Decisions I’ve made throughout my life have been both shaped by free will but also by invisible strengths. One of the most important decisions I did in my life was when I turned thirteen. My mother and father where born and raised in Dominican Republic they came to the United States looking for a better life when they were very young they struggled for many years but finally grew accustom to the American way of life. They worked hard and build a life in the United States. However they always thought of returning to their home land someday so they saved their money and built a home in Dominican Republic. As time passed my parents had my three sisters and me. They taught us to understand how valuable education was and we were exposed to how hard our parents worked. We knew that the only way to better ourselves and have a good life was to have a good education. As time passed my parents grew tired of working long days almost every day. They decided it was time to return to Dominican Republic. My sisters had all finished high school and were now in college expect me. I was still in eighth grade. When my parents gave me the news I was devastated. I didn’t want to leave my friends and family. I had attended my small private elementary school since kindergarten and all I wanted to do was graduate with them from eighth grade. However it didn’t happen my parents retired and took me to live with them to Dominican Republic. At first I was miserable over there but when I began to go to school I realized that everything I was being taught I had already learned in the states. It was as though the school curriculum was behind a whole year. I began to build friendships with students who were a bad influence and I began to care less and less about school. I grew to love Dominican Republic, school was easy and friends were a great time to be around.
My older sister realized that I wasn’t doing well in Dominican Republic and decided to ask my parents if I could go back to the United States and go live with her. My parents although not very happy with having me leave left the decision up to me. They asked me to pick if wanted to stay or go they were confident that I would want to stay since I was having such a great time. However, they were very surprised when I decided to go live with my sister. I actually surprised myself by the decision I made. I understood that by staying in Dominican Republic I wasn’t going to have a good future. I would have been behind academically and probably not focused in pursuing my goals. My decision was in part free will because I knew what was best for me and I decided to do it. Overall deciding to leave Dominican Republic was a decision that until this day has changed my life for the better.

Throughout the years various events and situations have allowed me to currently be at Penn State. I believe the reason I’m currently at Penn State is in part free will but also determination. Free will is what the actual person does in order to improve or achieve their goals. On the other hand determinism is the situation the person is placed in through their upbringing and current environment. For example there are many smart young adults around the country with the ability to pursue great careers. However, they are unable to do so because of various environmental factors. They may not have the economic means to attend college or have received the proper education to be well prepared to enter Penn State. Looking back during my elementary school years I was able to attend a private Catholic school which had very high academic standards. Doing well was a bit difficult for me because of the high requirements that I needed to meet. When I had difficulty with the academic work load I could not ask for help from my parents because they were unable to read English or understand the work assignments. Although my parents always believed it was important for me to receive a good education it was hard for them to provide the support because of their lack of knowledge. In this situation although I studied and worked my hardest which can be interpreted as free will I still wasn't very successful academically because of the lack of academic support I had which is considered determinism. With hard work I was able to pass elementary school. Before starting high school I moved with my older sister and her family to a small town in Connecticut. I attended Ledyard High school which was a very small public school. Ledyard High school was able to accommodate each student’s academic needs. There wasn't just one level that everyone had to meet. In high school I thrived academically I was in honors all four years. Doing so well motivated me to continue succeeding academically. I had the academic support of my sister which allowed me to be in a much better situation then when I attended elementary school. Once I graduated high school I applied to various colleges I got accepted to several but was unable to attend because of my economic situation. I received some money for tuition through scholarships but I wasn't approved for parent loans. With the guidance of my sister I decided to attend community college were I fulfilled many of my general requirements. After two years I moved with my sister to Pennsylvania were after a year I became a resident. I was given the opportunity to apply to Penn State with in state tuition which is significantly lower the out of state. I was accepted and was able to afford the tuition. From elementary school to now many events from free will as well as determinism have lead me to attend Penn State.

In today’s society we see that Asians and whites are above financially then individuals who are Hispanic or Black. I don’t believe there is one single cause to the race and income gaps. However, I feel it’s a combination of society standards and various other environmental factors. Many people in class mentioned that white individuals are better off because they are born into families who are wealthy. Others mentioned how discrimination is still currently present amongst various cultures. In my opinion I believe that blacks and Hispanics are below Asians and whites financially because there is a consistent cycle that is yet to be broken. In order to be wealthy individuals must obtain an education or some form of talent that allows the individual to progress. Numerous blacks and Hispanics come to America looking for a better future for many having a stable minimum wage job and clean running water is a great advancement toward a better future. For many having their children obtain a college education doesn't even cross their mind. They see working hard and providing income for the family as a way of being successful. However they don’t understand that if they allowed their children to receive a college education they could be financially better off once done with school.
Blacks and Hispanics migrated to the United States from numerous different countries once they arrived in American they had to face many obstacles. When Americans travel to another country they expect individuals from that country to speak English. So you can imagine how difficult it is for immigrants who don’t speak English to communicate properly in the United States. Many are taken advantage of by different industries they are given extremely strenuous jobs with very low pay. For example many Wal-Mart’s in the Texas area were hiring illegal immigrants and treating them unfair when the workers protested Wal-Mart believed they didn't have a right to because they were illegal in this country. Along with the language barrier they must grow accustom to a whole new culture and environment.
Although Asians also migrate to this country not knowing the language and facing many of the same obstacles as Hispanics and blacks I believe they have a stronger work ethic. Their work ethic can be seen by how long their students attend school and how much they value their children’s educational progress. Hispanics and blacks currently have the highest high school dropout rates. Many don’t continue their education because they lack family support. As they go on through life it becomes harder for these individuals because they are unable to find a stable income since they lack education. It is quite the contrary with white individuals who are established in this country and already speak the language. They also understand society’s standards and norms. Hispanics and blacks will remain at the bottom until they are able to break the vicious cycle they are currently in and learn the value of education.

