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Multimedia Journal: Blog Summary

Throughout my multi-media journal, I analyzed the themes of representation, inclusion, and awareness about culture, race, gender, and identity. I analyzed the show Reservation Dogs, the film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and the group WomenOn20s to better understand how they fit into these themes. Through my research, I found great examples such as how Reservation Dogs draws attention to disparities faced by reservations, how Into the Spider-Verse allowed an underrepresented collective of youth to see themselves as superheroes, and how, with enough work and determination, a group of women were able to get Harriet Tubman onto the $20 bill. Across all of the media I examined, I found that they fit in well with the course material, drawing connections to art like the exhibit of A Couple in a Cage by Guillermo Gómez-Peña and Coco Fusco, the movement of Digital Artivism, and parallels of Chicana Feminism art, like Alma Lopez’s Las Four.

Reservation Dogs | Hulu

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | IMDB

Women on 20s | WomenOn20s

References

“Reservation Dogs.” Hulu, www.hulu.com/series/reservation-dogs-5a310c23-e2db-4c9f-a66c-27c2fee43d92.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) 8.4 | Animation, Action, Adventure.” IMDb, 14 Dec. 2018, www.imdb.com/title/tt4633694.

“Women on 20s.” Women on 20s, www.womenon20s.org.

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Multimedia Journal: Social Media Group @WomenOn20s

The Instagram page @womeonon20s (also https://www.womenon20s.org/) is a campaign to put a woman’s face on the $20 bill and represents the broader movement to increase equality and representation for women. For decades, men have been the face of our currency, leaving US bills not only lacking diversity but also representing men like Andrew Jackson, who was a slave trader and the creator of the Indian Removal Act. During Obama’s second term, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew opened proposals for a new face on the $10 bill over ten months. 

keeping it colorful | @stylbug featured on @womenon20s

Immediately, a group called Women on 20s insisted that Harriet Tubman should be honored, not on the $10 bill, but the more common $20 bill to oust Andrew Jackson. They noted his less-than-stellar history of supporting slavery and relocating Native Americans. Unfortunately, the push for Tubman on the $20 bill means it won’t be updated until the planned 2030 or later redesign, whereas the $10 bill was slated to be redesigned in 2026. The treasury department has confirmed the change by 2030, but promises and efforts to speed up the transition to the new $20 bill have gone unanswered.

The back of the new $10 bill will feature (left to right) Sojourner Truth, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton | Hulton Archive

This group relates to class in various ways, including representation of gender and race across America. It's no secret that primarily, the white men of history adorn textbooks, monuments, and other historical representations, and the group Women on 20s is out to make a change. This movement draws connections to the work of Alma Lopez and her representations of Chicana Feminism in her work. Lopez’s famous mural Las Four draws a unique connection between gender and race, similar to including Harriet Tubman, a black woman, on the $20 bill. 

An artist's rendering of abolitionist Harriet Tubman on a $20 bill. | Women on 20s

Las Four not only uniquely represents Chicana Feminism, but it was also intentionally placed within the Estrada Courts Mural site. This site contains a mural by Ernesto de la Loza called Los Cuatro Grandes, celebrating four male heroes. Las Four’s placement within this site draws attention to the underrepresentation of women as historical figures and works to remedy it.

Las Four | Alma Lopez

In a parallel fashion, the movement to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill will be the first person of color and woman on US currency while simultaneously expelling Andrew Jackson, a pro-slavery and anti-Native American politician. The movement toward broader representation of women and people of color in America has made great strides in recent years. Although it still has a long way to go, the inclusion of Harriet Tubman, among others, on our currency is a monumental step in the right direction.

Janet Yellen on when Harriet Tubman will appear on the $20 bill | Washington Post

References

Calmes, Jackie. “Harriet Tubman Ousts Andrew Jackson in Change for a $20.” The New York Times, 22 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/us/women-currency-treasury-harriet-tubman.html.

“Estrada Courts (1997) - SOCIAL AND PUBLIC ART RESOURCE CENTER.” SOCIAL AND PUBLIC ART RESOURCE CENTER, 9 June 2023, sparcinla.org/projects/estrada-courts-1997.

Linskey, Annie. “When Will Harriet Tubman Adorn the $20 Bill?” Washington Post, 7 June 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/harriet-tubman-20-bill/2021/06/03/62443b5c-bcd1-11eb-9c90-731aff7d9a0d_story.html.

Washington Post Live. “Janet Yellen on when Harriet Tubman will appear on the $20 bill.” YouTube, 10 Mar. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRZNp8IzNuY.

“Women on 20s.” Women on 20s, www.womenon20s.org.

(@womenon20s) • Instagram photos and videos. www.instagram.com/womenon20s.

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Multimedia Journal: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), a Brooklyn teenager who gains powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. Soon after being bitten, Miles meets another Spider-Man, Peter Parker, and quickly realizes that many others share his special powers. Throughout the movie, Miles learns the power of being strong together and what it means to be a Spider-Man. This movie takes the traditional Spider-Man story, which follows a white Peter Parker who loses his uncle and flips it on its head. Instead of a film filled with classic superhero tropes like dying family members or tragic backstories, Into the Spider-Verse is full of diversity, identity finding, and the message that “Anyone can wear the mask.” Through many lessons, Miles learns to become his own Spider-Man and embrace his Black and Latino heritage.

