FinalPresentation

45Minutes
Topic:PrivilegeandIdentities
JoshuaAltemoos,TylerBauer,ChristyKrawczyk,CaitlinKubala,JosephRizzo

Nov.18,2014

Activity20Minutes
Peoplesplitupintofivegroups.

Withthematerialsgiven,constructastructurethatistall.Youareonlyallowedtousethe
materialsthatareintheenvelopes.Thetalleststructureisthewinner.Theywillreceivecake
(sowillthewholeclass!)

Note:Therearenorules.Theyshouldbeallowedtodowhatevertheylike.Forinstance,if
peoplewanttostealfromothersitisfine.Ifsomepeoplewanttosharetheycanaswell.

o TimeBreakdown
1MinuteIntroChristy
5MinuteActivity
14MinutesDebrief
AnnouncewinnerTyler
1. Whatisyourreactiontotheactivity?Tyler
a. Doyoubelieveitwasfair?Tyler
SlidePosted
2. Wereyoupayingattentiontotheothergroups?(Noticeothermaterials)
3. Whatstrategiesdidyouuseortimeyouspentinbuildingyour
structure?
4. Whatcouldyouhavedonedifferently?
a. ProddingQuestion:Oneofthemajorthingsthatwewere
thinkingof,didyoueverthinktoshareyoursupplieswith
others?
IntrotoPrivilege
o (Asyouhavepointedout)Wedesignedthisactivitytosimulate
theconceptofprivilege..

Howdoyouseeprivilegeatplayintheactivitythatyoujust
completed?

Whenwediscussedprivilegeweenvisioneditasgivingsomepeople
easieraccesstosuccessthanothersmuchlikeinthisactivitysomeof
usstartoutwithadvantagesandtoolsthatcanhelpusmakeitfartherin
lifemucheasierandquicker.

Forexample,Group4hadtheleastamountofitems.Thisis
howweimaginesomeonewithmultipleoppressedidentities.
Thisgrouphadmoretoovercomeineveryareamorebarriers
tobreakthroughwhileothergroupsstartedoffwithmore
privilegeandwereinabetterpositiontoachievemorewithless

FinalPresentation
45Minutes
Topic:PrivilegeandIdentities
JoshuaAltemoos,TylerBauer,ChristyKrawczyk,CaitlinKubala,JosephRizzo

Nov.18,2014

resistence.Group___hadtapearoundtheirbox,whichcould
relatetohowsomeoppressedidentitiescancreateadditional
barrierstosuccess,suchasadisabledpersonwhocannotdrive
toajobinterview,orsomeonewhohastoovercomealanguage
barrierinordertoparticipateintheclassroom.

Thisactivitywasnottrulyafaircompetition,(itmaynotevenbea
competitionatall).Wemostlydiscussedthesuccesshereas
obtaininghighereducation.Theprizeforthetopgroupwasntsomuch
ofaprizeassomethingthattheywerealwaysgoingtoachieve.While
othergroupsstruggledtoplaycatchup.Inwhatotherreallifeexamples
doesprivilegeplayastrongrole?

Howdoyoupictureprivilegeworking?Isthereanotherwaythatyou
makesenseofitsimpactonsociety?

IndividualDiscussiononIdentityand
Privilege20Minutes
EachpersonstalkingpointsareinthenotesofthePP.
Everyonehas4minutes

DiscussionOrder

Tyler
Christy
Caitlin
Joe
Josh

Okay,soweregoingtochangegearsnow.Inourearlygroupmeetingswespentalotoftime
reflectingonouridentitiesandtheimpactprivilegeandidentityplayedinourlives.Likesomeofyou
mayhavenothavenoticedhowsuppliesweredistributedinthisactivityinitially,weallwereinitially
unawareoftheprivilegeswehadandhowtheyimpactedourpathinlife.Weregoingtotakesome
timenowtoreflectonourexperiencesandhowthisclasshasinfluencedhowwelookatour
experiences.

FinalPresentation
45Minutes
Topic:PrivilegeandIdentities
JoshuaAltemoos,TylerBauer,ChristyKrawczyk,CaitlinKubala,JosephRizzo

Nov.18,2014

Tyler
Priviledge,PowerandDifference
InteractingteachesPRIVILEGEANDOPPRESSION.

