# data[].attributes.headline
Carol White (Group Members: Uzziah Daniel & Fatmata Kargbo)

# data[].attributes.subject
Carol White (Group Members: Uzziah Daniel & Fatmata Kargbo)

# data[].attributes.body
Carol White was a woman of Native American descent born into a poor, single-parent household. She worked at an urban firm that produced Catholic missionary films. It was there where “she discussed how typing letters and magazine articles and occasionally proofreading for this man taught her rhetorical strategies in which she was keenly interested” (Brandt 600). She explained how reading her boss’s pieces in the magazines always seemed appealing. After witnessing the effect that her boss had, she then had the ability to appropriate those skills she learned at work and apply them to her own interest. She used her boss’s writing skills and applied “persuasive power” when going door to door trying to spread knowledge about her religion, Jehovah’s Witness. What she was able to learn in the workplace, she applied to her personal life. Carol White’s main sponsor was her boss. She was able to view his works first hand and that gave her the opportunity to analyze his rhetoric. Because of this impact, he was the one that inspired her and also taught her how to expand her knowledge of reading and writing. She was then able to use those skills to support her own interests, which was spreading knowledge of her religion. The opportunity that she gained was being able to use the rhetorical method written in her boss’s letters and, “use colorful anecdotes to prepare demonstrations that she performs with other women at weekly service meetings at their Kingdom hall” (Brandt 601). Using those methods and seeing the effect that it had on others encouraged her to continue learning how to communicate in a more “appealing and motivating” way. The main effects that this experience had on Carol White were her confidence level and her ambition to succeed in her goal. After using what she had learned from her boss, she saw that the impact his letters had on her, was similar to the impact that her demonstrations had on the women at the Kingdom Hall. She instantly became more motivated than before, which ultimately led to more success. As stated, “She said she wanted to continue to develop speaking and writing skills…” (Brandt 601). Coming from a poor, working-class family, your highest priority is to survive and maintain a suitable living condition, your education and knowledge are something that wouldn’t be on your mind at all times. We can see the growth that Carol White had because, in the end, she had the drive to learn more and to continue her growth as an educated individual. Carol White came to value the power of human anecdotes because she believed that it was very motivating and persuasive, which is what her goal was for spreading the word about the religion she followed. Human anecdotes are an important part of communication because they can create emotional connections between the presenter and the audience. Sharing personal stories is the most effective way to show your vulnerability as a writer so your audience is able to see your humanity, as well as build a relationship with you through your work. One concept is that “writing is a process, and all writing writers have more to learn.” This concept is relevant pertaining to Carol White’s story because she understood that there was always something more for her to learn and indulge in. She studies her boss’s techniques and applies them to her speeches. Upon learning from her boss, she came to the conclusion that she wanted to take it upon herself to expand her knowledge to dive deeper into her personal goals. This relates to our class lecture because she learned how to take outside resources and apply them to her work. As a college student, I understand that the way I think is greatly affected by who I am around and how I was raised while growing up. In school, it is easy for me to be influenced by other’s ideas. Being at Howard allows me to explore different ideas and broadens my knowledge so that I am able to expand my thought process.

# data[].attributes.body
Malcolm x was an African American Muslim minister who was also an activist always, but he didn’t always start that way. Born on May 19, 1956, in Omaha, Nebraska  Malcolm Little did have a good up bring. He bounced in and out of foster homes. He would engage in criminal activity which would later land him 10years in prison. During his time in prison, he taught himself to read and to write. During this time he this is when he was inspired by the Muslim religion and took on the faith full-time. Later in life, he became one of the biggest leaders in the civil rights movements. Brandt defines a literacy sponsor as something that teaches literacy, they don’t just teach you they gain from it as well. A sponsor can be anything a person places etc. one of my biggest literacy sponsors right now is Howard University. They provide the tools in teaching literacy with access to books and professors. In doing this they provided me with the necessary knowledge I need to gain for literacy. This also makes professors literacy sponsors by being the ones to teach us the information. Since literacy is a consent thing we will always have a literacy sponsor to help us grow with our literature. One of Malcolm's biggest sponsors was the Norfolk's County jail. The jail provides the inmates with books and by him being provided with the necessary tools he was able to teach himself in a peaceful environment. They also regulated how much he read by cutting the light off at 10 pm and having guards patrol. Another sponsorship was Elijah Mohammed with Malcolm being inspired by his Islamic teaching it made him more invested to read more and it also helped his writing because he used to write to him. lastly, he was his literacy sponsor by taking that leap to teach himself and join the Nation of Islam he was able to become a Great public figure for his community and leave a legacy that is still told today. Malcolm felt free in jail because it allowed him to learn the information that he wanted to. In prison, they gave him access to a book that intrigued him . in doing that he was able to grow academically and mentally. without reading and writing changing him he wouldn’t have been able to be the person he was.

