Blogger_10_Internship Readiness

I feel someone who is has qualities of internship readiness is prepared. By being prepared you are making sure to write everything down when directions are given out, and asking questions if something is misunderstood. For the internship you must bring the necessary materials for the day, catching up on any reading and/or becoming familiar with your job tittle and tasks for the job.  By having respect gives you a personal persona towards others and your boss.  You must be respectful to others in their personal space and keep on task without having to be told over and over. You must have an open mind even though you may be nervous about the job. Do not continuously have beliefs that you will not succeed. Keep yourself positive and know there’s always a solution. In my internship I want to be able to show readiness by never leaving class without making sure to have full understanding of the concept at hand. If I ever find myself having questions, I will take the initiative to find, a fellow colleague or teacher, after class. Other examples of me taking this seriously would be for me to go over my past evaluation, be ready for my future evaluation, look at infractions and see how they can be avoided next time, personal days taken and make sure to be careful about taking any more, and being proficient in my homework and never having anything late. It’s important for me to communicate all these examples with my advisor, site leader and teachers to make sure I am on track and anything that they may feel will be great feedback so that I can improve.

 In this program, a few things that I have been told that I need to improve on was more patients with fellow colleagues with understanding concepts and to take the initiative to more of a leader and encourage others to show their inner leader. With that feedback, examples of changes are making sure a fellow colleague has fully understood a concept and that I, the teacher, or the rest of the class has not moved on until everything is understood. If for some reason we do have to move on from the topic, I take the time to go up to this colleague and ask once again if there is anything that I can go over. In projects outside of the classroom but still in Year Up, Inc., I have volunteered to make a ‘Thank You’ YouTube Video for those who invited us to the ‘Carmen’ Opera. I have helped with the Year Up, Inc. Gala where we raised money for the site from cooperate partners and those who wanted to invest in this non-profit. So far I have been asked twice to be a part of meeting with people who either want to learn more and invest in Year Up, Inc. or other site leaders from other Year Up, Inc. sites in the U.S. Lastly I have encouraged a fellow colleague to be more open and volunteer for different events within the site. I have made an announcement to others that I would like more students to volunteer for the events that I am asked to do. I told them to ask teachers or site leaders what they need to do to get noticed and what they could be doing better to be part of those events. I believe that even though some are not making it apparent, they have the same, if not better, skills and drive as I do when asked to talk to those interested in Year Up, Inc.

Blog 9_Worst Job/Best Job

I’m the current Diesel specialist for their stock merchandising position at Macy’s. I enjoy it because I’m on my own and do what I need to do without anyone having to see over me. Primary responsibilities are counting and organizing new merchandise, filling out paper work for the new items, and organizing the back stock and floor. When I say floor, I am referring to where people shop. I can say it’s not enjoyable at times when the other stock merchandiser, in the morning, doesn’t do their job and doesn’t communicate with me on what needs to be done. Skills I get from this job is bettering my communication with others I have to work with and making sure that merchandise is organized. I have learned so far with this job is that not everything is going to work out perfectly. Bad situations will happen and people are not going to do their job, so you have to let them know as professionally as possible how things need to be improved for next time. The voluntary work was lending a hand for a catering job. At this event, a basketball court acted as a ball room for the night where primary responsibilities were decorating around thirty tables for about hundred people and helping serve food and dessert. I enjoyed that even after the hard work the night was a success but the process was something I will not volunteer for again. Skills I can take from this experience to help with my internship is staying organized with your team and having great communication when organizing an event. I would make sure to have enough help and for each person to know their job with no confusion. I learned how much work I can consume on my own before needing help eventually.

Blogger 8_Connection between Occupy Movement and Rivera's Frozen Assets

The connection between the Occupy Movement and Rivera’s Frozen Assets is a clear one. The Occupy Movement is a protest to voice that people in society need to be treated fairly. What I have learned is that politicians are being unfair to the people and the people are afraid the politician’s choices will hurt us In the future. The Occupy Movement goes by the slogan “We are the 99%”, which means that 1% of some certain people are making more money than the 99% of people of a lower class. I have learned that those of a higher class have taken advantage of their power and used it to benefit them while trying to keep a mask on the real problems in the economy. While those of a lower class are struggling to get by every day, politicians and those involved are reaping the benefits. Rivera’s mural shows how eighty years ago certain people wanted to make things disappear and still appear as if they cared and nothing had changed. Mr. Rockefeller asked Rivera to show how great things were and Rivera did the opposite. Rivera showed the truth and how things really were. From the mural I can see that a certain class of people seemed to be building up the city of New York while still looking like secrets were being made behind the scenes. People of a lower class were trying to make things work for the better during the depression era but only those of a higher class were getting anything out of it. This mural is showing the exact of what is going on today that the Occupy Movement is trying to prevent today. Their protest and the murals are symbolizing that we cannot be blind to those of a higher rank that we try to trust to run this country. We have to understand that there are those who take advantage of their position and take from those beneath them. Rivera’s murals and the Occupy Movement connect by showing the truth of what greedy higher classman can do with power and wealth in a society.

