Sharing my story part 4: This was a pleasure putting together and I am happy to share My American Story with you all. Writing these blogs every week and sharing my thoughts and ideas with you all was amazing. Always remember, your current situation is not your final destination! Be Creative and always BE YOU! 🙂

Link to my final project: https://animoto.com/play/zZrEcdkRmFxLz2xLqaXttw

I started my implementing phase of my final project and I actually completed a first draft. My digital toolkit is Animoto and I created a slideshow in a way where there are pictures and videos explaining my story. It did take a little while but, I wanted to finish a first draft to see how it would turn out. I was nervous because I was not sure how to use Animoto; however, it wasn’t too bad to figure out. I feel like I told my story in a way that connects to some of the stories we either read or watched in class, very well, I hope. I feel like I did a great job and I am excited to share it! 🙂

I am not going to lie to you, I did feel a little bit nervous or anxious because I had no idea what I wanted to do for my final project. I wrote out an outline of how I can incorporate all of my blogs I wrote this whole semester and the stories we read or watched, into my American story. I decided to hop on the the virtual class to ask my professor for some advice because I really felt stuck and was not sure if my story counted as an American story. After speaking to my amazing professor and taking a few days to really think about, it became more clear to me of how I can share my American story. For instance, I want to create a video using Animoto as my digital toolkit and as I tell my American story, I will also be explaining/quoting what we read or watched in class and how those Ethnic Americans connect to my story. This will show others that my story is quite similar to a lot of the stories I read in my Ethnic American class and that was truly one of my favorite things about the class; meaning, I can relate to what we read or watched to my life. I might also include my twin sister, Crystal, in the video as well because everything I have experienced in my life I had her by my side through it all and I couldn’t be more grateful.

For my final presentation in my Ethnic American Class, I am choosing the option to share my own American story. When I first heard about this project in the beginning of the semester, I was kind of excited. When I was in high school, I was always embarrassed to tell my story to others and now I embrace it because I know I will help others realize that they are not alone and that I am such a braver and stronger person now than I ever was. I am a little bit confused of how to present it and relate it to the class and our topics we discussed throughout the semester. However, as I was free writing, I came up with two ideas to present it: creating a chapter of a novel or creating a video using Animoto from the digital tools suggestion list. I have always wanted to write a novel and it would be interesting to create a narrator and tell my story; but, creating a video and me being able to record myself speaking could connect to people on a deeper level. The people we read or watched about throughout the semester, always had little say in their lives and I used to feel that way; but, my vision in life is bigger and better. I went through a lot of family issues growing up and into my adult years and I truly want to share that because it made me into the person I am today. I also was thinking of an idea to use all the stories we read or watched and connect it to my life and what it means to me because I think it would help me connect my story to the American perspective. I am looking forward to getting started! 🙂

Working on this presentation for my Ethnic American class made me learn so much about the author, Maxine Hong Kingston. She not only had an intense childhood, she was also very bright at a young age. She became an amazing writer and incorporated her mother’s stories she told her as a child and added in her own fiction to her non fictional stories, which is truly amazing. Kingston was a voice for others who didn’t get the chance or even opportunity to tell her side of the story and one of those people was her Aunt. In the story, “No Name Woman,” I learned a lot about the pressures and oppression of being a women in a Chinese culture. What I loved the most about researching Kingston and her purpose for writing was that she wanted to bring her Aunt’s life back to life and give her the power she desperately needed. Which is why Kingston shows what an American is all about by accepting others, helping them and being that influential spokesperson for so many people who did not get the chance to. There was honestly a lot more information I could have added in my presentation; however, I wanted to stick to the purpose of “No Name Woman” and how such a powerful story is it and how it changes your perspective of the different experiences other people could be going through or went through.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mN_scFhboh8g0rZO7Bm_TWYx5y-nkEy19mU1K_bKX4Q/edit#slide=id.p

