STUDENT REFLECTION - Black Sash - Cameron Poole

Right off the bat, one would expect me to say how much I have learned about Cape Town and the culture here in South Africa. Though such is true, learning from South African culture has taught me even more about American culture, especially within the black community. The same ways poverty, and more broadly economics, affects class structures in South Africa is very similar to how it does in the United States as well. The primary factor contributing to such discrepancies in class in South Africa is the baggage carried over from apartheid. The affects of apartheid are prevalent in South African society and continue to separate the society by race and class. Until, psychologically and mentally, these affects can be overcome, it seems these discrepancies will continue in South Africa. Such is similar in American culture, regarding the effects of slavery, slave codes put in place after slavery, segregation, Jim Crow laws, and the Civil Rights movement. Today we are still struggling with class and racial discrepancies that were put in place to hold African-Americans back in society. Through Jim Crow laws, slave codes, and segregation, America further promoted a more institutionalized version of slavery. If African-Americans were not physically controlled, then through legislation and discrimination they would be mentally and psychologically controlled. Same goes in South Africa regarding apartheid. Though slavery had existed, people were in psychological and mental slavery during apartheid, and continue to be to this day, as are African-Americans. Angela Davis (political activist, professor and former member of the Black Panther Party) has a quote that states, We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society. Before society in American and South Africa can rid itself from all the baggage and effects from slavery, slave codes, Jim Crow, segregation, and Apartheid, minds most be empowered to think otherwise from these hatred based regimes. Once that is possible, then equality may be reached. It is funny that less that 1% of a humans homogeneous makeup is skin color, yet it holds us back globally. America and South Africa have a lot to learn from each other regarding their current situations. Though South Africas present, physical situation is a lot worse off, psychologically, they have been affected the same way as African-Americans and vice-versa. It is funny; this trip has helped me realize all of that and a lot more. I have not even begun to go into my internship or any specific experiences through the trip. Maybe I can do that in another blog. This trip is the best decision I could have made, and I will truly carry all that I have learned from the trip with me the rest of my life.