Blog7: Inspiration_Bob Marley Ft. Lauryn Hill "Turn your lights down low"

I chose this song because of the smooth melody that it gives. I believe it’s expressing what real love it by taking a while to describe how it feels. Most songs I hear now move to fast and make it clear they only want one thing. I can admit that one thing is wanted here, but more is asked of the person. The line, “O let your love come shinning in, into our lives again….”is saying to me that you left at some point and you took away something that meant a lot to me and I need it back to move forward.  Another line, “Loving you is like a song I replay, every 3 minutes and 30 seconds of everyday, and every chorus is written for us to recite and beautiful melody of devotion every night….” Is expressing that for 3munites and 30 seconds of this song, it’s like the words are written just for me and whoever I want to the song to be dedicated to. It’s like going to church and when you are in the toughest times, it’s as if the sermon was written with you in mind. God himself is speaking through the pastor to let you know that every though you have troubles, as long as you believe, everything will be alright. This song for me is just like that. With the melody and words working together, it’s letting me and my significant other know that this is real and there is no other out there for me or you. Every word is an emotion from me and is given to you in a way for you to understand. Everyone receives it different and for me its poetry. I have known people to have the same feelings because it’s when you make new music for the future generation, there is still nothing compared to that back in the day jam that just knew exactly how you felt at that moment and at that time. I first heard this when I was little and felt the same then. I felt the same then and I feel the same now.

Communities_Shady Grove Community Reunion

The Members of the community began with the Sowell family. Every two years this Family would gather at the main family house for one weekend. Their interaction with each other could turn out in multiple ways. For example, angry because food didn’t turn out right, excited because family t-shirts turned out the way they were suppose to or exhausted from riding hay rides all day in the hot humid weather. I can say from personal experience that you are born into this community because the family has grown so large, the function would go from being at the house to the local community center. Other reasons can be because this is part of our history and culture as a people. We feel that coming every year, we are representing and acknowledging our family and its history. I believe we are members automatically because our great grandparents wanted to celebrate and for us to come together as a family.

The Shady grove Community reunion has many different characteristics that some have to grow to love and some fall naturally into it. Most of the relatives that visit this reunion are coming from different states, including myself. The reunion takes place in Shady Grove, Louisiana, about 30 minutes from town and 15 minutes from the main road. The relatives that I know most come from California, specifically San Francisco and Los Angeles. Since California has spoiled us with beautiful weather and a faster paced life, it is completely different going down south because of humidity in the weather, slow and poor living, and rural location to grown up. In my opinion the ghettos in a city don’t compare to the ghetto’s my cousins live in, to me that is a place where everyone knows each other but little opportunity for a child. At the family house we have many different ponds where we can go fishing, but you have to be careful that there are no alligators that could possibly pop up at you. In the back of the house you can also go shooting for practice or just to try a new gun, but be careful to not hit a cow or bull. I believe its successes is the fact that this community has little money to run this community function every two years but finds a way to make the best of it with great food, great music, hay rides for the kids, horseback riding, tracker riding, and four wheeler riding. I would say its disadvantages is that the poor are getting poorer in Shady Grove and very little is being done about it. Another disadvantage is when you become of age to go out to the local club called The Whole in the Wall, a shack in the middle of a black top; it’s not always the best experience. The Whole in the Wall has no security, no liquor license but if you want a drink ask the bartender and he’ll pass you one under the counter from a whole, and if you get into a scuffle people down there in the country shoot first and walk away.