PathofLeastResistance:Iwasborninthesystemandplayedit

Cuyjet
SocialIdentityDevelopmentTheory

Beforethisclass,IwasalwaysstuckintheacceptancephaseoftheSocial
IdentityDevelopmentTheory.Withthisclass,IfeelthatIamstartingtomove
pastthat.

Christy
PriviledgeofGeographicMobility
Keytosocialmobilityandimprovedqualityoflive
Wherepeoplelivemakesahugedifferenceinthejobstheyhaveaccessto,thequalityofcommunity
services(Schools,healthcare,streetmaintenance,trashdisposal)andtheirabilitytoaffectthosewho
governthem.(p57)
MovedfromCheektowagatoWilliamsvillebeforethestartof6thgrade(2002)
White,middleclass,nuclearfamily
Parentswerentdiscriminatedagainstwhenlookingforhouses
Gotchosenoverotherbidderforourhousebecausemyparentshadkidswhowouldgrowuphere
Betterschoolsystem(Maryvalewas10%lessproficientinHighSchoolMath)
SaferneighborhoodAmherst/WilliamsvilleratedasoneofthetoptensafesttownsinUS
Closertothehospital
Moreaffluentarea,nowwenttoschoolwithchildrenofprofessionalssuchasdoctors,lawyers,etc

GandhiParadox
Nothingwedoasindividualsmattersbutitsvitallyimportanttodoitanyway(p132)
Socialsystemsaretrees,invidiualsaretheleaves
Noindividualleafonthetreematterswhetheritlivesordieshasnoeffectonmuchofanything.
Collectivelytheleavesareessentialtothewholetreebecausetheyphotosynthesizethesugarthatfeeds
it.
Ifalltheleavesdie,thetreewilldie.
Leavesmatterandtheydont,thesameaswematterbutwedont.
Whateachofusdoesindividuallymaynotseemsignificantbutwhenmanypeopledoworktogether
theycanmakeadifference.

FinalPresentation
45Minutes
Topic:PrivilegeandIdentities
JoshuaAltemoos,TylerBauer,ChristyKrawczyk,CaitlinKubala,JosephRizzo

Nov.18,2014

Ifweasleavesstopfeedingthetreesofopression,andalltheleavestodothiscollectively,thetreesof
oppressionwillhavenofuelandeventuallydie.
TravelingParadox
Wehavetobewillingtotravelwithoutknowingwhereweregoing,weneedtohavefaithtodowhat
seemsrightwithoutbeingsureoftheeffectitwillhave.
Ifpioneershadtoknowtheirdestinationfromthebeginning,theymightnevergoanywhereordiscover
anything

Caitlin
WhenIwasinhighschoolifsomeonehadtoldmeIwasprivilegedIwouldhavelaughed.Nomatter
howmuchmymothertoldmethatIdidntknowhowgoodIhadit,IonlyfocusedonwhatIdidnt
have.ComparedtothepeopleIwassurroundedbyIalwaysfeltlikeIhadless.Iwastheonlypersonin
myfriendgroupwithdivorcedparents.Ididnthaveapool.Myfatherstruggleswithaddictionand
mentalillness.Mymomwasstartingacareerlateinlife.MyfriendsandIwerethetopstudentsinour
classandthoseofuswhowerewhitewerealwaysmockedbytheAsianCoalitionfornotbeingas
smart.IalwaysfeltthatIneededtoworktwiceashardastheguystogethalfthepraise.Itrulyfeltthat
Iworkedhardanddeservedeveryoneofmyawardsandaccomplishments.AndIdefinitelythought
thatIknewallaboutdiversitymyfriendscamefromdifferentcountriesandreligions.Ihadnoclue
howignorantIwas.

Johnsondescribedsocializationwedevelopasenseofpersonidentityandhowthatidentitypositions
usinrelationtootherpeople,especiallyintermsofinequalitiesofpower.

