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Self-Introduction

Hello Fellow Students,

My name is Glenda Pezuela. I have returned to school after many years. I was born and raised in Cuba but have lived in Miami and New York most of my life. I decided to continue my studies in theater and earn a degree in this field.

I have always been a performer, but I also enjoy academia and hope to enhance my knowledge in many areas by attending college.  I feel very fortunate to have a chance to learn and reinvent my life positively, such as in school.

I have many interests, but presently I am primarily focused on self-discovery and healing. I want to be a better person and true to myself and others. I enjoy practicing yoga, reading, music, singing, theater, and acting.

Learning about humanity and the human condition is endlessly fascinating to me.  I am specifically interested in Psychology and the intricacies and mysteries of the mind. In addition, I love culture and arts and like to be in places where I can learn and participate in these endeavors.

I also love being part of a community, and I am very excited to be living in Miami at a time when there is so much growth and diversity, at least a lot more than many years ago when I first moved here.

I look forward to being in class with all of you.

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What research tool, idea, or methodology caught your attention? What topic did you select to research? Why did you pick this topic?

Being in school is an enriching experience for me.  As days wear on, I am acquiring knowledge and today was no exception. Through today's session, facilitated by faculty librarian Prof. Isabel Duque, I was made aware of various tools and extensive resources that MDC students have access to. Various of these tools and methods of research caught my attention, but the one I utilized today to research my topic of choice was through the MDC online Library Catalog. Professor Duque demonstrated how to search for books and articles efficiently in this medium.

My topic of choice is Public Transportation. I chose this topic because I have always believed that poorly funded and or nonexistent public transportation is one of the root causes of societal inequality. When I first arrived in Miami many years ago, my mother and I could not afford a good working car.  This circumstance negatively impacted our daily lives and made it very difficult to advance and participate in necessary educational, work, and social activities. These external factors contributed to my depression and isolation. Through time and experience, I have learned that I am not alone in my observations. After reading an article in the Library Catalog, I realized more about the detrimental effects of systemic racism and classism, which undermine the importance and necessity of good, safe, and reliable public transportation in poor and marginalized communities.

Work Cited:

Archer, Deborah N. “Transportation Policy and the Underdevelopment of Black Communities.” Iowa Law Review, vol. 106, no. 5, University of Iowa, 2021, pp. 2125–51.

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Would better public transportation improve the daily lives of Miamians? Has improving public transportation been a neglected issue by Miami representatives?

1. Mishra, S., By, -, & Mishra, S. (2019, October 9). Plans for change to Miami-Dade County public transportation have yet to break ground. The Miami Hurricane.

www.themiamihurricane.com/2019/10/08/plans-for-change-to-Miami-dade-county-public-transportation-have-yet-to-break-ground/

Better public transportation should be a civic priority in Miami, but it often takes a back seat to other issues. This article elucidates how plans to change and improve public transportation in Miami are riddled with bureaucratic and economic obstacles that impede their commencement and or culmination. An example in this article that caught my attention was how funds allocated for public transportation were ultimately used to pay off loans.

1. Truebner, S., Williams, P., & Britton, K. M. (2019, January 22). Zoning for mass transit: The case of Miami-Dade County's rapid transit zone. Meeting of the Minds. meetingoftheminds.org/zoning-for-mass-transit-the-case-of-Miami-dade-countys-rapid-transit-zone-29665

An impediment to a successful public transportation system in Miami is the sparse and few stops hard to reach by riders. This article talks about an aspect of a public transportation issue of significant importance, zoning and location. It focuses on how difficult it is to invest and build centralized public transportation stations that are easily accessible to many riders due to conflicting interests and divisions that make finalizing construction insurmountable.

1. NBC 6 South Florida. (2019, May 1). Betting on buses: What's being done to fix Miami-Dade's public transportation system. NBC 6 South Florida. www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/betting-on-buses-miami-dadMiamilic-transportation/157409/

This NBC 6 report talks about how the public bus system in Miami is neglected.  Buses in Miami are the modes of public transportation most used by riders. However, buses are unreliable, and riders are forced to find other more efficient forms of transportation. Here we see how the logic of putting profit before public interest has been detrimental to the maintenance and development of the Miami Bus system. As a city, we need to invest in the bus system and fix its inconsistency without expecting immediate profits or economic benefits. After the public transportation system becomes more efficient and reliable, those things will come.

