The Great Debate: Insiders vs. Outsiders

I still feel conflicted about the insider vs. outsider debate. Some would argue that in multicultural children's literature, an insider should have the ultimate voice in producing an authentic and cultural piece of work. An insider would be defined as a person who lives within the chosen cultural group. They have an "inside" perspective. Others argue that outsiders can contribute to the multicultural works as well with extensive research and knowledge of the chosen group. To me, I guess it depends. An insider most obviously seems to have the most information ranging from experiences, emotions, and opinions. An outsider can only observe these experiences, emotions, and opinions. Therefore, it seems that an outsider would be telling the insider's story for them. Sort of like someone else writing your biography. I think both can be revealing. The only conflict I see, is if the outsider misinterprets or misconstrues something because they are telling someone else's story. So I guess in my opinion, the insider would be the most accurate... BUT if the outsider is going to make an attempt, they should make sure to be as accurate and authentic as possible, because I believe observations can also be very telling. An outsider can observe something that an insider doesn't even realize because they are an insider. This is still something to debate I think......

Beaner's to Biggby Coffee

For those of you who do not know, the coffee shop "Beaner's" has changed their name to "Biggby's" now as the result to much controversy over the original name. This topic has sparked a few conversations among myself with some friends and family. At first, I took an ignorant perspective and really did not understand why the change. I asked a barista working in the coffee shop one day why the store had changed its name. She told me that the word "beaner," was actually a derogatory slur against people of the Mexican ethnicity. This may be surprising for some people, but I had never heard this term before and I was really surprised. This is where my ignorance came in. I was talking with a friend trying to work out my misunderstanding. I thought, they didn't name the coffee shop to be offensive, they named it after the coffee BEAN in a fun way. If it's not meant to be offensive why would someone say it was. I want to make it clear that I completely recognize my own ignorance and I am thankful that I have learned since then. What I learned was that the name didn't have to INTEND to be offensive in order to BE offensive. I was not thinking about it from a different point of view, a point of view that would take it offensively. I relate this to the video we watched in class, "In Whose Honor," where a Native American woman protests against the University of Indiana's "Chief" mascot. The fans who were mostly not of Native American descent argued that the "Chief" was not intended to cause offense, only to honor the Native Americans. But the Native American woman felt strongly offended to the point of mockery. I have never personally experienced something like this but I can only imagine the feelings it must ignite. So, I am proud to say that my feelings on this topic have grown a little more and my awareness of others feelings, even if I cannot personally identify. Now I feel personally responsible for educating others in any way I can and help them to work out their misunderstandings the way I had to... even if it is just starting with this little blog.

Welcome

Welcome to my TE 448 Diversity in Children's Literature course blog. I will use this blog to engage in discussion topics with my classmates and also serve as a space to chart my own thoughts as I go through this class. This could be in the form of a book review, class reaction, personal reference to a related topic, or any other helpful use related to TE 448. I also plan on keeping this blog as a portfolio piece to show my competence in the area of diverse children's literature. I look forward to learning and experiencing this class and the subjects contained as a way to wrap up my undergrad career at Michigan State. Please do not hesitate to comment on my blog and provide your suggestions. I love to get feedback and I can't wait to hear from you!!