Peaceful coexistence is portrayed when individuals from different parts of the world come together to stay within a given geographic location. The increase in numbers of immigrants and non-native citizens within the American communities has brought about a rise in the cases of racism in the United States of America. Individuals leave their native homeland searching for greener pastures in different sectors within the American economy, such as the education sector and the American job market. It is the responsibility of the American government to ensure peaceful and productive coexistence amongst its citizens regardless of an individual’s race and place of origin by respecting their heritage and providing equal opportunities. The strong sense of superiority that white people who live among Asian Americans have is the primary driver of racism in American society. This paper is based on the analysis of a photo by Corky Lee where Indian youth were captured demonstrating against racism in the streets.
The Indian citizens make up a large number of Asians living in the United States of America. However, the American citizens have subjected them to different forms of racial discrimination that have had a negative impact on their lives. Some of the sectors that Indians in America have experienced racial discrimination include the education and health sector. The Indians and other Asian natives living in different societies in America should be motivated by respecting their heritage and giving them equal opportunities to enable them to live a normal life. Racism is one of the major social problems affecting individuals with different cultural backgrounds and origins.
A photograph captured by Corky Lee in 1990 portrays Indian individuals in the streets demonstrating against racism. In America, demonstrations are used to bring attention to major issues affecting people’s wellbeing in different regions within the American territories. Racism is one of the major social problems that affect the minority groups within America. Racism has greatly contributed to factors that lead to poor living standards, such as discrimination in the health sector, which has brought about healthcare disparities and the education sector. The photograph was taken in the early 1990s, which signifies that racism began long ago, and Indians have been fighting against such social problems for a long time.
Corky Lee captured individuals of Indian native demonstrating against racism at a low angle shot. Ideally, photographs take in a low-angle shot majorly portray concepts with a strong message to the target audience. The angle of the shot also portrays the Asian individuals in the picture as very visionary individuals sending a powerful message to help fight against racism. The low angle shot also enables the photographer to capture a large area of the location, enabling the viewer to have a clear understanding of the event portrayed in the photo. Corky Lee adopted the low-angle shot for the photo to encourage and enhance the fight against racism in America through photographic justice. The low shot angle of the photograph by Corky Lee also portrays the individuals in the center of the picture as vulnerable people fighting for freedom.
The center of the photograph is mainly composed of a group of Indian students and teachers within a learning institution. The people who are adversely affected by the negative effects of racism are the young generations fighting to get a chance to achieve their dream of academic success in America. Racism has brought about negative impacts in the education sector since most Asian students and teachers are subjected to learning institutions with poor standards compared to institutions set aside for native American citizens. The individuals in the center of the photograph also comprise both males and females, which signifies that racism has affected both genders.
The photograph’s gaze directions portray them as individuals who are disappointed with the current situation brought about by racism within their livelihood in America. It is easy to identify their disposition regarding the high levels of racism and their quest for change in different sectors that have been affected by racism. The population of the people demonstrating is also few, depicting that racism mainly affects individuals from the minority group staying within the territories of America Indian youth being amongst the people facing the consequences. Other consequences of racism faced by such groups include poor quality of life due to residential segregation, difficulties in social mobility, and biasness in the provision of basic requirements for people living in America. The photograph’s main impact is that it enables the viewer to have a clear picture of the struggles and situations that Indians had to go through to free themselves from the negative effects of racism in American societies.
Racism is the main cause of social conflict within the American societies because the Native American individuals feel like the immigrant individuals living within different societies in America are competing with them for the available resources within the American societies. The United States of America is one of the nation’s leading in cases of racial discrimination in different sectors in the country. Indian youth living in America are advocating for the formulation of reforms in different sectors that will help in overcoming racism which affects the wellbeing of Indians and other communities from the minority groups.
