Asian American Studies 197B
Spring Quarter 2002

Reflection Journal 2
Diem Pham, "Opening My Arms and My Eyes"

I think the poem most evidently proves the difficulties in being an activist because we have to both serve their community and bow down explaining their actions to their oppressors at the same time. I think students taking Asian Pacific American Labor studies will be affected by this poem because I believe they will have to continually explain to privileged students the purpose of their mission. The significance of Lu Xun’s poem depicts the true difficulties to serve the community while at the same time face the criticism of others. Further, the poem reinforces that activism is not an easy task because it requires ongoing debates and ideological discussions among our peers. If we do not engage in these ideological confrontations, we will conform to the convictions of our oppressors. By not engaging in ideological debates when confronted, students will yield their own voice and beliefs over to the dominant mainstream belief.

I do feel that Lu Xun’s poem has significance for me as a UCLA student personally because I have already begun to feel that I have to explain to students, friends, and peers the intent of merely taking this labor studies class. I find myself repeatedly explaining to my classmates in the economics department their questions concerning the cost and benefits of serving the immigrant community. From my encounters, I have determined that students from UCLA often come from more privileged background, and most rarely interacted with the community in any form.

As a student at UCLA, I believe I will have the most trouble confronting other students as they question why I am defying against the UCLA-centric view of internships. This has been my extent in confronting oppressors while at the same time attempting to serve the community. However, I hope that throughout the quarter I will gain more encounters in my experience in the community.
Being a student at UCLA, I have often taken for granted the notion that I am at one of the elite universities in California. I have only begun to realize my privileges and realize that I have something to offer to the community. Furthermore, I have yet to think about whom I bow down to, and to whom I serve. But I would have to say that I have the most difficulties distinguishing who I "bow to," because at time I believe I do this on a subconscious level. Although, I guess I can say that I often "bow to" privileged students who criticize my intentions. On the other hand, I have not had a problem distinguishing who I should serve. I think that my parents have ingrained my sense of community in me as they have often advocated for my role in community service. I feel that I have a responsibility to give back to my own community as well as the immigrant community as a whole.

In my internship I hope to strengthen my understanding of the roles and responsibilities of students in elite universities today, by serving the immigrant community. I believe I can achieve this responsibility by opening my arms and my eyes to see the difficulties that my parents and immigrants today are still fighting for today. Through the community-based internship, I believe I can strengthen my role through my consciousness and social responsibility to the low-income immigrant communities. I believe these types on community based internships should be a general requirement for all students in elite universities so that they too, can learn to hold a responsibility towards class divisions.