SOCIAL AWARENESS

As your walking along the streets of New York, particularly Park Slope. You’ve come to notice the diversity of people along with their different situations. You proceed along the streets viewing the different economical crisis’s and class’s. All depending in which street or avenue they live in, in which you’ve already been at the majority. Viewing both poverty and riches.

I was able to see that different parts of park slope, had very different environment’s. Im referring to different people and maintenance to the areas. For example if I were to walk on fifth street in comparison to fifteenth street both of fifth avenue. It would be a completely different  environment. There would be more caucasians on fifth street then 15 street. There would definitely be an increase of hispanic people as the streets go on. While I was being observant here were things that I rarely spotted stuff such as homeless, graffiti, and such.

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Middle School

Up

confident youngsters

all colors

all different

hatred 

drama 

LIFE

Teachers veer off

of every student 

while everyones banters 

yet we have the arrogance 

to name Middle School 

HOME

From my observations at school I realized this what happens at school. There’s always that one person that pushes another students buttons. The quiet one. The loud obnoxious students. Theres always a diversity of feelings and emotions. But we come back to the problems. DRAMA. That moment that everyone realizes the issues. Meanwhile the teacher tries to be the glue. 

I tried to stress with what I've seen all my years. Along with the notes I took of observations. I was able to see the impact of what popularity means to every student. All the click really helped make a more general observation that revolved for all the different clicks.

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“The people I work with fled civil war in their countries. I tell them, if you can survive that, you can fight for your rights as a tenant.”- Esther Portillio 2003

Interview

1)Why do you like being an activist?

Because helping other people that you know are completely helpless with their problem’s is the best feeling. Since the undocumented people get taken for granted and completely manipulated.

2) What have been some major cases you’ve experienced or are experiencing?

Well right now there’s this case of an undocumented father and a documented mother. It’s been my biggest case yet. Anyway he was caught driving and since he was illegal they immediately deported him not allowing him to appeal at any level. Since they’re really poor a immigration lawyer was out. After they investigated him they found his wife was using all sorts of anti depressants. Which is leading their children to foster care. Now after appealing he managed to get a two month visa. Now their all fighting for this case. And their solution is to go to mexico. Although the argument is that mexico’s environment isn’t.

3) What are some rights people commonly don’t know of?

 They don’t know to apply for citizenship.

4) How many years have you been an activist?

I’ve been an activist since 2003.

5) What something you find yourself telling these people that come to you?

I find myself  telling people that they need to stay strong and solid because the immigration people will not stop until they’ve gotten what they want.

6) What made you want to becoming an activist?

People’s situations really impacted me.

7) What do you particularly help people with?

I love helping families. But I mainly focus on immigration and labor.

8) Do you have projects/cases here in New York?

Cases in New york are really rare. Places I find to have a lot more cases are in small towns.

Esther Portillio is a perfect representation of how to live life. She’s an activist and helps inform people of there right’s. Esther’s a community organizer, and has plenty of experience organizing people to protest and stand up for their rights or causes. She mainly works with immigration and labor. She’s also has spent lots of time helping families. Either reuniting families or assisting them legally. A lot of people can have the opportunity to change the world. But they don’t want to risk their’s for other people. 

Im really glad to know Esther. And be proud to say of how she helps immigrants in need. Many people will not for their own reasons. That is what I feel makes her special because when she’s working on a case she pushes everything aside. To see the stress she has to help these cases is immense.

Reading Response

Imagine losing someone thats become part of your life. A lot of people don't realize how much they're cared for until they can't because they're gone. Susie Salmon wasn't unpopular but definitely no one expected her death. I've been reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. It's made me see all the lessons she's learned and faced in heaven. In this case Susie Salmon mainly with her family. But also Ray her boyfriend and Mr.Harvey her murder.

Ray Singh, Sussie's first love, crush and kiss. Once Susie makes it to heaven she has closure and realizes him her first love.Susie and him started becoming closer to one an other right before she passed. The day she did he slipped this note into her locker.
"If I had but an hour of love
That be all that's given me
An hour of love upon this earth
I would give my love to thee"

The fact that they'd fallen in love so fast and separated is terrible. Later on Sussie occupy's Ruth's body making love to Ray for the first time. This moment gave a freeing sensation to both characters in my opinion instead of them keeping this unhealthy bounded relationship.