As I am researching the author, Maxine Hong Kingston, for my Ethnic American project, I am discovering that she is a women warrior herself and I can see how she will be an amazing person to connect to my project. One of the things that surprised me was that she started writing at a very young age and even won a five-dollar prize from “Girl Scout Magazine” for an essay she wrote titled “I Am an American.” The title just says it all because she was way ahead of her time, which is usually the people who are very influential in the future. She was someone who always used her voice and was not at afraid at all to express her thoughts. For instance, when she was a graduate student at Berkeley, she was active in the Free Speech movement of 1964 and was arrested on International Women’s Day because she refused to leave the streets after being told to by the police during the anti-war protest in Washington D.C. Another fact that surprised me was that Walt Whitman was one of her influences to write and shaped her work. One of the other facts I learned about Kingston, was that she loved anyone who wrote or acted freely because that’s what she wanted. She wanted to tell others her story through real evidence/experiences of war and myths from folk stories; but, to really show what a true women warrior was and she was it. She also wrote short stories and poetry as well, which interests me because I love writing poetry. I started thinking about a theme that would shape my project and the way my class make sense of “American-ness” and it is that Kingston was the voice for others who were too scared or couldn’t speak at all. She was ahead of her time and critics realized that. One of my concerns is that, would I have to read a different work of hers plus the one I am presenting as well?

For my amazing Ethnic American class, I had to choose someone who represents what an American really means for my presentation and I chose the author, Maxine Hong Kingston, using her novel, “The Woman Warrior.” I am focusing on her first chapter, “No Name Woman.” When I researched information about Maxine Hong Kingston and why she wrote “The Woman Warrior,” I found that, she focuses on gender and ethnicity and how it affects the lives of women, especially in the Chinese culture. I read this novel in my American Literature II class in a previous semester and I loved the mystery of the first chapter and how I learned that woman are shamed upon for their specific actions in the Chinese culture as well. I can definitely see how I can connect this story to the view of what is an American is and how this author has such a powerful voice, which is why I chose her.

Listening to the American life podcast, “Three Miles,” brought some similar feelings I had when I was in high school. For instance, the beginning of the podcast, which was conducted by Chana Joffe-Walt, studied a program that a public school, which was in a poor area of the Bronx with 97% black and Hispanic students, would visit a private college, which was 70% white students who 1/5 received financial aid and located 3 miles away from the public school in the Bronx as well, in order to be exposed that there is more to life than the hardships all the public school students were dealing with in their every day lives. The programs purpose was to expose students to an area that could help them receive better lives; but, more importantly, they wanted the public school students to interact with the private school students too. This program gave the public school students two perspectives, that they could never afford a fancy place like this to attend or they saw a brighter future for themselves. Many of the public school teachers told students that they are exceptional and can attend a fancy college, students like one in particular, Melanie. Melanie discusses why she ran away from high school and didn’t attend college because she did not receive a full ride scholarship even though she was in the last round of interviews and also believed she was smart for her poor high school and not fancy college smart. This leads me to a time in high school when I was applying for colleges and stuck to community colleges because I did not have the money to attend and my parents did not save up any money for me to either. I remember telling one of my favorite teachers that I would attend a community college and he told me that I was better than that and smart enough to attend a four year school. So, it lead me to applying to more four year schools and I did get accepted into a private school and a public school as well; however, when I looked at the yearly tuition and how much financial aid could cover me, I knew it wasn’t ideal because I would have more loans and debt to pay back in the long run. It turns out I saved tons of money and received an awesome education and tons of memories of amazing professors from my community college; but, I relate to Melanie because I remember feeling and questioning myself if I was good enough or if community college was better for me or not. I even related to another student named, Jonathan, who actually received the scholarship that Melanie wanted; but, he was embarrassed that he couldn’t afford the textbooks, so he couldn’t complete the homework and stopped attending class. He truly did not want to fill in the stereotype of a colored student not completing the homework or attending class; but, he didn’t know what else to do. When I first attended college, I felt the same exact way. I was making money by serving tables and had other bills that needed to be paid for and I constantly felt and still feel today, embarrassed or not worthy because I cannot afford a lot of things. However, I had a more of a positive mindset like his friend and another student from the public school, Raquel. She learned how to use the library sources and was able to complete the homework and never gave up even if she didn’t receive the grades she wanted. Luckily, I had financial aid that covered the cost of my textbooks and I wasn’t scared anymore telling my story. When I was in high school, I was embarrassed to tell people that I was poor and was going to a community college and now, I embrace my struggle and want as many people to know that your current situation is not your final destination. I am now a year away from graduating college and becoming a teacher. More importantly, I cannot wait to tell my story to my students and inspire them by telling them that hard work with a positive mindset, with a no matter what attitude, could get their dreams turned into a reality.