The many faces of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

This film draws many connections to our discussions in class on multiculturalism in America and is the epitome of “digital muralism as artivism.” From its very first scene, Into the Spiderverse sets the tone with strong visual language and bright colors that represent its Latinx ties. Every color, hue, and object is placed purposefully and precisely to convey emotion, mood, and character. The visual fidelity of this movie – that which brings the comic book to life – draws immense parallels to the work of Latinx artists like Judy Baca. Miles is stressed out and overwhelmed in the movie, as teenagers often are. He uses graffiti art to convey his emotions and visualize the “Great Expectations” placed upon him by his parents, teachers, and society. His expression of emotion here, and throughout the movie within his journal, parallels the work of Judy Baca and the movement of digital artivism as a whole. Through art, Miles can express his feelings and identity. Through the digital creation of this movie, the creators were able to move beyond traditional limits and create a truly spectacular visual experience that conveys meaning and defies traditional racial roles.

No Expectations | Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse

Beyond its spectacular and unique visuals, Into the Spider-Verse also presented a unique message to viewers: “Anyone can wear the mask.” Traditionally, Spider-Man was a young, white teenager who lost his parents and uncle. Miles, however, has both his parents and is of Afro-Latino descent. Throughout the movie, he speaks Spanish, English, and a “Spanglish” mix, creating a genuinely relatable mix of dialogue that relates to an entirely different audience than traditional Spider-Man movies. Additionally, the film's producer left it intentionally void of subtitles for these scenes, showing that it was truly catered to a different audience. Overall, Into the Spider-Verse is a unique, culturally diverse, and inspiring movie that uses every outlet to tell a story and inspire a new generation of Spider-Man fans.

The Cast of Into the Spider-Verse | From Left: John Mulaney (Spider-Ham), Liev Schreiber (Kingpin), Jake Johnson (Peter Parker), Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld (Spider-Gwen), Nicolas Cage (Spider-Man Noir) and Kimiko Glenn (Peni Parker)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Official Trailer

References

Crow, Barbara. “Learning Race and Ethnicity: Youth and Digital Media.” Information, Communication & Society, vol. 12, no. 2, Mar. 2009, pp. 290–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691180802552908.

Robinson, Joanna. “Exclusive Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Photo Honors Stan Lee’s Legacy.” Vanity Fair, 10 Dec. 2018, www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/12/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-cast-photo-stan-lee-legacy.

Scott, A. O. “‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Review: A Fresh Take on a Venerable Hero.” New York Times, 12 Dec. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/movies/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-review.html.

Sony Pictures Entertainment. “SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE - Official Trailer (HD).” YouTube, 6 June 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Hbz2jLxvQ.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Marvel Studios, 2018.

“x.com.” X (Formerly Twitter), x.com/okeefe_artist/status/1077991710024761346.

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Multimedia Journal: Reservation Dogs

Reservation Dogs is a comedy TV show beginning in 2021 and running for three seasons, ending in 2023. It follows the four main characters, Bear Smallhill (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Elora Danan Postoak (Devery Jacobs), Cheese (Lane Factor), and Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) as they steal, rob, and save to “escape” the reservation and move to California. This show depicts the modern Native American life through a humorous, though culturally telling, story. Featuring relatively unknown Indigenous actors, exclusively Indigenous writers and directors, and a primarily Indigenous crew, the show is the first of its kind with this sort of Native representation. This show was also filmed mainly in the Muscogee Nation reserve in Oklahoma. 

Reservation Dogs Cast

Reservation Dogs fits in well with our class as it deals with the fluid and multifaceted nature of identity and works to highlight the disparities of modern Native American life in America. From the show's youth, who strive to identify themselves and differentiate from their parents, who they believe are “stuck” in the reservation, to the wise and more traditional elders who want to improve it and preserve their culture. Reservation Dogs also highlights the broader issues that Native Americans face today with an entire episode dedicated to the reservation’s local Indian Health Services clinic. This clinic is in working order but constantly at capacity and has long wait times due to a lack of funding. Beyond this, the show dedicates time to Officer Big, the tribal cop for the reservation, who is often not taken seriously and has his authority dismissed by other cops at points in the show. Compared to other artistic representations, like Guillermo Gómez-Peña and Coco Fusco's A Couple in a Cage, which exaggerated the American peoples' views of Native Americans, this show is an authentic representation of today's Native American life and the struggles they face. It remarkably combines serious, silly, and loving tones to become an entertaining and informative piece of art.

Dallas Goldtooth as William Knife-Man in FX's Reservation Dogs.

Reservation Dogs uniquely uses comedy to discuss serious issues and does a great job showing the different representations of Native American culture present today. Additionally, the show acknowledges and embraces some stereotypes related to Native Americans, using them as points of reflection in the show. A recurring character, William Spirit (Dallas Goldtooth), appears to Bear during times of need and imparts “spiritual interventions” containing cryptic advice for the characters to interpret and self-improve. Another example is Deer Lady (Kaniehtiio Horn), who appears as a woman with hooves. She is featured in three episodes, helping good souls and killing evil ones. These representations of traditional Native American culture work well with the show’s atmosphere by blending humor with serious topics. Overall, this show highlights the surface-level issues and the deeper root causes that Native Americans face today.

The Cast of Reservation Dogs on Auditioning and Sharing Native American Humor | The Tonight Show

References

Atmos. “The Hidden Climate Messages in ‘Reservation Dogs.’” Atmos, 24 Sept. 2021, atmos.earth/reservation-dogs-dallas-goldtooth-climate-justice.

“FX’s Reservation Dogs | Only on Hulu.” FX, 9 July 2024, www.fxnetworks.com/shows/reservation-dogs.

“How ‘Reservation Dogs’ Changed The TV Landscape | the Nation.” The Nation, 20 Nov. 2023, www.thenation.com/article/culture/reservation-dogs-fx-review.

“Reservation Dogs (TV Series 2021–2023) | Comedy, Crime.” IMDb, 9 Aug. 2021, www.imdb.com/title/tt13623580.The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “The Cast of Reservation Dogs on Auditioning and Sharing Native American Humor | the Tonight Show.” YouTube, 2 Aug. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuc9R9tMiUI.