Her family was also really impacted.  Grandma Lynn Flying in to stay with the Salmons Basically being there to keep the family intact. "Of course we're a family. Your mother's in crisis, your father's a wreck." She has a funny way of looking at a life being a hard drinker and flirt.She also recognizes Mr.Harvey as her killer the day of her funeral. She realizes Grandma Lynn is really strong to manage what's in front of her.  Jack gets provoked by his daughters rapist, baseball batted by Brian Nelson, cheated in and heart attaked in that chronological order. Jack, her father, becomes the frustrated hero of the story. He ends up finding his daughters murder with no proof. There's nothing really to that changes Susie's always looked at Jack as an authority figure. Same with her sister she's always known as een her as a fierce amzing oerson.In the story later on Lindsey, (Sister) discovers, an important piece of infomation proof she'd gotten after breaking in to Mr.Harvey's house. He nevers ask because he wouldn't contain the guilt but truthfully thanks her. That scene really shows their bond and if that they'll get closure along with a better relationship. After becoming overly protective of him. Unlike Abagail, the mom who left the house fed up of everyone finding a solution to Susie's death some other way. Though Susie never blames her she understands her and views her as an important woman. Her family really lets go either because of Susie or one another.

Mr. Harvey's a sexual predator, a rapist, serial killer. He's the 36 year old neighbor who rapes and murders Susie. "I could not have what I wanted most: Mr.Harvey dead and me living. Heaven wasn't perfect." Susie repetitively say's Mr. Harvey even after he's raped her. When she says Mr. it makes me think as if she still views him as an authority figure, someone to obey. "I knew he was going to kill me. I did not realize then that I was an animal already dying." She's obviously referring to her brutal death. Which impacts her afterlife tremendously. As well propose that her injuries are serious enough to kill her before Mr.Harvey's murdered her with the knife. When she dies she realizes she's not the only one who's gone through this. His life's impacted because of everyone's suspicion and his disposal of the body.Once she's in heaven she finds out about the numerous murders he's had. Also what triggered him to be so screwed up. Also learning not to want hate him as a person but for what he's done.

Susie's managed to trespass into all these people's lives.  She doesn't really realize the impact until she's seen what they face. Susie leaves behind stuff to help them deal with the news. And find closure as she did with her her photo that gave a better understanding for her dad over her mom. This isn't typically whats faced. But is a perfect example that anything can change instantly. Susie, herself had to face lessons in order to face closure. As well as face her families issues. 

Hurricane Sandy Reading Response

 Hurricane Sandy brought great devastation to New York. All schools were closed for a week due to the impacts. The subway system was flooded,  con ed couldn't give back power and still hasn't retrieved it to many households. The majority of people were forced to evacuate depending in which zone they lived. (Zone A, B or C) Some households were completely wiped of the map others blown up from the intensity of wind, electrical problems et cetera. There were a lot of dangers to take precaution for. Though many didn't put any attention. Concluding to 37 lives lost in New York and a total of 111 lives in all the effected areas. How will this effect the election? The article "Storm Brings obstacles one week before vote." answers this.

 Voting is already hard enough when it comes to electing a new president. The voting ballots that once weren't operated by electricity. Hurricane Sandy brought many difficulties.  This effected NYC's voting process. Electricity is big problem but traffic and gas is well transport. Now that gas has become more expensive. Even though officials made sure voting was ensured.New York did have damaged areas. Obama has again won presidency there were also possible solutions if the disaster had hit New York worse. According to the article its possible to change the electoral dat. Legally simple but historically monstrous. Congress has the power to do so. This article was very well written and informative. I was able to get this information easily.

This article was able to give a lot of information.  Also really specify damages they were capable of not boring the reader with the news. I was able to gather all from the article by reading clearly. In conclusion there was lots of in formation disponible in this article I learned how to through stuff into an article at correct points.