Reading prior to presenting is important, but reading with purpose and co-operation is what makes a good joint plan. Unfortunately, we abandoned ship on the former and met up together to discuss the issues brought up in both articles, how to effectively communicate it and how it relates to the overall narrative and themes discussed in class. The lesson needed to be compact, relevant, engaging, and inspiring. All-in-all three out of four isn’t a bad score.

Outcomes: The main focus was to show the relationship between media in building the identity of a diaspora. Moreover, the choices that the media makes and the personal connection that it draws with a populace shapes our perception of both parties. These themes are made more significant during these times of declining trust of the general population in the mainstream media.

Best practices: We wanted to not only explain our findings with words but through music as well. IT and appropriate media was supplementary yet pertinent in our class discussion as we couldn’t have lead the class effectively about it. We found (and displayed) several Caribbean news sites up on the projector that ties in on the media’s emphasis on ethnic relationship building. Moreover, what we found exciting to present in class is the type of music usually played in Indo-Caribbean radio. It allowed us an actual image and a basic understanding to further build upon. Emphasizing on the locality and bringing real life experience to forge a personal and deeper discussion – Actually living near Liberty Ave near a large population of Indo-Caribbean is an interesting experience.

You can find popular Hindi songs you’d hear playing in a Guyanese or Trini neighborhood here:

http://streema.com/radios/play/41790

(For some reason I couldn’t upload and insert mp3 files so here’s the next best link)

 

“Voices from Home and Abroad: NYC’s Indo-Caribbean Media”

  • The Indo-Caribbean diaspora, homogenous or diverse
  • Three ways to answer the background question
  • Nationality, Ethnicity, Religion – What it means to be Indo-Caribbean
  • Differences between Caribbean, Black, Jewish diaspora
  • Freedom of labor v. freedom of immigration
  • Transnationalism- How borders become background noise
  • Media as the bridge builder and connector of homelands
  • Participation in radio and the news from home
  • Religious teachings in newspapers for stronger cultural bonds
  • Self-segregation, the Indian in Jackson Heights and the Indian in Richmond Hill
  • Journalism strengthening South Indian and Indo-Caribbean relationships

“’Fiwi TV’: Ethnic Media and the West Indian Diaspora”

  • Representing the diverse Caribbean or popularizing the current Caribbean
  • Narrowing it down to Jamaican-ness
  • Pride in established identity as opposed to creating an identity
  • Big Island, Small Island

Planned Class Discussion Schedule

5:00-5:10       Introductions, introductions

5:10-5:30       Findings on the Indo-Carribean Diaspora, Relevant

5:30-5:50       Examining the Media in building identity and relationships between populations and ethnicities

5:50-6:15       Open class discussion on how the media

Something to Look Forward to…

Class discussion may have ended sooner than expected as we seemed to have neglected input from our classmates. Initially we did try and foster participation but the stress of teaching got to the both of us and escaped our nervous heads. Coupled that with a less than enthusiastic crowd and the result cuts the class short. We did intend on having people leaving the class more critically engaged with their perception of media, but the fact that they already possessed the know-how to do it prior to the class discussion is a-okay in my book.

Never-the-less, it was an enlightening experience, less so in terms of Indo-Caribbean diaspora but more on how to lead a class and how to involve the audience in your discussion. We anticipate a better prepared and executed discussion plan in the future~