Through this essay, I want people to take an insider look into the participant’s life. I want to highlight the fact that culture is a web of different relationships, and that it isn’t just black and white. For example, I spoke about how Ashley doesn’t like 125th street but she appreciates it for the history and culture. I think the readers are people interested in the complexities of subculture. I want readers to know how personal culture can be as well. Although the aspects of culture may be the same, the emotions that it sparks within a person is unique. 

The process of the interview was quite simple. The pandemic familiarized me with zoom and communication through the internet, so connecting with my partner was quite simple. We first had an interview,and most of our interactions were through text. The text allowed us to ask each other questions at any time. I split screened my notes and my paper so I could easily go back and forth to expand on my ideas. I made changes to the way I structured my essay, because the more I texted my partner, the more I changed my essay. 

I learned how complex culture is through this essay. I also learned how awkward I am when transitioning from one subject to another. Transitions are important because it makes the conversation seem less artificial. Overall, I like this assignment because as a political science on the pre-law track, it showed me that I can talk to people for assignments without rehearsing it and making it seem artificial. I want to create a rapport with my clients as a future lawyer and in order to do that, I need to have a comfortable conversation. I feel that this aspect of law humanizes the profession. 

Class readings helped me with my essay because it showed me how to ask my partner questions so I can have a better insider perspective of the story. I can find factors that are similar that unite different cultures but aspects that make each culture different. For example, I related to her grandmother’s story of trying to hold onto her native culture while adjusting to American culture. 

The course learning outcome that relates to my process when writing this paper was acknowledging differences in linguistic differences as resources. I noticed how my partner and I spoke very differently, from the diction we used to the tone used. I noticed how Ashley used “thank you” and complimented me a lot while having the interview, which showed me her appreciation and made me feel more comfortable. I strive to be like her to create comfortable conversations. 

Culture: A Web of Relationships

Culture works through people when people show what things they value in life. One’s culture is braided into one’s DNA. Culture is a priceless heirloom that gives us a sense of belonging. In this interview, I uncovered the essence of a person in order to understand their subculture a little better. 

I sat in the tranquil student center to interview my participant, Ashley Foster. Ashley is a mix of different values and experiences, an embodiment of the beautiful Harlem. I noticed that she was wearing braids, as well. As a New Yorker, I know that box braids are crucial to African American culture, so I realized that her culture might have something to do with being an African American. After asking her my first question, she thanked me in a dignified tone and apologized for any background noise, which illustrated her professionalism. She briefly talked to me about how she was at her job at her daycare, and I could see her smile as she mentioned this. As I asked her my first question about her experience as a black woman in Harlem, I can see her pride in her heritage. She speaks about how she treasures the history and black culture in the 125th, but she doesn’t like to go there because it has become a tourist attraction. She talks about how she walks through 125th quickly in an “aggravated mood,” which shows how she has strong feelings about this change in Harlem. She isn’t very expressive, but as she talks about gentrification and tourists in Harlem, her face drops a little. However, she lightens up when she talks about the new Starbucks on 125th street because she loves grabbing coffee to start or wrap up her day. Ashley also likes to buy outfits from this street because it is a quick and familiar process to her, as opposed to going to more expensive stores in New York City. 

I asked her my next question about the cultural figure that was most important to her. Upon hearing the question, she responded with a little laugh. Ashley thanked me for asking the question again, which set a professional boundary. She explained to me how she didn’t particularly look up to anyone famous in her culture, but she talked about her grandmother. In her discussion post, she talked about her African American culture so I was expecting to hear about African American figures in her life, but surprisingly, she told me about her Panamanian grandmother. She explained how her grandmother’s culture got lost once she moved to the United States, so the culture she passed down was the African American culture. Through her grandmother, Ashley learns about her African American history and Panamanian heritage. This shows me how cultures are weaved with each other. Like how we discussed in class, culture is a web of relationships. 

The third question I asked Ashley was about how other cultures affected her perception of her own culture. She started off by talking about Jamaican and Italian cuisine, but when we circled back to African American culture, she talked about soul food. She said she appreciates soul food because it shows how African Americans made the most out of the little resources they had access to. She also chuckled when she talked about how although she loves the idea and history of soul food, she doesn’t like to eat it very much because it’s heavy. 

My last two questions had to do with Ashley’s experience as a black woman in America and how it shaped the way she saw her culture. Growing up, she wasn’t taught African American history, so she didn’t appreciate it much. Ashley was only taught about slavery and all the consequences that came with it, so she didn’t feel very empowered by her heritage. Her experience illustrates one of the many faults in the education system. It shows how institutions contribute to the meaning of being a part of a specific culture. However, she clarifies that her experience in high school and college changed her thinking. She took African American studies classes and interacted with more African Americans. Ashley felt more close to her culture when she learned of aspects of her culture that weren’t just slavery.  She ends her interview by describing how her culture is a symbol of power and it is a mix of different cultures. 

The main theme I see throughout Ashley’s responses is her appreciation for her culture. Her lengthy responses about the history of her culture as opposed to her responses about things like 125th street shows the importance she gives to her past. When she talked about her grandmother, I saw the admiration in her eyes. Her culture is not just about the things she learns in class, but it’s also about the lessons she learns at home. It is personal and tailored to her own experiences. 

Ashley Foster is a quilt of different experiences and people. She is of African American culture, a culture that was abused by the systems of the country in order to maintain the hierarchy. Her resilience, empathy, and dignity shows me, an outsider, how her culture is a part of her.