Rachel's American Bridges and Borders Blog

What has been most challenging thus far in your reading of Song of Solomon ?     Thus far in my reading of Song of Solomon , the most challenging tasks I have encountered have been trying to piece together the novel’s storyline and the relationships between the characters and trying to understand the significance and symbolism behind the actual events of the story. For example, on page 78 in chapter 3 of Song of Solomon , I struggled to understand what was actually going on in this passage and what the significance of it was. In the middle of page 78, Morrison writes, “The street was even more crowded with people, all going in the direction [Milkman] was coming from … He realized that nobody was walking on the other side of the street.” Initially, I was confused by this passage because I did not know whether to interpret these events as literal or figurative. Moreover, I didn’t fully understand what this passage symbolized at first. How have you addressed this challenge?     I

My full name is Rachel Danielle Miller, and there’s a bit of history behind each part of my name. As for my first name, my mom decided to name me Rachel as a tribute to her sister who passed away as a very young infant. My grandmother (who goes by “Cookie,” another interesting name story) had a daughter named Robin, who passed away when she was five months old. My mother never met Robin, because she was born after Robin had passed, but she missed having another sister. My mother’s family is Jewish, and there is a Jewish custom to name a child after a family member who has passed away, in the hopes that the soul of the loved one lives on in the child who now bears their name. As a result of this, my mother decided to name me Rachel and my younger sister Rebecca as a nod to Robin. My middle name has a pretty simple explanation; my father’s name is Daniel, and so I was given the middle name of Danielle. Unlike a lot of people, I love my middle name and sometimes even wish it was my f

For the past couple of years,  Oaxaca, Mexico has been the center of a dissent-driven street art movement that has arisen from local political unrest.  A  group  of artists, all members  of the art group "Assembly of Revolutionary Artists of Oaxaca" (ASARO), has been  illegally pasting politically-charged screen prints on the walls of Oaxaca City. ASARO  first emerged in 2006, after Oaxacan teachers went on strike to  demand  better education in their poverty-stricken city. The teachers were attacked by police, resulting in the death of at least 17 people. In support of the teachers, ASARO was founded. Ever since, the group have been creating street art as a way of voicing their opinions of their government. The street art produced by ASARO   is  an essential   form   of   resistance for the people of Oaxaca.  The group's objective, according to Mario Guzman, an ASARO artist, is to retaliate against the lies and pretenses spread by the Oaxacan state government, wh

You are probably familiar with the grumpy, green "Sesame Street" character, who lives in a trash can  − Oscar the Grouch. But did you ever stop to think why such a happy and child-friendly show like "Sesame Street" would ever want to include a character that appears so pessimistic and gloomy? Caroll Spinney, who voices Oscar the Grouch, said that he got the inspiration for the character from a  stereotypical taxi driver from New York. Spinney said, "Who could be more of a Grouch than a cab driver from the Bronx? I had my ideal model for my new character." The reason behind including Oscar in the cast of characters was to put forth a message of acceptance and inclusion to young children. One of the producers of "Sesame Street" said that "it takes all kinds to make a world. And [Oscar's] just another kind." Robert W. Morrow explained that Oscar's purpose was "to dramatize tolerance for those who are different," by

Republicans are criticizing President Trump after he mocked Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who says she was sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. (Click here to read the article.) Trump ridiculed Ford at one of his rallies for not recalling certain details of the alleged assault that took place 36 years ago. (Click here to watch the video of Trump's statements at the rally.) Republican Senators Jeff Flake and Susan Collins called Mr Trump's remarks “appalling” and “just plain wrong.” Flake also said that “There’s no time and no place for remarks like that. T o discuss something this sensitive at a political rally is just not right … I wish he hadn't had done it.” Michael Bromwich, Ford's lawyer, described President Trump's words as “a vicious, vile and soulless attack” on Ford, adding, “Is it any wonder that she was terrified to come forward, and that other sexual assault survivors are as well?” The words of the people w