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It's Hard to Care about Climate Change

Reflection

Climate Change is a topic that I am happy to be more knowledgeable about in the past few months. That sounds like a contradiction since the topic of Climate Change is not typically, nor it should be, a source of joy. I am not alone in wanting to avoid such a serious and urgent matter as Climate Change. Unfortunately, this matter cannot be ignored any longer if we want to save our planet from mass extinction and catastrophic events.

The video "It's Hard to Care about Climate Change" points out that there are a few factors that keep climate activism from the mainstream.

The primary reason people are not as interested or aware of what is going on with Climate Change and its urgency is the lack of accessible information. In the video, we see that stories about climate change in the media are painfully under-covered.

Another reason why people don't pay as much attention as they should is because of political and economical reasons. Governments and industries use this topic to divide people and advance their interests; saying things like it is too expensive to switch to a more sustainable form of energy.

Lastly, on an individual level, there is s sort of cognitive dissonance when it comes to rationalizing climate change. Since it is a very unpleasant topic to think about and it seems too difficult to make the necessary changes on a personal level we end up rationalizing our bad choices. Another psychological phenomenon is that we tend to think that we cannot make a real difference on an individual basis so we don't feel motivated to make any changes.

After watching this video I realized that everything I can change in my personal life to help reverse climate change makes a difference.

Work Cited

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK7g6pgaC7I

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My Story of Stuff → Documentation → Reflection

Documentation

1st Video: The Story of Stuff https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/

In this video called The Story of Stuff, the video's creator, Annie Leonard, talks about the effects of excessive consumerism in our society.

She mentions how a linear system of material consumption is not sound or sustainable on a planet with finite natural resources.

In a general way, the video illustrates how much work and resources it takes to make material goods that rapidly become waste and contribute to the exploitation of resources and pollution of the environment. This consumption model ensures that our consuming habits become a vicious cycle that could only be appeased by consuming more.

The video also points out the social implications that the culture of consumerism has on people's lives.  Since our demand for material goods in the US and other wealthy nations is disproportionate to the finite natural resources and world population, we end up outsourcing cheap labor to third-world countries to produce these material goods. As a result, economic inequality and exposure to toxic waste from these practices in poor regions exacerbate.

2nd Video: The Story of Cosmetics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfq000AF1i8

The second video I will talk about is called The Story of Cosmetics. In this video, we learn that our modern model for creating cosmetic products comes from an old production model from the 1950s.  As per the abovementioned video, toxic chemicals to develop cosmetics were widespread and unregulated in this era.

We get to see that cosmetics contain many unnatural and harmful chemicals. Yet we continue to produce and purchase these products.

This practice is mainly due to the unregulated process that allows companies to market their products inaccurately.  Also, very few laws prohibit companies from using these harmful chemicals.

The solution suggested is to become an informed consumer and read labels to ensure that its ingredients match what the product advertises. Furthermore, we should work with our government to regulate and prohibit the use of these chemicals.

Reflection

1. Like with all other issues, change starts at the personal level.  After watching these two videos from The Story of Stuff collection, I feel more aware of each person's impact on their consumption choices. I am not exempt from this; therefore, I plan to be a more mindful consumer and consider the big picture before making purchases. Unfortunately, like most people in the USA, I feel validation from having and obtaining material possessions. But after seeing how this system of consumerism is detrimental to our world, I plan to make choices that consider the greater good.

2. I am now aware of which choices and changes I could implement in my life to become an excellent Global Citizen. Specifically, I plan to purchase fewer water bottles and try to get into the habit of carrying a refillable water container. Another way I was inspired to become a more thoughtful Global Citizen was to purchase cosmetic products that do not use harmful chemicals. This mindfulness has a twofold beneficial outcome: I support environmentally conscious companies that are environmentally conscious and take care of my health by not exposing myself to harmful chemicals. Down the line, I also plan on reviewing my food choices to support industries and companies that use environmentally conscious methods to produce goods.