For me what I enjoy about this community is having the chance to experience it. I was four when I first went down there, and even though I’ve missed a couple, I do enjoy visiting and getting out of the city life for awhile. I used to have to spend three months down there with my great grandmother and would miss home so much; I would call my mom almost every day and cry that I wanted to come home.  As I got older I wanted to be able to share my experiences with friends who are so used to the city life and have never experience the country life and how much less you have to worry about. Even though it is a lot more forest and far away from anything, I wouldn’t change much. I believe it’s pretty amazing the way it is, the food, the culture, the tradition. As time goes on though the tradition is fading, young adults my age aren’t finding the importance of going back and what they have. I can say when I was younger a lot more people were willing to get this experience and many things are holding them back, including money to even get out there. It’s tough but I know I will never, forget where my family has come from and the importance of what this community has shared with me.

Free write for Oct. 25, 2011

Things that I have learned about myself as a professional in Module I, are those situations can get frustrating by putting yourself outside of your comfort zone, but I wouldn’t give up. I had to readjust myself in different situations so that I could succeed in them. I did surprise myself when I came to school every day with only 3 to 4 hours of sleep every night from working after school to having to do homework until 1:30 in the morning. I am proud of myself because I know that if I didn’t have the support from colleagues and instructors in a regular setting in college, I would be my only motivation. I know now that outside help can be a big influence. I am disappointed in myself for not taking the responsibility to study or research more on my own outside of class. I did rely all on my instructors to give me everything to pass this class and that back fired when the final came and I knew I hardly remembered anything.

Plus

• Making sure I came to school on time
• Getting up early
• Participating in class and feeling good that I knew the answer
• No late or unfinished work
• Staying positive when things didn't turn out the way I planned
• Assignments proud of are my blogs
• Made myself available to help others even when I didn’t want to do the homework

Delta

• Making sure my notes are beneficial in the future
• Reading and understanding the text in the textbooks
• Taking advantage of studying
• Better timing on when I did homework
• Being able to proofread and see what others see
• having better skills at communicating on paper and staying on topic

Blogger 6_ Do I define me, or the neighborhood?

A neighborhood can shape a woman, like it has shaped my mother, by testing her common sense and whether she can turn down pressures that come head on. She would have to live paycheck to paycheck and try her best to give a child something better then what she had. Certain quarters can define a man because he has to prove his manhood, by his definition could be many different things; it’s nothing usually good and sometimes too late. By personal experience my father ran the streets, boosting, robbing, grew his own “garden” and helped raise me. He has told me that because of his choices he carried around his protection until I was three. I understood though that it was not about what he carried around but the respect he had for others and how everyone knew who “Ju” was and the mutual respect they had for him.  

The neighborhood I spent most of my life growing up was Redwood Shores in the Heron Court Cooperatives Homes. It’s a kind of affordable housing, but to me it’s a mini ghetto in a predominantly Caucasian and Asian community.  I was told that the city didn’t want us there and instead of saying that, they would try to make little changes but always make it hard to continue to keep the community. My communities consist of noises, crack heads, robbers, and ghetto loud ones and because of them I understood what it meant and to have a dream and to never lose sight of it. I am despite of my neighborhood because I never returned. My childhood friends and I would talk about how that little community has a hold on people who grew up there, when they move away and always find their way back. It’s a blessing because you can afford to live in a nice area even if you may not be able to afford the full advantage. Heron Court is a curse because you never get to your goal; you have gotten too comfortable at where you are at, working paycheck to paycheck.

"The Poverty Business"_ The only business should be to exstract poverty

I believe Jacob S. Hacker explained it well, “People are being encouraged to live beyond their means by companies that are preying on low-income consumers.” Companies are trying to disguise taking money to look like giving the less fortunate an opportunity. A quote from the article “The Poverty Business” states that “ambitious corporations like Byrider see profits in those thin wallets.” In America it should be illegal for someone to target a group of a certain stature and make it clear that their reason for targeting them is to take what they have to profit themselves. The only problem is, is that the government is doing the same to us, except we are not blind to the situation.

This way of living has been going on for years and is a continuous circle; survival of the fittest will prevail. They are increasing the divide because companies are singling out those who are desperate and not too familiar with the technicalities of the process. They know that people who come to them may not even care as long as they get what they came for. I believe these companies don’t go to citizens who can afford to pay the money because of better education, better common sense, and involvement with lawyers that would evolve into a longer process. When it comes to whom to point the finger at, the blame is at an equal stand point.

The government I feel at times puts on a show to make it seem like they care about a situation only so that they can get the public to be on their side. Unfortunately, I don’t feel sorry for those who get into these situations because we have the power to make the decisions for our future. Roxanne T, from the article, describes her situation and lets us know there was low opportunity; I feel whatever opportunity that is given, take it and make it better. It’s up to you to change and stop the cycle, learn the trade of the opportunity and use it to benefit you for the best.

