1. Who am I? I am Kya’Wanna Washington~Settles. I am the daughter of Betty and Dennis Washington Sr. I am the 3^rd child of 10 siblings. I am a wife, a mother of 4, a future business owner and future homeowner. I am a loyal true friend. I am kind, sweet, friendly, dependable, reliable, a hard worker, an entrepreneur, and the list can go on and on. Most importantly I am a Child of God!

2. Who do I pretend to be? I do not pretend to be anything that I am not. I am wonderfully made and because of this I have learned to love me and all of me because I am Beautifully, uniquely, wonderfully created. Now I must admit at one point of time in my life I used to pretend to be like the pretty girls in the movies. I used to pretend to be a teacher when I was younger. Now I am a teacher.

3. Who do people think I am? People think that I am nonchalant, sarcastic and careless because I tend to not let my problems and worries get the best of me. Many think I am kind, friendly, smart, a great mother, a great wife, an amazing daughter, and someone they can confide in and rely on.

4. Who do I wish I could be? I wish I could be someone who could help a lot of people who were in need and need help. I wish I had the finances, food, buildings, and properties to help the needy.

5. How has race or ethnic identity played a role in any of these responses? Honestly, I’m not sure.

Theme 2: First Experience With Race Activity 

As taken from the Dr. Tatum video and in true Sankofa fashion, think back to your first memories and document your answers to these questions by posting to your Padlet.

1. What was your first experience with race? My first experience with race didn’t come right away. However, I learned about it in elementary and was in complete disbelief of it. I remember back then we would say the pledge of allegiance every morning and follow with the song Star Spangled Banner. But I do remember when I was older and I went back home to New Orleans to visit and the police came in my aunt yard because they saw my siblings in the back with other family members and friends and they were calling them the “n” word and saying is that reefa I smell and they weren’t even smoking. They were children at the time and my auntie had to go tell them to get out her yard or she would call her attorney and they started mocking her. But she knew her rights and they left. Thank God no one was harmed.

2. How old were you? 17

3. What emotions do you associate with the experience? Upset because it was unnecessary. Afraid that they might try to do something to them to cause harm. Thankful and grateful to God that it didn’t go further, and no one was harmed.

4. Have you ever talked about the experience? No

5. How have your early experiences with race shaped your worldview?  It just opens my eyes to see that we will never be treated equally, and we have to work extra hard to get ahead in life. I do not have to let the stereotypes of others dictate or determine who I am, what I can accomplish.

Theme 3: Positive Sense of Self Brainstorm

After contemplating the first two prompts and our unit content, what connections can be made between having a positive sense of self and our experiences with identity and race? Brainstorm regarding your thoughts on how these concepts are connected. For example, do you think someone who has a negative view of their sense of self can have a positive sense of ethnic identity? Would you assume that a person who identifies positively with African American Psychology might have a stronger or weaker sense of self or ethnic identity? Please explain why. 

There is so much that I am still learning about things that took place in the past. I feel so cheated in my learning over the years like so much has been withheld. But that is my own fault because I never took the time to look deeper. The reason I never thought to look deeper is because it is so disheartening to see how minorities were treated. I only really knew about slavery and the jews (Jewish concentration camps) I later learned about the San Francisco state march and other movements that help support the minority groups. Not only blacks but others as well. I feel the teachers I had focused more on the blacks who were slaves that were beaten and Martin Luther King Jr. dream and Rosa Park and Malcolm X and it was solely based around the mistreatment of the blacks. They didn’t talk much about other races to where I’m like wow didn’t know these other minorities had it so bad either. So yes I do believe that others can have negative views of their sense of self based on their ethnicity. I believe a person who identifies positively with African American Psychology might have a stronger sense of self because I feel like we are constantly learning something new and we can all identify with each other and learn from each other.