WhenIgottoUBIbecamesteadilymoreawareofmoreofmyprivileges.Myexperienceswerenot
typicalamongmypeers.Myhighschooldistrictisconstantlyrankedasnumberone.Ineverhadto
takeoutastudentloan.IhadacarthatIdidnthavetopayfororshare.

IwroteinmyapplicationtothisprogramallabouthowUBhadopenedmyeyestodifferentpeopleand
preparedmetoworkwithalltypesofstudents.ButeventhenIhadnoclueaboutthehugeroleof
diversity,privilegeandoppressioninsocieyt.ThestudentsatUBarestillprivileged.Theyarethe
studentswiththeabilitytogetinto,payfor,andsucceedatthiscaliberofaninstitution.

LastyearwaswhenIreallystartedtomakesenseofprivilegeandoppressionandhowsystemicand
ingraineditis.

Johnsonalsodiscussedhowwellintentionedmembersofdominantgroupsstuckinaplace
wheretheydontseethemselvesaspartofthesolution.ItwasntuntilgraduateschoolwhenI
realizedhoweventhoughIamnotpersonallyimpacted,thatIcanhavearoleinthesolution.
WhenIwasworkingatBennetthighschoolIsurroundedbystudentswhoserealitiesseemedaworld
awayfrommineandthatsbecausetheyare.ForthesestudentsUBismostlyapipedream.Ididnt
evenconsiderUBwhenIwasaseniorbecauseIdidntthinkthatitwasgoodenough,thatitcouldnt
offermeanything.ThestudentsIworkedwithstruggledtogetan800ontheSATs.Igotan1100in
8thgrade.IalsobecameawareofthesilentracismthathadbeeningrainedintomyworldviewIwent
inwithassumptionsthatwerecompletelyshatteredwhenIstartedtointeractwithstudents.Wehave
discussedinclasshowinteractionwithdifferenttypesofpeopleisthebestwaytomovepast

FinalPresentation
45Minutes
Topic:PrivilegeandIdentities
JoshuaAltemoos,TylerBauer,ChristyKrawczyk,CaitlinKubala,JosephRizzo

Nov.18,2014

stereotypesandbiases.WhenwedidtheIATinthisclassIwasshockedthatIhadnobiaseitherway
betweenblackandwhitefaces.IdontthinkthatwouldhavebeenmyrealityayearearlierbeforeI
spentsomuchtimehavingpositiveinteractionswithpeopledifferentthanme.

Joe
GrewupinAmherst,NY,wasn'texposedtomuchdiversitygrowingup,elementaryschoolwasmore
than95%white.HIghschoolwasmorethan80%white.Oneofthebesthighschoolsinthearea.Lived
inanuppermiddleclassareagrowingup,livedinatraditionalnecularfamily.Amherstisconstantly
rankedasthesafesttowninamerica.WhenIwas15,duringhighschoolIstartedworkingatthe
BuffaloZoomanyofcoworkerswerefromtheinnercity.PriortoworkingatthezooIdidntrealize
thelevelofprivilegethatIhad.Iassumedthateveryonewaslikemyselfsincethatswhatmy
experiencewasduringschool.Ilackedmulticulturalawarenessduringmyteenageyears.

Duringthisparttimejob,IwasonlyworkingtomakeextraincomeformyselfsothatIcouldafford
thingsthatIwanted.FormanyofthepeoplethatIworkedwiththiswastheirfulltimejob.Theywere
workingaminimumwagejobastheirprimaryincome.Thesepeopleweresupportinganentirefamily
onthatincome.Theseemployeeschildrenhadnoexpectationofgoingtocollege,whilemyfamilyhas
alwaysinstilledthatinme.AlloftheteachersatSweetHomehavealsodriventhatpointhomethata
collegedegreewasveryimportantifIwantedtobesuccessfulinlife,whichhelpedtocontributetomy
educationprivilege.Iftheemployeeschildrenweretogotocollegetheywouldbefirstgeneration
collegestudents,mymomwenttocollegewhichwasagreatadvantagetomehavingsomeonetohelp
guidemethroughtheprocess.

