Week 2 Blog Post

Hi, my name is Bilal Manzer. The assigned readings provide an adequate context of the connections between social movements and art practices. The interconnections between these movements and art can be seen as both practices allow for individuals to express their emotions and responses to happenings in their lives. In addition, both mediums are collaborative efforts where individuals can collectively share ideas. In Chicana Power!: Contested Histories of Feminism in the Chicano Movement, Maylei Blackwell discusses how individuals connected and united on various levels to fight for social justice. On one college campus, students formed study and rap groups to "confront the specificity of the gendered racism they faced" (Blackwell, 84). This group served as a Chicana activist movement that aided these students in adjusting to university life. This is an important example that illustrates the role an art practice such as a rap group can serve to empower women. Furthermore, in Chicana Power, Alice Bag discusses her observation of a Chicano movement march and how powerful she thought the experience was. More specifically, she mentions "I had never before realized that I was part of a minority group" (Bag, 70). This was an eye-opening and emotional experience for her that allowed her to embrace her identity as a Chicana. Ultimately, the combination of art practices and social movements mutually benefit one another.