In today’s society we see that Asians and whites are above financially then individuals who are Hispanic or Black. I don’t believe there is one single cause to the race and income gaps. However, I feel it’s a combination of society standards and various other environmental factors. Many people in class mentioned that white individuals are better off because they are born into families who are wealthy. Others mentioned how discrimination is still currently present amongst various cultures. In my opinion I believe that blacks and Hispanics are below Asians and whites financially because there is a consistent cycle that is yet to be broken. In order to be wealthy individuals must obtain an education or some form of talent that allows the individual to progress. Numerous blacks and Hispanics come to America looking for a better future for many having a stable minimum wage job and clean running water is a great advancement toward a better future. For many having their children obtain a college education doesn't even cross their mind. They see working hard and providing income for the family as a way of being successful. However they don’t understand that if they allowed their children to receive a college education they could be financially better off once done with school.

I found last class to be very interesting but also controversial. Society today has framed the ideal picture of a beautiful female. This ideal picture is shallow and in many cases never obtainable. For instance women admire movie stars and other artists in magazines and wish to look like them. However, looking like the women in the magazines isn’t for many instances humanly possible the magazine pictures are cropped, colored, and completely edited. This is all done so that society can continue to idealize these individuals. In various situations in today’s society being considered beautiful is viewed as personal success. It also opens the doors to various job opportunities and other forms of beneficial help. For example recently I was watching the Television series “What Would you do?” the show sets up various controversial situations and allows individuals to react to them. The episode I watched focused on how willing society would be to help a beautiful women in distress in comparison to a women who isn’t viewed in society as beautiful. Through the show I was able to see how the girl everyone saw as beautiful received double the help then the other women. Even women helped the considered beautiful women more. This demonstrates that our society is brainwashed by the media and other sources of entertainment. We allow society to influence our decisions many of us believe we have freedom of speech and that we are individuals who make our own choices. Although, we do have freedom to pick for example what we want to wear or how we style our hair we are picking from options that society view as normal or in style. For the most part we dress and look normal in order to fit in with society. Looking normal and fitting in is taught at a young age children see Barbie dolls with healthy skin and very small body frames and wish to look like them when they grow up.
As girls grow to be women they try to look as attractive as possible perhaps to catch male’s attention. Women in general shave to feel and look more attractive. However the fact that men don’t want women to let their hair grow out communicates to women that they want to be in control of the women’s body. I also agree with what Professor Sam said in class that men in today’s society don’t have the courage to stand up to others for their significant other. So instead they want their significant other to look as normal as possible. However, I can also see how a man can find facial hair unattractive. They may not want be with a women that has similar physical traits as them. Overall I believe men should love their significant other no matter their physical changes.

Art is a form of self-expression it can be created and seen in various ways. Hip hop is a form of art that allows the individual to express themselves through rhymes and beats. Art can also present information to society in a positive more enthusiastic form. Hip Hop and other forms of art can be a great platform in order to build a connection or bridge between the West and the East. In order to build the bridge we must be able to develop a dialog instead of using weapons and force attacks. Developing a dialog takes time and a greater amount of effort then just firing a gun or forcing harm on others. Having a dialog is viewed as difficult because individuals from the East and the West believe they don’t have very much in common. The East may think the West has no intent in developing a dialog but the West may just be thinking the same about the East. If both the East and the West were able to connect through hip hop or any other form of art they would be able to discover how many things they do have in common. Through the influence of art both sides have the potential of getting to know each other and understanding each other’s point of views. It will be impossible for individuals of the West and East to build a bridge without actually getting to know each other.
Through our conversation with Omar and Pedrum I was able to understand that young adults from all around the Middle Eastern area share many things in common with individuals from the United States and other countries. It was a great experience speaking with Pedrum it opened my eyes and allowed me to realize that individuals from Iran and other Middle Eastern areas are caring and welcoming. Many individuals in our society see individuals from Middle Eastern areas as a threat and in a very negative light because of what occurred on 9/11. Also the news and media portray Middle Eastern individuals to be dangerous and hateful toward Americans. It is difficult for American’s to get passed their negative views on individuals from the Middle East because they are influenced by so many different avenues in our society. However we must learn to not be influenced by different aspects in our society. We cannot judge all Middle Eastern individuals as dangerous and hateful because of what a small group of them did to our country.
Omar through his music expresses his American culture but also his Middle Eastern roots. Listening to his music and the passion he has for it is inspiring. Through his music individuals can not only be entertained but learn the culture of the Middle Eastern people. His music can interest and influence individuals from all parts of the world allowing the West and East to build the much needed bridge between societies.