BeforetakingthisclassItruelydidnotrecognizewhatprivilegesthatIhadbeingawhitemale.I
noticedsomesmallthingsaboutprivilege,butnevertotheextentthatIrecognizenow.Thiswillmake
meabetterhighereducationprofessionalasitwillgivemethebuildingblockstohelpmerelateto
morestudentsandrecognizesomeofthethingsthattheymightbegoingthroughwhentheycomeand
speaktome.DuringhighschoolIwasinthepreexposure/precontactstageofHardimansWhite
IdentityDevelopmentModel.Iwasindifferenttootherraces,andbelievedmanyofthecommon
stereotypesaboutotherraces.DuringmytimeworkingattheZooImovedintotheconflictstageofthe
model,Ibegantohaveexperienceswithunderrepresentedgroupsofthepopulation.AsIlistenedto
otherpeopletalkIrealizedthatIhadsomeguiltabouttheprivilegesthatIhad.AftertakingthisclassI
amintheRedefinitionandIntegrationstage,whereIwanttoexploremyownprivilegeandassist
othersinbecominganagentofchange

Josh
Whilegrowingup,IwouldhavethoughtyouwereinsaneifyousaidIwasprivilegedIgrewupina
familyofsix,whomwereapartoftheworkingpoorontheeastsideofBuffalo.Inmyneighborhood,
myfamilystoodoutaswewerepredominantlyCaucasianfamily(myolderbrotherisbiracial),because
thepopulationwaspredominantlyAfricanAmerican.Ihadaveryrockyeducationduetoamixof
systematicissues,lackofinvolvementfrommyfamilyandmedicalissueswhichleadmetodropoutof
highschool.

Additionally,whilegrowingup,IknewthatIwasdifferentthanothers,butbecauseofsocietalfactors
intheareaIlivedin,myfamilyandeventsofthetime(whileIwasinmiddleschooliswhenthe

FinalPresentation
45Minutes
Topic:PrivilegeandIdentities
JoshuaAltemoos,TylerBauer,ChristyKrawczyk,CaitlinKubala,JosephRizzo

Nov.18,2014

murderofMatthewShepardoccurred),Irepressedmysexualorientationandquestionedmynormality
onadailybasis.ItwasntuntilIattendedcollegeforthefirsttimethatIrealizedthatIcouldmakea
differenceinmylifeandthatofothers.Itwasntuntiltheendofmytimeatmyundergraduatecareer
andthebeginningofmygraduatecareerthatIhavebeenabletoconceptualizeandprocessthecause
andeffectofmanyevents.

Inreflection,Inowcanseemanyinstanceshowwhiteprivilegecameintoplaywhengrowingup,even
thoughinitiallyIwouldnothavethoughtthatitwouldhavebeenafactorinmyneighborhood.
Additionally,Iamnowawarethatitwassocietaloppressionthatkeptmefromembracingmyidentity
asahomosexualmale.

Additionally,IamabletoplacemyselfwithinCasssModelofHomosexualIdentityFormation,as
shownwithinachapterofCujetstext.Becauseofsocietaloppression,formostofmylifeIwouldof
fallenintothefirststage,identityconfusionandonlythesecond,identitycomparison.Iwouldntof
migratedbeyondthatintothethird,identitytoleranceandidentityacceptanceuntilIstartedtoattend
college,activelyseekingfriendswiththesameidentityandattendingalocalgayandlesbianyouth
supportgroup.Iexperiencedthefifthstage,identitypridewhenImovedtoNewHampshirefora
relationshipandIfullybelievethatatthispointofmylife,reenteringcollegeandmyexperienceshere
thatIhaveprogressedintothelaststage,identitysynthesis(Haridman&Jackson,1997Cawthon&
Guthrie,2011,pp.306307).

Lastly,whileIhavehadabumpyeducationalpath,thefactthatIwasabletoattendtwodifferent
undergraduateinstitutions(andgraduate!)withhavingaGEDandultimatelybeacceptedintoa
Mastersprogram,showsthatIadditionallyhaveeducationalprivilege,becausewhileIhavehadto
fightforaccesstoeducation,Istillhavetheprivilegetobeableto,whichissomethingthatsomany
othersdonotinthiscountryandinthisworld(Johnson,2006,p.59).

Briefgroupclosing.