privileges. These are born privileges that we have but are generally unaware of. Privileges can be bestowed upon us or denied to us just by our race, wealth, location, gender, abilities, or class.
This project had three components -- A humanities one, a math one, and an art one
This project had three components -- A humanities one, a math one, and an art one
Humanities
Our goal in Humanities was to make people aware of their privileges and make a difference. We decided that the best way to do this was through Ted talks. In individual groups, we wrote and orated Ted talks discussing our specific topic to a group.
My group had the topic of Poverty and privilege. More specifically, we discussed minimum wage. I, personally was the orator who presented the Ted talk to a group and also helped write it. Below, you can read the Ted talk.
My group had the topic of Poverty and privilege. More specifically, we discussed minimum wage. I, personally was the orator who presented the Ted talk to a group and also helped write it. Below, you can read the Ted talk.
Math
Over the course of a couple months before the project, my team had been learning computer programming using the language Python. To continue our learning in a relevant form, each group was tasked to create an interactive program that demonstrates an aspect of our topic to the public. It could be something useful or simply impactful.
Our group, with the topic of poverty and minimum wage, decided to program a calculator that would create a first hand example of the problem with low minimum wage. Our programmer created a code that would take the user's personal inputs and then estimate the amount of wage the adult needs to be earning to live comfortably. They can then compare this to the local minimum wage and, hopefully, understand how hard it is to live off of so little money. This would emphasize the need to have higher minimum wage. To try the calculator and see your minimum wage, please visit the link below:
http://repl.it/ix9 (to run code, press the white play button on the top right corner of the code.)
Our group, with the topic of poverty and minimum wage, decided to program a calculator that would create a first hand example of the problem with low minimum wage. Our programmer created a code that would take the user's personal inputs and then estimate the amount of wage the adult needs to be earning to live comfortably. They can then compare this to the local minimum wage and, hopefully, understand how hard it is to live off of so little money. This would emphasize the need to have higher minimum wage. To try the calculator and see your minimum wage, please visit the link below:
http://repl.it/ix9 (to run code, press the white play button on the top right corner of the code.)
Art
Along with an orator, writer, and programmer, each group had an artist. The artist's job was to create a powerful visual representation of Power and Privilege and/or how it relates to their topic. These pieces would then be displayed in a local public library.
After much brainstorming, our group decided to create a mixed media piece that broke the racial stereotypes around money and wealth. We titled the piece "It's Im|Possible". Being the artist, I was the one to design and paint the piece. Below you can see the initial sketch, then a couple images of the completed mixed media piece with brief descriptions of the art.
After much brainstorming, our group decided to create a mixed media piece that broke the racial stereotypes around money and wealth. We titled the piece "It's Im|Possible". Being the artist, I was the one to design and paint the piece. Below you can see the initial sketch, then a couple images of the completed mixed media piece with brief descriptions of the art.
To supplement understanding of our topics, each group also created a political cartoon. These were comical and ironic drawings we created to pass a point about our topic. Being about poverty and minimum wage, our group created a cartoon demonstrating corporate greed and their lack of willingness to pay their workers decent salaries. Below is an image of the cartoon:
Exhibition!
The exhibition where we were able to spread the word about Power and Privilege to the public was hosted at the San Marcos Public Library. Here, each group had a table where their program and political cartoon was displayed. People rotated from table to table where we discussed our topic and the program we created. They would then move into a separate room where they would hear several Ted Talks. All visitors were also directed to the wall where all our art pieces hung.
Overall, the exhibition was very successful. Since we did a lot of preparation, we were able to precisely communicate awareness of Power and Privilege to a decent amount of people and I am confident that it made a difference. Below you can see a couple of photos from our exhibition.
Overall, the exhibition was very successful. Since we did a lot of preparation, we were able to precisely communicate awareness of Power and Privilege to a decent amount of people and I am confident that it made a difference. Below you can see a couple of photos from our exhibition.
To see a video created by team member, Sean Russo, about our project, please visit the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3oD8XZxPZ4