# data[].attributes.body
Dora Lopez is an artist born in Tumbes, Peru. She is known for her exquisite paintings that are rich in texture. She got her education in art through the famous Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes. Most of her paintings usually have to do with romance. Her art is showcased in over 40 exhibits worldwide. Most of her exhibits, however, are in the United States. Lopez peaked in the art industry most recently, in 2010.

Brandt defines a literary sponsor as “someone or something that affects literacy learning in two powerful ways...”. She states that the most common sponsors are older relatives, teachers, pastors, influential authors, and supervisors. Lopez has had multiple sponsors, one of these being her father. Her father was an educated man who received an accounting degree at a local technical college. He had a large impact on her literacy learning due to his education. Her mother also went to technical college as well. Her mother worked at a bookstore with computers, this allowed Dora access to computers at a young age. Dora’s parents were big sponsors in her life.

Lopez's sponsors were her educated parents. With this being said she got most of her academic exposure after her adolescence. Lopez did not get exposure to computers and other resources until a late age. She was not able to obtain a rich learning environment without these resources. Because of her sponsors she was not able to really get into literary learning until after her childhood. Her literary sponsors delayed her learning track.

I was never provided a question in my breakout room.

The writing concept that writing is impacted by prior experience really connects to Lopez’s life. This concept really focuses on how a person's past experiences, mostly their childhood, can affect the way they write and even read. For example, if a person is raised in a different country, with a different language and culture, attempts to learn english, it will be a lot harder for them to learn versus someone born and raised in America. This concept rings true in Lopez’s life. Her parents were her sponsors, her childhood is really what shaped her learning. Lopez’s literacy skills are shaped by people in her past.

Brandts ideas of literary sponsors ring very true with me here in college. Brandt states that “sponsors enable and hinder literacy, often forcing the information of new literacy requirements while decertifying older ones”. In this English class I have learned alot about writing that has clashed with learnings I have been taught before. The idea that writing is not about the grammar and correctness, but the content, is new to me. In high school our writing was graded heavily on the grammar and format.

# data[].attributes.headline
Padlet Group - Raymond Branch (Group Members: Zuriel Johnson, Isatou Nyang & Jolynn Blankson)

# data[].attributes.subject
Padlet Group - Raymond Branch (Group Members: Zuriel Johnson, Isatou Nyang & Jolynn Blankson)

