Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2019)
6 O P IN IO N IB l , Diversity in media HOW THE THINGS WE WATCH AFFECT THE WAY WE LIVE BY WILLIAM FARRIS ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR 1 The topic of cultural diversity and better representation in media is one today that sparks as much thought and intrigue as it does apprehension. It’s no secret that good representation of minority groups has been a struggle in our culture, and it’s no surprise that many people can have trouble talking about these issues. Much of the media industry for a long time in America was dominated by white middle class usually male individuals, and for the most part still is. But in recent years there has been a cultural push for better, more positive representation of all people in art that has been driven by many artists of many backgrounds coming into the spotlight. With the Oscars coming up and many nominees like “Black Panther” and Spike Lee’ s “ BlacKkKlansman” displaying more diversity in their subject matter and casts than in the past, it begs tha question of how important media 4 4 < 4 i "The media can basically reinforce harmful prejudicial views [and] stereotypes, but it can also play a role in combating them..." -Brian Don diversity is to daily life. According to Brian Don, more diversity is incredibly important, especially in our current climate. “ The ways that members of different racial, ethnic and any type of group, the way that people are portrayed is going to influence perceptions of different groups, so it ’ s going to influence stereotypes,” Don said. How people view other groups is influenced by a number of places from ClackamasPrint education to real life interactions, but lives and the societal views that are held. media can also influence how we see CCC, is striving to be a more inclusive people and negative representations place for all people and in recent years can create prejudice. has started numerous committees and “ The media can basically reinforce programs to accomplish that, but the harm ful prejudicial views [and] biggest force for improved diversity stereotypes, but it can also play a role is how inclusive the student and staff in combating them, and that’s kind of populations are. Considering the public the promising side of things,” Don said. and political strife that is currently Being able to see positive and realistic consuming the country concerning representations of people can make it issues of race and culture, a more easier to understand different groups. inclusive community on campus could The biggest reason many harmful be just what people need. ideologies exist is because individuals Jennifer Jett, who works with the have a hard time understanding or theater department at CCC, expresses empathizing with others. Art has the her desire to see more diversity on Photos of Jinyoung Park above, ability to show individuals stories and campus. “Were trying to incorporate it ànd Jennifer Jett below. help people understand them better, it more into our show” says Jett, “ and I can help normalize diversify in society think it’s kind of a general, were getting and cultural acceptance, there, but I don’t know if it’s enough It’s alsd importantfor people of any yet. But it’s getting better” background to see representations of With race, sexuality, gender and many who they are. I t ’ s not difficult for other aspects of society continuing to be anyone to relate to characters like Iron hotly discussed today, many who, fall into man, Captain America or Black Widow minority groups can feel disenfranchised despite how different they are from or alone in society. While the media normal people. But it’s still nice to see we consume won’t solve these issues, a character that represents something it can* help people of all walks of life you are, that you can look up to and can feel more included; a diverse media can be an inspiration. help others understand and be more The recent movie “ Spider-M an: accepting of people from every walk Into.the Spider-Verse” had the main of life. character Miles Morales, an energetic kid who feels pressure to live up to people’ s expectatiqns for him and aspires to be just like the heroes in his life; he’s also a biracial and bilingual student who lives in New York with a black father and a Puerto Rican mother. Miles is a relatable character that anyone can see a little bit of themselves in , but his background means that people with sim ilar experiences in their lives can relate and see some of themselves in him. Jinyoung Park, the officer of the Multicultural Center and international study at Clackamas Community College, said, “ I believe that diversity is very important, arid being an international student, I think that it’s very necessary to be represented so people know that we,are here and that we exist also.” Diversity in the media people consume" Official movie posters for "Spiderman into the Spider-Verse" on the can have a direct impact oil people’s right and "BlacKkKlansman" on the left. th e c la c k a m a s p rin t.c o m ------------- ■ --------------- -------------------- F e b ru a ry 6, 2019
