Smith: Interview assignment.

Interview: Annette Strong
Feminism encompasses many different beliefs, the belief that men and women should share the same rights being one of them. Both men and women should be feminist; however, even many women do not consider themselves feminists. Because of backlash and other demonizing propaganda, term feminism turns many people away. During the Interview of my mother, Annette Strong, I found that although she doesn’t identify with feminism, she does agree with many views that feminism holds.
Annette Strong is an African American female born in the midst of the civil rights movement December 24, 1964. Although she hasn’t read many feminist articles, her experiences have lead her to the same conclusions and beliefs that many African American feminists. Mrs. Strong was born in Atlanta, GA, during a very dark part of American history. During this point, African Americans were mistreated and segregation was alive and well. She says she had a happy childhood and wasn’t aware of the glass ceiling and the other barriers that affected her. She is the youngest of four daughters, who shared the same room. She said that her parents were the hardest working people she knew. They always kept food on the table, and provided all of their needs, and many of their wants. As she got older, she says that she began to realize the gap that existed between her rights, and the rights that she was supposed to have. She said that she started to notice the differences when she got to college. She said that before college that there weren’t many differences to recognize because everyone was the same race and class, but when she got to college at Georgia State she was shown the preferential treatment that others of different sexes and races received. She realized that in her math and other subjective classes, that she was doing really well, but in her objective classes, like writing, she was making C’s because her professors didn’t agree with her point of view. She said she had to learn to work the system and give the teachers what they wanted to hear.
My mother also told me that although college showed her that she had to fight and earn an equality that should have been given to her, she really began to recognize the difference when she got into the workforce. After entering the workforce, she began working for many men who believed that they were superior to her. Although they never said that they were, she could tell by their actions and they way that they treated her. Often there was, and still is an under-qualified male in charge who tries to tell her what to do. She says she continues to study and earn degrees because she doesn’t want to have to put up with the discrimination from those who could possibly control any part of her lively-hood. She has continued on to receive 4 degrees, one being a degree in law from Kennesaw State.
Annette Strong should be a role model for many women. I say this because with all of the odds stacked against her, she has managed to succeed and exceed all expectations stacked against her.