Anastasia Kichula, Period 6, 2/13/23

 Anastasia Kichula, Period 6, 03/16/2023, Modern Mythology 2023

Socio-political Consciousness 

In my family, there was always an understanding that inequality, oppression, and a thirst for power were a norm for the world we live in. As immigrants from Ukraine during the Soviet Union times, my parents and grandparents understood what it was like to be oppressed, live with nothing and make the most of it. As they sacrificed everything they built for themselves in Ukraine to give my sister and I a better future in America, their understanding of oppression and inequality stayed the same.

Currently, oppression and inequality take on different forms. In some cases, it can be the dirty glare you receive as you walk into a cafe where everyone judges you based on nationality, skin color, sexuality, and so much more. However, inequality can also look like unequal opportunities in the workplace due to gender, or even sometimes as extreme as harassment and abuse due to “being different”. Especially in America, the stereotypical place where “all men are created equal,” violence, whether it is a mild glare or a severe attack from others, is continuously growing and spreading to new generations. Although I believe that all of us are evolving to become more accepting and understanding humans, the concept of stereotypical discrimination and bias still stays prevalent.

My parents are very traditional in their ways. They are religious and tend to prefer the “old-school” way of how things run. They don’t speak English fluently and have always demanded that I grow up knowing everything about my Ukrainian culture and background. They emphasized the importance of visiting Ukraine and celebrating holidays so that I never forget who I am. Their experiences while living in the Soviet Union limit their understanding of current day problems. The problems so many people face today, my parents deem minor and of no reason to be paid attention to. Although these are their ways and their understanding of the world, I have seen them alter their perspectives to be more understanding of others in the world. Throughout my life, I have studied how my parents molded me into who I am today: an accepting person who respects others although my roots and opinions may be different. Their work and dedication to teach me about what they know while adjusting to the changes of the modern world allowed us to grow together and learn from each other. Their strict outlook on the world combined with my hundreds of ever-changing opinions on how the world works allowed us to have meaningful conversations about anything in the world. Because they have suffered through oppression and inequality, they understood the importance of understanding and accepting. 

As I witness the world changing, the horrors and the beautiful challenges, I see the effect that power has on people. Without power, oppression and inequality would not exist. However, there would not exist a world so beautiful without the struggles and challenges of those who have felt oppression and inequality yet chose to change as the world changed.