Blog 4_My Biography

I have a passion for music; to thrive to hear something new and seek out creativity within a melody, beat or lyric. My day must consist of music at some point in my day and me singing which came from my church choir. I have been a part of groups like NAACP, Breast Cancer Awareness Fashion Shows and Church events growing up because of my relationship with my grandmother who always kept me involved in something. She is also my motivation because she told me that helping others should be my main priority because a good deed will always come your way. I believe I have something to bring to the table. My goals every day for my future is to make a difference in someone else’s life. I feel I have many skills to offer, whether it’s speaking to people, conducting events, helping people all around both in a professional aspect and social I am a person who will voice their concerns at the right time and ask questions and answer them. I can admit my personal life has caused me to lose track at times but I have always be able to pick myself up and have faith to keep moving. I’m always up for improvement and get where I need to be, an inspiring and better me. 

Blog #3_Current Events_Giants Tragedy

 I’m not the type of person who would take a game too seriously but I am still a competitive person. I love football, but I wouldn’t go to the extreme and take my anger out on someone else. I remember hearing about the baseball game between the Giants and Dodgers and instantly thinking “I bet something is going to turn up tomorrow and it won’t be good.” I would say a few days later I hear about this man who was almost beaten to death from Dodger fans at the game. I didn’t want to believe it, not that I wasn’t surprised a fight broke out but for someone to take it to that level without stopping and realizing what their actions are causing. I would hear little things about this new technology that doctor’s had tried on police officers that had head trauma after a car accident. It’s new and only has been tested on a few people including Bryan Stow, the man from the Giants and Dodgers game. From what they say it’s a shunt that is inserted in the brain and drains fluids from his traumatic brain injury that he suffers from. I have just read, from sfgate.com, that the two men from San Bernardino who assaulted Mr. Stow pleaded not guilty last month. Like I said before I am a competitive person, but under no circumstances will I allow myself to act in such a way. This game was meant for healthy competitiveness and to enjoy your time with your family. Not every situation has to be where you need to prove who can give the harder punch. As of today the family of Bryan Stow sad that he is speaking, asking about his kids and recognizing family members. (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/09/22/BAQ91L84Q2.DTL)

My experience in high school

My high school was Carlmont High School in the suburb of Belmont. The School consisted of kids from East Palo Alto and the majority was Caucasian and Asian who lived nearby. I lived in Redwood shores during high school.  My school had a reputation of being the school that was a women’s prison. The whole school is on a hill, has many stairs and three fields for multiple sporting events. Everyone was always separate, their own clicks, and it was usually by color. We had different cultures but until I got to Carlmont I didn’t even know what Tongan and Samoan were. To me there was not a lot of school spirit but no creativity. I would say though my school had its reputation of having a lot of fights and tight security. I thought people were being dramatic but my freshman year there was a fight at least twice a week. I never really enjoyed having to going to school, I just really didn’t like sitting in class and listening to a boring lecture about something I had no interest in. The only motivation for graduating and walking across that stage was the thought of failing and ending up like my parents. People didn’t understand that I paid attention growing up, and I never forgot how I felt when we had to constantly move. I’m going to stick though this program and graduate from Year Up.

BP #1- BC_The way I talk

Business Comunications

9/14/11



    I have gone through different stages in my life mostly because of the neighborhoods I had to grow up in and attitudes that came with it to survive. Growing up I moved around a lot and at a young age it was all about being you, as I was taught. In pre-school/kinder garden I went to the Christian Academy Private School in a more middle class neighborhood that consist mostly people of color. I never had to worry about changing how I spoke with peers to fit in. That experience didn’t take place until I moved to a more upper class neighborhood where kids described your lingo and as ghetto. I used to always have parent/teacher conferences because the instructors felt the way I spoke was too opinionated and spoke out. The elementary school I went to consist of three African American kids, including myself. I had to change the way I spoke just to have the other kids to talk to me, who knows if they ever accepted me. This lingo of speaking proper, to their liking, stuck with me until around seventh grade when I became friends with more kids of color who would travel from East Palo Alto. When they got a hold of me, questions and comments of “why do you talk like that”, “you talk too white washed, you need to talk more black”, and my all time favorite, “O don’t mind her, she hasn’t been around enough black people In her life.” Words like “hella”, for me was just like another word in the dictionary. I never thought of it as a bad word and was never told not to say it. When I would go to other states or Los Angeles people have their own lingo for describing things n “hella” was just a Bay Area term that we used.