# data[].attributes.body
Raymond Branch is a white male. He was born into a wealthy family, his mother being a real estate executive and his father being a professor. He moved with his parents to a university town that allowed him a lot of exposure to the technology that was gaining traction at this time. Even before then, he was granted a lot of opportunities that would benefit him later in life. His first grade classroom offered advanced technology and his father allowed him to play in his science lab. When he was 12, he was gifted his first personal computer for Christmas. This advanced his interest in computers, games, and programming. As he grew up computers became more accessible and stores would open up with all the new technology so he would go around in the summer and learn as much as he could. There are many implied sponsorships that Branch could’ve learned from throughout his lifetime. The text starts off with how he uses a computer in 1st grade at school which was connected to Stanford university so he could’ve had access to some college resources which would be able to act as a sponsor. Another sponsorship he could have potentially had may include online websites and text from the computer he had in first grade. People from the lab and possibly any text from the lab he stayed at with his father, may have also been sponsors as they could have taught him things that they worked on. With the new stores being made near him those stores would have also been a potential sponsor for his learning by exposing him to higher levels of technology. Another thing is that the text basically says he was almost perfectly set up to be exposed to everything he needed. Therefore all the technology and sources he was able to have access to allowed for Raymond Branch to have plenty of sponsors and opportunities. Raymond Branch had been exposed to many sponsors throughout his lifetime which set him up well for life. Due to the fact that he had access to different resources early on in his life, he was more knowledgeable when it came to programming, making him more technologically advanced than other people his age. He also had good access to technology but took advantage of what he had, which allowed him to stir his interest in this subject. Later on in his life, as a result of his strong foundation, it affected his career by making him successful in freelance writing of software. Another thing is that it may have also made it easier for him in this field due to his early footing. As a Christmas gift Raymond received a personal computer from his parents. The computer became a major sponsor because it served as a resource to allow him to read and possibly write but he was also able to become literate with computers. The year after he received a modern computer which shows that he was growing up with newer updated technology over time and as he grew up he would always surround himself with more and more computers which really set him up for his future. The concept discussed in class that relates most to our sponsee is the process-bound concept. This relates to our sponsee because growing up from a kid to adult there were many changes, experiences,  and trials that allowed for his literacy to develop. Branch started out with just a computer in his first grade classroom but over time he gained experience with more sponsors. Another way this concept takes place in his life is that it shows how there’s a process that he’s learning more over time which eventually leads him to his career. The process bound concept has shown to be most related to Branch as he has grown most from things such as past experiences and trials. Brandt’s idea of literacy sponsors were not all actual human sponsors but also the simple resources we have around us. In college we are in a new environment that provides us with many resources to help us learn. These resources that we’ve been using include things such as books, professors, and some events hosted by the school. Brandt through his writing indicates that our sponsors can be many of the things that we have at our disposal and with us as college students we have many opportunities. We need to learn to make good use of these sponsors which may benefit our future careers and day to day lives. Making good use of these sponsors can allow for us to be successful as long as we take advantage of what’s given to us.

# data[].attributes.body
Malcolm Little, better known as Malcolm X, was an African-American Muslim man born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1925. Malcolm X was an influential civil rights activist that believed in a separatist philosophy, which many recognized as “by any means, necessary. He was sentenced to prison for larceny at the age of 21. During his time in prison, Malcolm X dedicated his time learning how to read and write by being inspired by Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam. After being released, he went on to become a preacher for a mosque in Harlem. According to History.com, “In June 1964, he founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity, which identified racism as the enemy of justice, and not the white race.” After changing his name to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz in 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated a little under a year.
With him being locked away in prison, he took the opportunity to better his literacy skills. He wanted to emulate people like Bimbi, a person who takes charge of conversations. The dictionary symbolizes a tool that helped him understand and learn new words. Mr. Muhammad taught Malcolm the reality of school textbooks and how they’ve become white-washed. Malcolm X read books like “Wonders of the World” and “Outline of History”; books like this gave him knowledge of black history before the era of colonization. Mr.Muhammad was a big influence in Malcolm's academic life, and he also taught Malcolm that of origin of human life started with a black man and the study of the recessive gene. Malcolm also wrote letters to hone on literacy and writing skills.
Again during Malcolm X’s time in prison, he had many experiences with different kinds of literacy sponsors. One of his major sponsorships was with his teacher Mr. Muhammad and Bimbi, a former prisoner Malcolm was inspired by through his acts of conversation and knowledge. Malcolm X then started teaching himself how to read and write through a dictionary. As time went by and he learned more words, he started having a deeper comprehension of the books he was reading.  Having these significant sponsors during his time of literacy development gave him a mere sense of motivation and fulfillment. And, eventually, when he was released from prison, he was able to climb the social mobility ladder and become a minister and preach to his community.

Malcolm X felt free in prison because being in the position allowed him to expand his knowledge of topics he really cared about. Having access to the prison’s library gave Malcolm the freedom to read about anything he wanted. Being in prison also gave him time to better his penmanship skills, which motivated his yearning to write.

