Dig Deeper or Explore New Horizons?

The lecture given by Randal Jelks really resonated with me. Jelks explained that his research topic (“The Role of Roman Catholicism in the Inner Lives of Ethel Waters, Mary Lou Williams, and Eldridge Cleaver”) was so central to his persona. For example, he grew up during the time period he is researching. Also, he is comfortable researching people who are not a part of his faith background because he grew up experiencing different religions. Thanks to his previous knowledge, he was able to thoroughly analyze the sources he read. He did not simply accept the information written by theorists on religious experience because he had experiences that encouraged him to question those theorists and create his own argument. He was able to use his experience to be curious and seek the information he believes would support his argument. The fact that his experience impacted his research effectively made me contemplate researching something that is central to my identity.

Randal Jelks’ lecture was titled, “I Am Free to Be What I Want.” One of the people his research project will speak about is Muhammad Ali. The book has not been released but if you are interested, you can get in contact with Jelks here!

I grew up around many Mexican-Americans. I did not really realize that being Mexican-American is neither the same as being Mexican nor the same as being American. For me, it meant owning both identities but at the same time having neither. This confusing limbo can feel very lonely at times, but that is precisely why I want to base my research on the injustices Mexican-Americans have faced. That way I can learn more about the people I identify with and demonstrate the research from my perspective. I know that I am not an expert in Mexican-American history but I have a unique knowledge about the subject because my life has revolved around it.

This is a scene from the Selena movie. Although this is scripted and a bit dramatic (I mean it is in a movie) it gives you a glimpse at the weird limbo between having two identities as Mexican-Americans.

Jelks explained that his previous knowledge led him to a different research approach. Jelks used music, novels, and many alternative sources to research/support his claim. I enjoy knowing that I could research using some nontraditional sources. This is especially reassuring because I am not 100% sure what I want to research.

This is Ethel Waters, one of the people researched in Jelks’ project. Her song: Stormy Weather was one of Jelks’ nontraditional sources.

This uncertainty comes from the words my professor, Dr. Nickerson, shared. She said something along the lines of: you do not grow when an experience is easy. I definitely am not saying that researching social justice in Mexican-American communities will be a walk in the park. What I am saying is that I am also interested in various other research projects in which I have little to no expert knowledge. Which is why I have asked myself, do I want to dig deeper into a familiar subject or explore an entirely new concept. The lecture inspired many questions for myself about my project. Now I have to start answering them. I’m off to research… wish me luck!