Simply put, resistance can be defined as an opposition to something, a refusal, an aggressive stance or a willingness to fight, etc. It can concern a person, a situation or even a thing. Resistance is prevalent in our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. During an argument, you may decide to remain silent, not because you accept or agree with what the other person is saying, but because you hope that your silence will put an end to the conversation: in that situation silence is a form of resistence. As humans, we naturally resist unpleasant or unwanted situations. Over the past few weeks I have learned many new and interesting things about black history. However, what shocked me the most was the theme of slavery, not its existence but its brutality. I always knew that slavery was a terrible and life-changing time, affecting not only the generation directly involved but also all subsequent generations, but I had very limited knowledge regarding the extent of the brutality. The first enlightening experience I had on the topic of slavery was the film 12 Years a Slave, it was a fantastic film, but definitely difficult for me to watch. It opened my eyes to the extent of brutality and suffering endured by enslaved Africans. Among other things, the period of slavery was defined by a cultural genocide. The best way to destroy or control a people is to destroy their culture and replace it with a foreign one (Livingston, March 6), and this is exactly what was happening. These enslaved Africans were deculturalized and made dependent on the culture of their captors. Cultural resistance was their response. It is defined as the preservation, creation, and use of culture to inspire and support the fight for the paper things that enslaved Africans would have made if they lived in similar times. I believe what kept them going as they fought for redemption was hope, that hope allowed them to see the light at the end of the tunnel. One of my favorite quotes says: "As long as there is life, there is hope" - Cicero. As long as they were alive there was always a possibility of change. Things couldn't get much worse, and if they couldn't get worse, it follows that they could only get better. Finally, I am very grateful, however, that the people persevered and fought relentlessly until they achieved freedom. The beauty is that they not only earned their freedom, but they also earned our freedom, yours and mine. It is thanks to them that today we can walk the streets without the fear of being taken off the streets and enslaved at any moment. So yeah, I'm definitely grateful for that.