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News Literacy

Documentation:

1. How Finland starts its fight against fake news in primary schools

This article from the reputable newspaper The Guardian illustrates Finland's ways of combating the spread of misinformation. I found this particularly interesting because it is a relevant issue in the USA. It is great to see that other countries are coming up with ways to stop misinformation at the root by educating the readers. Finland is battling "Fake News" and the spread of misinformation by teaching young children to decipher the plethora of information they receive on so many platforms. Schools at all levels demonstrate which sources to trust. In addition, they teach students how language manipulates and misinforms.

Work Cited:

How Finland starts its fight against fake news in primary schools

Country on the frontline of information war teaches everyone from school pupils to politicians how to spot slippery information

the Guardian

2. How Gen Z Is Fighting Back Against Big Tech

This article from YES! focuses on the effects Social Media has on the mental health of teenagers. While I am not a teenager, I have first-hand experience with the addictive nature of social media; therefore, this topic interested me very much. When I read this, I was saddened yet not surprised that suicide in the teenager demographic has gone up considerably since the introduction of social media. In addition, young people's self-esteem and body image concepts have been negatively affected by the unrealistic expectations social media creates. However, it was good to see that young people are trying to develop solutions and raise awareness regarding this matter. In addition, nonprofit organizations are trying to devise ways to reign in the harmful practices that Big tech uses to hook people, specifically young people.

Work Cited:

How Gen Z Is Fighting Back Against Big Tech

Many in this generation are aware of what they have lost by having grown up on social media, so they’re logging off and working to create a safer, healthier future.

YES! Magazine

Reflection:

I skimmed through various topics but was most interested in News Literacy.  The two articles that I chose encompass two areas that highly contribute to instability in our society: Misinformation and Social Media. I believe that working to erode these issues from our community is of imminent importance. However, it would be naïve to think we could do away with the rampant spread of information through technology and social media. That is why I was pleased to read both these articles about how people and organizations are combating these issues. Finland is battling misinformation through education by teaching students to spot unreliable information and make citizens better-informed voters. I was inspired by the young people becoming aware of the damage unchecked social media practices have on their mental health.

While both subjects are often discussed, it is still challenging to decipher false information from trusted sources. Today I read the website Solutions Journalism. I felt that this media platform is excellently honing essential and relevant topics that often get lost in other media publications due to their focus on sensationalism and ratings. I read articles from reputable journals that helped me learn about important issues.

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TED Video Environment → Documentation → Reflection

Video 1:

In this TED talk video, Kathy Hannun describes the most popular heating systems. Unfortunately, these heating systems are unsustainable because of the oils and gases they use to operate. In addition, these systems require the massive use of pipelines and transportation, which add to their carbon footprint. Kathy Hannun offers a sustainable solution to the heating systems problem. Her company uses geothermal energy. Geothermal energy sits only a few feet below the earth's surface and is nonpolluting. Furthermore, geothermal energy is not hazardous to humans, unlike other heating systems. She also mentions that the more people use it, the easier it will become to implement and create a more sustainable heating infrastructure.

Work Cited

How to heat your home without hurting the planet

Of all the mundane yet astonishing marvels of human ingenuity, knowing what it takes to heat a room to a comfortable temperature is TED Fellow Kathy Hannun's favorite. She takes us on a journey across the planet and under the sea to emphasize the dangers of modern heating, and offers a safer, planet-friendly alternative that taps into the geothermal energy right below our feet.

Kathy Hannun

Video 2:

In this video, sustainable development expert Rachel Kyte talks about how our current form of cooling, like air conditioners, end up heating the planet more. She explains how outdated air conditioners that consume an unacceptable amount of energy are irresponsibly being used to keep people cool. She also talks about inequality leaving behind those who cannot afford to regulate temperatures through cooling machines. But most importantly, she talks about possible solutions that could help stop climate change and help those in poor areas live comfortably by applying sustainable methods. Some of these include building places that are energy efficient. She says that while we have come up with energy-efficient technology and cooling and heating machines that do not distribute hazardous chemicals, these energy-efficient machines are not sold nearly enough.

