Week 2 Blog Response ~ YuYu Madigan

The course materials create a space that highlights the power of art-making practices through social movements.  The profound effect that art has on a message is seen through the White Justice music video at (0:29) where she sings that "this march feels like a parade" evoking a sense of pride of taking part and deep passion for the movement. This sentiment is echoed in "Chicana Power" reading where she says that "[her] sister and [her] begged to join the march" and how "that day... I felt good about being a part of something as powerful as the Chicano movement" p2.  Through the lyric video, she highlights the juxtaposition of the parade theme - a concept that conjures celebration - with the scenes of violence and riots where she sings that "you say justice is colorblind, I know you're lying". In Chapter 2, page 88, of Chicana Power, Blackwell provides greater context to the social movement combatting discrimination and poor treatment against young Chicana women, the movement being marched about in Bag's song. Through this, a voice was found via informal rap groups. These groups allowed their message to be shared and a dialogue to be opened up which were combined with study groups across campuses. The readings provide context to the story and show how rap enabled a conversation to combat and take charge one's voice as an educational tool in a social movement while the lyric video illustrates a hypocritical society providing a visual aid to understand the deep impacts, both prove how art in any medium can support and are necessary to important societal movements.