The film “Higher Learning” is set at Columbus Campus, a fictionalized university experiencing the transformation of America into a more diverse free country. Individuals in the United States have expressed their fundamental ideas towards other individuals who may appear completely different from what they do. This is because the country’s fight with racial and cultural barriers began, and the film “Higher Learning” is a good illustration of this type of discrimination. Three 1st years undergraduates at Columbus University are discussed in this video. Remmy, a white supremacist, Malik, a black student-athlete, and Kristen, an out-of-state white woman. These personalities are unique individuals who face unique challenges during their first year in Colombia. This assessment evaluates one of the main characters by the name of Malik Williams.
Malik is an African-American track scholarship student who believes that his athletic abilities will get him a free ticket through university since academic institutions are not his strong suit. The protagonist, throughout the film, fights with his identity as a black man on an internal level. William had a specific perception of himself, a perception of how others viewed him, together with the society that was operating against him. This forced Malik to fight inwardly by doing the correct activities as a college athlete though not trying to live up to the reputation of a troublemaking young black guy, which he had become.
Various features affect Malik William’s storyline in the Movie. Self-esteem is one of them, and it contributed to him degrading himself. Mr. Philip challenges his brainpower since he does not trust Malik’s ability to blossom in a university setting. Since he and a few more other students could not afford their tuition, Mr. Phipps used them as illustrations during the first day of class. He also only perceives Malik as an athlete rather than a student. Mr. Phipps, for instance, leverages Malik’s running abilities to show how he might progress in his lessons. He insults Malik’s intellectual capacity by describing the scenario with language connected with athletics. Mr. Philips sees Malik as little more than a runner. Malik is stereotyped, and this is the other factor affecting his storyline. The character confronts different characters due to his athlete status. Malik, for example, was late to his first sports practice of the year, and his trainer was not amused. The coach screamed at him to change his ways and quit acting like a celebrity. Even though Malik claims he was feeling unwell, the instructor does not believe him.
The race is a critical element in Malik’s storyline in the film. For instance, white and black college students did not hang out together. When the students get together to party, they are divided by race. Furthermore, the campus security did not appear to shut down white children’s gatherings as frequently as black children’s parties. Moreover, Malik was late to his first sports practice of the year, and his team manager was not amused. The coach shouted at him to change his ways and quit acting like a celebrity. Even though Malik claims he was not feeling well, the defensive coordinator does not believe him. In addition, Mr. Philip, his economics professor, discriminated against him due to race since he could perform poorly in academics.
Malik struggled with his identity because he was a black student. His struggle was personal since it made him lower his self-esteem. Malik was capable of overcoming his difficulties because of his determination. After being silenced by Mr. Phipps, Malik resolved to show his instructor about his academic talents. Malik, for example, took steps to enhance his performance by having a colleague review his paper. His friend proofreads his report to help him catch any mistakes. Malik’s perception as a Black American sportsman has led him to meet multiple identities inside his personalities while also assisting students.
Intersectionality is the recognition that everybody has their varied individual experiences of oppression and discrimination, and anything — sexuality, ethnicity, class, sexual preference, and physical capacity – can suppress others. Malik is confronted with a wake-up call as a result of institutionalized racism. Like many other primarily white schools, the college and guards at Columbus University are antagonistic to black individuals. The cops abuse black students at school, and several white students make racial stigmatization, such as labeling black learners “gang members” in one scene. The manner these white people behave when they encounter a black face irritates Malik.
To comprehend students’ intersecting identities, experts must provide them the opportunity to speak up, take place at the table, and gain independence from cultural expectations. Today’s challenge for colleges and universities is to create more equitable and inclusive campus environments. If individuals will not include one another, it is impossible to become more egalitarian and included. As a result, schools and universities must try to give classes, events, and events open to everyone while excluding no one. Most essential, learners from disadvantaged areas should be able to speak up without fear of mockery, as everyone has a personality and desires to be recognized.
Innovation is said to have the potential to inspire and contribute to sustainable development. Unlearn elicits thought and discussion about social justice issues, equity, and non-discrimination. The term “unlearned” is written across the screens after the film. According to the definition, higher education is equivalent to higher learning, which refers to academic achievement at colleges and universities. Conversely, this Movie alludes to the Movie’s title, “Higher Learning,” and relates to the procedure of unlearning prior biases and stereotypes. It is critical to relearn to master new abilities and replace old ones. Malik needs to unlearn concepts of behavior because individuals alter with the seasons. They expect black people to become who they would like them to be, not who they already are.
Malik needs to unlearn some practices like laziness and start observing time. Arriving late when he was to have a game made his couch rude to him. Furthermore, Malik should also unlearn listening to other people’s negative talks about him. For instance, he listened to how his colleagues discriminated against him and lowered his self-esteem. By unlearning these practices, Malik will be able to replace the old traditions with new ones.
In conclusion, higher education has played a role in perpetuating misconceptions about student-athletes, particularly black student-athletes. The people repeatedly questioned Malik’s ability to flourish at Columbus University in the film. The Movie does not contribute to the debunking of media preconceptions about student-athletes. With all that being said, there may be a few consequences for literacy instruction regarding black student-athletes representation in the media. Stereotypical portrayals of black student-athletes might vary as to their appearance changes. Additionally, student-athletes should not be depicted as suffering in academics or unprepared to compete. Media artists and distributors must be aware of the images they are projecting.