Sustainable cooling that doesn't warm the planet

"The way we cool things down is heating the planet even more," says sustainable development expert Rachel Kyte -- and the solutions go well beyond just fixing air-conditioning. She identifies four major areas with transformative solutions -- from roofs painted with bright white paint to solar control glass to more efficient cold chains for vaccines -- that can be implemented in fair and sustainable ways. Learn more about what a community designed for cool could look like.

Rachel Kyte

Reflection:

Because I live in a Capitalist society, I was particularly attracted to the two videos I shared above. This interest is because Climate Capitalism has been a subject of great interest to me. It was good to see that some people and organizations work not only on completely changing the way we live but focus more on coming up with products that are less harmful to the earth and environment. For example, cooling and heating systems are essential to a functional society. Unfortunately, companies and corporations have been very slow in transforming their products into sustainable systems and machines due to the potential cost of revenue.

Given that the technology exists, the only thing lagging is the implementation of these sustainable systems and products. While watching these videos, I learned that we should inform the public more about the importance of supporting environmentally friendly products and companies because we are also investing in the future economy. I also learned that when it comes to the environment, it is essential to remember that the high costs of changing the systems and products are only short-term since it will pay off in the long term by helping our planet heal.

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My Reflection Essay

Last week I almost bought a new car. Almost is the keyword in the first sentence because I did not buy it. While the primary reason for not doing so was unnecessary financial stress, the other nagging reasons were related to things I have learned in this class. The topics I focused on in the SP and CAS assignments, were Public Transportation and unnecessary consumption. I connected these topics to scientific biological and environmental theories I have learned in our class while researching the aforementioned topics for the SP and CAS assignments.

Before choosing and learning about these topics I had strong opinions about them. These opinions were not rooted in a political affiliation or an economical agenda but in my basic personal needs and a desire to live a happy and fulfilling life. Unfortunately, my thoughts and feelings have been convoluted by the polarizing political climate in which we live and what felt like common sense to me has become an existential crisis. This existential crisis has been alleviated by being in a Biology class. When I first enrolled I did so to fulfill a college requirement yet by now it has become an enlightening subject that has clarified the fundamental ways in which life functions.

I came from Cuba when I was 12yo. Like most immigrants, I came to America in search of freedom and opportunities. Until this day I remain immensely grateful to live in the United States. Yet I found it very difficult to adapt to the American way of life. Miami is full of Latin American immigrants and descendants so it was not the culture that felt alien as much as the structures and routines of most people's lives. I concluded that the sprawled city layout, the poor infrastructure, and a car-based economy were at the root of the problem for my dissatisfaction. All of these factors contributed to isolation and segregation while I desperately wanted to feel connected to the community. Today I understand that the repercussions of sprawled out cities with poor infrastructure and lack of public transportation have an impact on our collective mental health and the environment.

CO2 emissions continue to rise due to our dependence on fossil fuels as a form of energy. This has always seemed concerning to me, but over time I have come to accept our way of life, so I did not quite understand the emergency bells being sounded off by scientists worldwide. For many of us, it felt more like an inconvenience and an overreaction, after all the world is continuously changing whether we want it to or not. However, after learning that the earth has been around for 4.6 billion years and that evolutionary changes take far longer than what we are currently experiencing with climate change the word emergency does not seem as much of an overreaction.

I believe that fixing our city layout, infrastructure, and public transportation will greatly reduce CO2 emissions and makes us a happier and more harmonious society. In the articles on which I focused my SP and CAS assignments various new concepts and solutions were mentioned regarding these topics. Some of which were adding more bicycle lanes, adding more buses and routes, and making streets more pedestrian-friendly by adding sidewalks. The biggest impediment to these solutions being implemented in Miami is that changing our infrastructure is seen as an economical loss rather than an investment and a necessary measure to prevent climate change disasters for generations to come.

Fundamentally I believe there is even a bigger reason to change and improve cities and our way of life: our biology. After learning about the infinite amount of molecules and cells that work together for life to exist as we know it I learned that nothing, absolutely nothing exists on its own. We as evolved animals and creators of modern society are simply an expression of billions of years of evolution. It is indeed a marvel how far we have come using our intelligence and intuition. While destiny is unknown it feels counterintuitive to continue to use human ingenuity and technology to further divide and separate us. If there is one thing I learned in biology class is that we survive and evolve by uniting and working together.