One of the writing concepts we can connect with Malcolm X is that identities and prior experiences can impact writing. Malcolm X learned to read when there wasn’t much access to proper education and prison education programs to help facilitate his literacy development. However, Malcolm X took the initiative of his own learning and used whatever resources were available to him, and created something bigger than himself. According to Writing About Writing, “ But if we stop to think through our experiences with literacy, our feelings and experiences can begin to make more sense. We can be empowered to own and explain them and to take control of them.”
Brandt defines a sponsor of literacy as someone who is usually older than you that possesses more knowledge. As college students, professors play a big role in being sponsors of literacy. Professors are imperative in the way we process necessary information we need to succeed and learn continuously. With literacy, we will never stop learning how to read and write because of the various contexts literacy presents itself in society. Books and digital resources also hold an important key to a better academic future. Also, as college students, we learn from each other and gain insight from each other's experiences. Being at Howard University allows us to dig deeper into literacy and what it means for us individually and as a community.

# data[].attributes.headline
Dwayne Lowery(Mariam Davies and Lauren Frank)

# data[].attributes.subject
Dwayne Lowery(Mariam Davies and Lauren Frank)

# data[].attributes.body
Dwayne Lowery is one of 5 children of a rubber worker and homemaker. His father’s feisty union publications created a political climate in the household. Despite the climate, Lowery didn't find much interest in politics. In the 50s, he attended a small high school in his semi-rural community and graduated towards the bottom of his class. After high school, he joined the army but left and became an assembly line worker but changed careers after 4 years to a water meter reader. In his later years, Lowery received a grant to train in union activity. He eventually was offered a full-time job and worked there until his early retirement after being replaced by a younger employee.

Lowery was a part of many sponsorships in his life. To start, his father’s union publication brought a political influence upon him. He gained a basic education at his small high school. In post-high school education, he enlisted in the Army and gained Army values but left and attended union workshops. At these workshops, he mostly did readings and presentations to learn about regulations, systems, and laws. The newspaper was another sponsor for Lowery, he often read the newspapers as a kid to keep up with the sports column but also in the morning when he worked in a municipal utility department in his later years. His last set of sponsors would be a Union-sponsored workshop to improve his communication skills and learn about new legislation and courses at a university to better his briefing skills.

His father's publications made him shun politics and newspapers as a child. This eventually wore off as Lowery began reading the newspaper to get information and starting to become a little more political. After his retirement, Lowery found himself engaged in local democratic party politics. His small high school education slowed him down in the real world when he was becoming a worker at the union. He wished he would have paid more attention in class because he had a tough time grasping the knowledge. But after getting the job he continued to take more classes and workshops to improve his skills and allowed him to gain many years as a union worker.

Lowery had a recursive relationship between the demands for job skills and the changing standard of literacy in that the demands of his position outgrew his skill potential. Lowery was replaced by a recent graduate from a master’s degree program, even after Lowery continued going to workshops and classes to better his skills. This younger individual possessed the skills necessary for the changing demands of this profession.

One of the Threshold Concepts that relate to Lowery is “Writing Is Impacted By Identities And Prior Experiences”. This conveys that our experiences are involved in our writing practices, attitudes, strengths, and weaknesses. At his small semi-rural high school, Lowery graduated at the bottom of his class. This affected him in his later years at the union-sponsored workshops. He felt like if he had paid more attention and read more he would've had an easier time grasping concepts at the workshop.

The idea of the changing standard of literacy can relate to our education right now as college students. Our graduating class has had to learn virtually for two prominent years of our education (senior year and freshman year of college). Therefore, there may be a gap between the knowledge that we have attained compared to younger generations who will learn in person for these prominent years. Brandt talks about literacy skills going vulnerable due to shifts in every new generation and new literacy requirements while decertifying older ones. This relates to Lowery, as a younger individual had an advantage over him, causing Lowery to retire early.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sponsee Profile- Sherman Alexie(Victoria Petit-Homme and Camille Joseph)

# data[].attributes.subject
Sponsee Profile- Sherman Alexie(Victoria Petit-Homme and Camille Joseph)

# data[].attributes.body
Sherman Alexie, an Indian male, was born into The Spokane Indian Tribe in 1966, located in Wellpinit, Washington. Alexie was born with “water on the brain” (Wardle, 2019), not believed to survive with his condition. Living with three sisters and a brother, Alexie’s family was not wealthy. Although at least one of his family members seeked out jobs to keep them at a middle-class standard. Fortunately, at the age of three he became an exceptional young reader, but still mocked by his peers. According to Alexie, Indian children were expected to be unsuccessful in achieving education. He grew to love reading, this habit was adapted from his father when young and he excelled. Alexie then went on to publish many pieces and has been awarded World heavyweight Poetry Bout.

