Discussion 18

Context:

Discussions about current topics is sometimes challenging. You have to be able to put into context what is going on and what is being said and then make a rational judgment based on your own opinions. In the essay written by Danticat, she discusses her experiences while pregnant and with a young daughter. She tries to put into perspective what life is like for her, her community and her children growing up.

• In the essay by Danticat, what is the main message she is trying to get across to her readers?
• Why is this message important today?

Discussion 18 Answer

The work of Edwidge Danticat is all about the discrimination and violence that black people experience as a part of American society. The start of the essay centers on her trip to Haiti which is near the border of the Dominican Republic. She states that many Haitian refugees were driven away at the border. There were a lot of refugees who are waiting for their meal from a church event. The trip happened on the anniversary of the death of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson.