Lessons From Down Under
-Nehemie Villarceau
In Lessons From Down Under Bessie House-Soremekum reflects on her childhood in rural Alabama. Growing up in Alabama in the 1960s and 1970s, she experienced Jim Crow laws and racial tension from whites. She recalls not having the best school materials to learn from as her white counterparts did. Her upbringing reminds me a lot of my childhood since I typically excelled in school. Education is stressed in my family especially since I am a first generation American. We both at a young age didn’t understand the significance of education being stressed so much but as we aged we realized the hardships our parents went through and felt obligated to stand up for a change.
House-Soremekum grandmothers’ story struck me the most in her writing. Living for 104 years and never receiving any type of respect was remarkable to me. Even elderly and retired whites still referred to her my her first name “Bessie” while she addressed them as Mr. and Mrs. That bothered me since I was raised to give respect to my elders. The situation House-Soremekum corrected a white teenager that addressed her grandmother as Bessie. She stood up and told the young woman to address her as Mrs.Fannings. I especially like the fact that House-Soremekum choose to honor her grandmother and the way other blacks were treated in the south, by using her title Mrs. and Dr.

Black Money

Before I read this passage, I am sad to say that I succumbed to the welfare stereotype of single young mothers who had an unplanned pregnancy. I did not know that grown people with families could be on welfare as well. Nor did I realize that women who may have been victim to a recession or legitimate loss can fall into the hands of welfare as well. Another major thing I didn't realize even more was that many of the women on welfare have some type of education.
I have a newfound respect for people on welfare. Many of the underserved people who are economically disadvantage use welfare as a step stool into the world. Many run to welfare as a recovery sect. And some who have no guilt will exploit welfare.
I think the society we reside in has more corruption and ignorance than seen on the outer shell. To degrade a human being in such a way due to the fact that it appears that they are poor or not as prosperous as another is in no way justice. Welfare leaves many women feeling dehumanized and disrespected. Even when a black woman is going against the grain and make something of herself and continue to empower themselves, those who have predetermined who they were as far as existence continue to attempt to hold them down. People on welfare are the same as everyday people. I have really come to realize that, especially after seeing how whole families can be on welfare who seem to have no financial problems looking on the outside in.