Angela Introduction

Hello everyone,

My name is Angela Ordonez, I am specializing in Social Work. I am from Ecuador, and I came to the United States about 6 years ago. When I arrived in this country, I was able to learn a little more about the work of a Social Worker, specifically in schools, since they were the ones who helped me adapt to the new life that awaited me in this country. On the other hand, I would like to mention a curious fact of mine when I go out to see new places, I love to photograph almost everything! But maybe you are questioning yourselves, why? The answer is simple, I like to remember what I felt at that precise moment. Probably you would say "Yes, but you can remember that day without having to look at a photo" What I can tell you is that each person has their way of remembering things. I personally feel a thousand emotions when I look at the things that I managed to capture with my cell phone camera since I not only remember the moment but also the people who were around me, the smells, the beautiful colors, etc.

Next, I will insert some of the photos taken by me.

Assignment: 

Understanding Patriarchy by Bell Hooks

“As their daughter, I was taught that it was my role to serve, to be weak, to be free from the burden of thinking, to caretake and nurture others”. This quote mentioned in the book made me feel identified, since although it is 2023 and many believe that the world has already advanced, thoughts have already changed, etc., that is not the case. I come from a Latino family and in my “patriarchal” home, sadly, it has been instilled in me that being a woman I have to serve the man, keep quiet, and show myself weak.

“To indoctrinate boys into the rules of patriarchy, we force them to feel pain and to deny their feelings” This quote is very true. I have a 5-year-old brother, and my sister and I have often argued with our father because of the way he tries to educate him. Once when my little brother fell and began to cry, my father told him "Get up, you're strong, boys don't cry." A thought that is super tragic because a human being is being denied to act as such, to express his feelings.

How Memes Are Making Protest Art More Powerful

“He simply wrote a sign that articulated what many feel compelled to scream at their TVs or Twitter feeds” At first, I did not understand so well how the words "art protest and memes" could be connected, but that quote made me understand better the huge impact that writing things that make others feel identified and at the same time putting a little humor can have on society. 

“As a byproduct of social media, memes and protest art act as a way to gauge a country’s political temperature.” I chose this sentence because it coincides with my criteria. I share the fact that social networks together with their by-products such as memes and their protest art play a very important role when mediating the temperament and political decisions of a country.

 Memes Are Our Generation's Protest Art

“They spread so quickly and evolve and transform, and it’s hard to shut them down in the way other forms of communicative protest can be silenced.”  I find this quote by Benjamin Burrough quite interesting but above all correct. Many times, different types of protests are ignored and also do not spread in the way that a meme can spread quickly. Today millions and millions of people use social networks, and it is only a matter of saving and sharing for an image to reach thousands of people.

“Most are rooted either in expressing anger, mocking Trump, or collectively coping with the absurdity and even trauma of his presidency.” Personally, I think that like me, many of us have disagreed with issues related to a president, we have felt anger for some injustice that we do not share, even something done by the government that we do not agree with. I think that the art of protesting through memes is very workable and, above all, finding a specific meme that makes us feel identified can be very satisfying.