Who do you think you are?

Born in Queens, New York on December 30^th, 1996 as Kristie Lauren Perez I am currently a sophomore enrolled at New Jersey City University pursing a major in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Biology. Upon graduation my goal is to become a Forensic Technician and ultimately collaborate with women who have been victims of domestic violence. After joining the Criminal Justice club on campus as their secretary I began to apply to other interesting organizations such as the National Society of Leadership and success, working as an orientation leader over the summer, and becoming public relations for la Federacion de Estudiantes Latino Americanos.

As my life progressed from a child to a young adult the media drastically expanded and developed into more than just characters and images on a screen. From the perspective of a teenager the media viewed how people lived, fought, loved, hated, and everything in-between. It ranged from family and friends to complete strangers that lived on the other side of the country. At that young age my role in the media was to connect, observe, and be another factor in supporting its expansion. As my teenage mentality began to mature and grow, the diverse perspectives of the media did as well. The media was not just getting to know strangers, nonsense statuses, and unnecessary images. It became a place for the voice of millions of people to fight for a cause, demonstrate talent, and even become business oriented.

In present times as a Hispanic American female my persona is highly defined by media portrayal. Based on the views of stereotypical social media through images, comical videos, and reported statistical rates I am great at cooking, have children at a very young age, and am inferior by determination of gender. Social media can define people, make them, or destroy them. The media is used to sell objects, images, and perceptions of people, places, and situations. As a consumer the media portrays the latest fashion trends, newest cell phones, and best places to travel to. On any network there are people constantly telling me what to look like, how to speak, and what to think. When on vacation, a new location, or even the dinner table everything is shared on the web from images, to videos, and even boomerangs. People often live their lives through the web instead of through their eyes. As generations pass technological advances have begun to take over in very positive or negative aspects.

For decades the media has been used in ways to promote social change, justice, and equality in different forms. Although much of the media is used for income, others are capable of using it for greatness. The media has covered acts of the public resisting political issues such as gender inequality, segregation, and same sex marriage. Fighting for black lives matter, for an end to war, or for the right to consume illegal substances, are portrayed through the media even when the stories try to get covered up. Fanny Lou Hammer, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X were all documented and portrayed through the media aside from the political tension and those who fought against them. They used their voices, crowds of people, and microphones to promote social change. Today Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and blogs are used to portray the voices of those fighting for the rights they believe in, not just comical posts and stereotypical quotes.

Social media uses hashtags, images, and video clips to convey the ideas of Barack and Michelle Obama, Teresa Cheng campaigning against sweat shops, or Marisa Graciosa fighting for fair immigration rights. Not all of social media is used to show how celebrities live, popular parties, or the next best television series to be released. There are people who are aware of the power the media can provide and use it to fight for political problems that many are too afraid, lazy, or ignorant to acknowledge. Social media should not be used to harass others, make them feel inferior, or spread hatred. The media should be used for empowerment, advancement, and social justice among other positive topics.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/first-lady-michelle-obama