Individuals with disabilities in today’s society have to deal with typical stereotypes developed by those who have no real knowledge of the various disabilities. Similar, to the topic of race whenever possible individuals chose not to address the controversial topic of disability or other differences in society. However Professor Sam presents the issue of differences giving us the chance to discuss openly how we interact with individuals who are seen as different in our society. Our society does not embrace differences in humans with open arms most individuals who have no experience around people with disabilities are awkward and sometimes offensive. In order for society to feel comfortable around those who are different they must first learn how to embrace the difference. For instance individuals shouldn’t be afraid to speak to people in wheel chairs, those who are blind, or individuals with any other disability. Many of us avoid interaction with individuals who have differences because we don’t want to offend them or feel as though the person has nothing in common with you.
Interacting with individuals who have disabilities or other differences can be challenging because many individuals who have disabilities are very self-efficient for example they may like to open their own doors, reach for their own things, and we as an observer may assume the individual needs help when they rather do things on their own. However there are others who like the help and are very happy to accept it. Learning to be comfortable around human differences takes time and we must be willing to ask questions this way we can understand how the person is feeling and if they enjoy the help. If individuals focus on what they have in common and make eye contact with the individual the disability will no longer be in the front stage.
Making the person part of your universe is important it means you see past the persons differences and you can now have a relationship with the person without feeling awkward or anxious. Removing the differences from ones universe isn’t physically done this occurs unconsciously because we grow accustom to the disability or the differences of the individual that it makes as if it was no longer there. When you’re around something for a long period of time it becomes normal or as though it isn’t there, like when you place a ring on your finger you know it’s there because you feel it but you’re not constantly thinking about the ring that’s on your finger. Another example would be having a friend who has a speech impartment at first this may be difficult and distracting but once you develop a relationship with the person the disability is placed on the back burner.
Individuals with disabilities and other differences shouldn’t have to deal with societies constant stereotypes. Thousands of individuals around America are attending universities and colleges to become educated ethical individuals we should be willing to embrace individuals with all disabilities and differences and see them as humans who we can interact and build relationships with.

Race in our society is a very controversial topic and when ever given the chance most individuals in America chose to avoid all conversation involving the subject of race. In Professor Sam’s class however we aren’t given that choice we cannot evade what is presented to us. He doesn’t try to hide the topic or undermine it he speaks clearly and openly about race. By him being open and forward in his lectures it allows me to feel comfortable in the class to discuss my race and believes. To be given the opportunity to express our opinion and to have an intellectual dialogue with others in the classroom, allows us to see how other individuals interpret race. It is clear to me that some individuals in our society cope with racial signifiers and racial comments better than others. I partially agree with Professors Sam’s comment that individuals who are black or brown have thicker sicken. I identify as a brown Hispanic since my parents are from Dominican Republic. Although, I was born in the United States I truly love the Dominican culture and embrace it to the fullest.
As a Hispanic person I’ve thought of every instance I’ve been offended by a racial comment or have felt excluded because of my race and I can recognize how every situation I’ve confronted has allowed me to build a thicker skin. This is probably the similar case with individuals who identify as black. Since blacks and browns are seen as the minority in our society we usually are the ones who face the most racial comments or attacks which has allowed us through the years to put a better front as though it doesn’t affect us or as Professor Sam said “thicker skin”. We may not show our vulnerability to those who are offending us but this doesn’t mean we aren’t affected by these attacks. I believe that racial comments have a great effect on blacks, browns, and whites it’s just the way blacks and browns deal with what maybe anger or frustration is different from white individuals.
As I stated above I partially agree that individuals who are brown or black have thicker skin then those who are white because there can be different circumstances in which this isn’t the case. In society whites hold better paying positions and are able for the most part to keep their children secluded within their own race and social economic status. However parents of blacks and browns aren’t always in the best economic standing and are usually raised in urban areas where they are forced to live with individuals from other races. However there are brown and black children especially today that have parents who are very successful and are raised very sheltered and because of this when they are exposed to the real world they have not developed a thick skin like other brown or black individuals. The opposite can occur for white individuals whose parents may be forced to live in more urban areas do to their economic status; therefore those white individuals learn to develop a thick skin because they’ve probably been exposed to other races and their racial comments toward them. I believe developing a thicker skin comes down to your upbringing and how your parents influence the importance of your race to making you an individual.