I read a short story by Toni Morrison called, “Sweetness” and then watched a video about eight black women who discuss the politics of skin tone and it was very powerful. It actually brought me back to moments in my childhood when my mother would tell me certain things or teach me something. For example, one of the quotes that were powerful to me was, “I wish they would stop calling it welfare and go back to the word they used when my mother was a girl. Then it was called “relief.” Sounds much better, like it’s just a short-term breather while you get yourself together” (4). Growing up my family didn’t always have financial issues; but, when we did, we had food stamps for some time and it is a shame that people look down at you for that. I connected with this quote because not only does it not matter what skin color you are, it matters if you are struggling and just need some help to put the pieces back together and I totally agree with it being called relief. “Sweetness” does tell a kind of American story because when she states, “All because of skin privileges. At first I couldn’t see past all that black to know who she was and just plain love her. But I do. I really do”(5), it shows what parents may actually feel toward their children. In America, it seems as though this color spectrum or skin color, makes or breaks who you are as an individual and I understand that Sweetness grew up with such discrimination and didn’t want that for her daughter; however, if even her daughter did experience some of it, mothers should always be there to encourage their child’s beauty and strengths no matter what anyone has to say. I believe that the Narrator, “Sweetness,” was coming from a loving place, to protect her daughter, which is maybe why the title and her “nickname” was called “Sweetness;” but, I didn’t like that she was embarrassed of her and at the end of the day, it taught her a lesson all along because her daughter, grew up to be very successful. Even though Sweetness and her daughter, Lula Ann, don’t have that mother, daughter relationship she wants, when Lula Ann becomes a mother, hopefully she can understand where her mother came from, in terms of protecting her. Sweetness even states, “Listen to me. You are about to find out what it takes, how the world is, how it works, and how it changes when you are a parent” (6). I am, personally, not a parent; but, I remember my mother always telling me that your mind set is different and maybe it makes you change or maybe it doesn’t; but, children always learn from their parents, by what they see and experience that is right or wrong, I just wish I can find out what happens to Lula Ann in the future. When I also watched the video about the eight women, they said some things that opened my eyes. For instance, people just see them for their skin tone, not for who they are and being called “light skin,” is like them being called different or excluding them for who they really are which is a black women. One of the women mentioned the color spectrum and in the short story, it mentioned being a light or dark skinned black women and many black women have to deal with that. Which opened up my eyes that, there will always be a color spectrum of different skin colors; however, it is like every race has their own kind of colored spectrum and get judged either way, which is upsetting. It kind of reminded me of Tyra Banks and how she embraces different looks and beautiful skin tones and I connect with her because when I am out in public and I see a dark skin women, I truly think to myself, “wow, she has such beautiful, shiny and glowing skin” and everyone should think the same way. I love seeing different people’s looks like hair color, style, skin color, eyes, etc. It is what makes everyone so unique and different and with just a different, more positive perspective of others, it would change this world drastically.

I recently watched a documentary film called, “The Cats of Mirikitani.” It was very heart breaking and inspiring all at the same time. I was actually not aware of what Japanese internment meant until I was in class and it really opened up my eyes to how cruel this world can be; but, it also opened up my eyes to how powerful art can be. Mirikitani’s art work describes the famous quote, “a picture is worth a thousand words” and it really did. You not only see how brilliant the colors, shapes and curves he used in his drawings, but, you also saw a story, his personal story and I love that. I am personally not the best drawer; however, I love to write and I love putting my personal experiences in my writings and he did the same with art. Every picture told a story and he shared that story with everyone. The most powerful thing anyone can do, is share their story because atleast one person will be able to relate and that is all that matters. Another aspect in the film that was inspiring was a filmmaker, Linda Hattendorf, who helped him get off the street and helped him share his story and get his life back together. Helping someone to that extent is a true miracle and I hope that one day, I could help someone like that. Learning about the history with the Japanese internment made me realize what is going on in this world today; meaning, how people are still being treated differently because of their race and that is not what America is about. America is filled with many different and unique people from all around the globe and we should be embracing and learning about those differences, not discriminating against it. Life is truly too short and this documentary helped me realize that I should share my writings with the world. Whether it is a pen, crayon, pencil or marker, the power of any tool on paper holds every ounce of magic and could create a powerful message.