Alexie’s father was an impactful sponsor in his early life. His father was an avid reader that had an immense amount of books around the house. Alexie states “My father loved books, and since I loved my father with an aching devotion, I decided to love books as well” (Alexis,1997, p. 129). Due to his fathers influence in the books he admired, Alexis decided to teach himself to read. Sherman Alexie states he was introduced to literacy through sponsorship of comic books. Sherman grew fascinated with comic books which went on to any book he was able to get his hands on. This interest was passed on from his father demonstrating generational influence.

More advanced into Alexie life, he became ahead of his class when time came to show skill. He became a writer and has Published more than 20 pieces. Then received the award of World's Heavyweight Poetry Bout. Not only did he win more than once but held the title for 4 years. Alexie performs stand-up at comedy festivals. He also visits schools in India to inspire the children. They are now determined to create their own literacy.

Sherman uses the phrase “fence of words.” (Alexie, 1997, p.129). The words all worked together to form a common goal, for a reason to all be “inside the same fence”(Alexie, 1997, p.130). These examples are a representation of the function of paragraphs. He also uses the visual of his family and how when subjecting them they will all file into their own paragraphs. Expressing that all the family is is one concept and what makes it an essay, when all the paragraphs come together.

The writing concept “Writing Is Impacted by Identities and Prior Experiences” (Wardle 12) connects to Alexie’s prior experiences. Sherman Alexie’s “Superman and me,” addressed  how his literature played an impactful role in his life growing up in the Spokane Indian tribe. Learning how to read and finding his purpose in writing all characterized his experiences to aid other young native Americans. Every writing has a past that has meaning and in-depth experiences. The type of writing style you write, how you distinguish the text and how you perceive the writing is all impacted by your experiences. It is your identity.

What we drew from Brandt is that you will learn even if you don't feel like you are. There are many times and situations where it is felt that we are not grasping anything and later realize that everything will come to light. Also, that everything is a process which we should not stress but continue to work on.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jim Boyd and Sherman Alexie ~ Reservation Blues

# data[].attributes.body
In NARRATIVE FORM, address the following items:

A.  Name & Brief Bio: details upbrining regarding class, gender, and any other pertinent information you found in the reading and/or Google search. (7-8 Sentences)

B. Types of Sponsorships & literacy Skills/ Opportunities potentially gained: Think about what's implied in the text, not just outright stated. Sponsors can be anything from conversations in family breakfasts, comic books, actual school, online chats .... (7-8 Sentences)

C. Outcomes for Identity: What effect did these experiences with various literacies sponsors have on this individual, early on or later in life? (5-6) Sentences

D. Synthesis: Answer your SPECIFIC profile related question about your individual. To be provided during breakout rooms (3-4 Sentences)

E. Writing Concept: Connect one of today's writing concepts to your profile. How do you see any of the concepts discussed in class lecture today at play in your sponsee's life? (5-6 Sentences)

F. Multi-Media: Find an image, short video, short song, or draw a pic... to add to your profile here. Do not just arbitrarily pick something. I would wait to find your multi-media element until you have completed the written portion of the assignment.

G. Meta-Moment: What are some implications of Brandt's ideas of literacy sponsors for your education right now as college students? (5-6 Sentences)

H. Conversation as Inquiry: Read your peer groups' profiles & come up with two critical questions to ask to at least 1 group. Post your (2) questions as a comment on their padlet post. If certain profiles are lacking a peer response comment, please choose one that needs it.

F. Share & Submit! Hit Share on Padlet Website. Click on save as jpeg or PDF (other profiles may be a part of this document). Submit 1 PDF or JPEG to submission folder here on Blackboard.