Fear of Public Space

This week in class the question of whether we as students can affect a change in public space was brought up.  My answer to this question is quite simple.  As students, I believe it is our job as members of a community and young leaders to cause positive changes to occur. 

Such as in “Black Men and Public Space” by Brent Staples, Staples is able to cause change to public spaces in Chicago as he simply walks through the streets.  His ability to change the public space is through the fear people, women in particular, have of him because of his race, African American, and being a young male.  It’s ironic that Chicago goers have fear of him; he graduated with a PhD from the University of Chicago and he is unable to even “take a knife to a chicken.”

I further began to question the fear and structure students and people in general sometimes have.  When people hold onto a daily way of life in which each day is pre-set-up and planned, public space is difficult to change.  It is the spontaneous nature of life in which changes in life and public space are able to occur.  If more people decide to come to life with open minds and positive attitudes, change will be more likely to transpire for the clear-cut fact that people are ready to learn and contribute to their community and classrooms.