Razor sharp wit

Provocative

Self-deprecating

Disillusionment

Unapologetic

Colonialism

The literary circle discussion went really well as I was able to talk about most of the points I had prepared for. At first, I was struggling to transition coherently to build off of my peers points.

A task that really sparked my curiosity was our in class analysis on one of Monkmans artworks. When we learned about the symbolism of petroglyphs, it made me realize that there are subtle nuances in Kent Monkman's work that I will never understand simply because I have not taken the time to educate myself on indigenous culture. This unit has brought to my attention the importance of educating myself on indigenous culture, especially because their culture and voices have been systematically suppressed for years. 

If I could dive deeper into one of the topics from this unit, I would have looked more into the effects of economic disparities on communities and relationships. A big interest of mine has always been politics and economics and at this time I believe it is such an important subject that should be talked about more frequently.  Starting to recognize the domino effect of impacts that class gaps and disparities have on the middle and lower class specifically is the first step to finding tangible solutions to the direct and indirect problems that arise.

The feminism movement has evolved over many years, along with some of its objectives, however, I believe we are still in the second wave of feminism because our core values and beliefs remain constant. The third wave of feminism arose after the Anita Hill hearings and began to emphasize intersectional feminism, women's social and political identities, and awareness about sexual harassment. I agree that technology and social campaigns have amplified the voices of many feminists and feminist groups, but these tools are used to augment the third-wave feminist objectives rather than creating new ones. For example in in 2014 the "#sayhername" movement arised on social media which raised awearness about policy brutality against Black women. This movement is an example of how modern platforms have been used to enhance the spread of third wave feminist values.

B- Good discussion of diction and devices are identified. Tone and Mood considered. Quotes are broken down. More links to main argument at the beginning and end would strengthen. 9

C- Thematic statements given and developed but the purpose not mentioned. Connection made at 5.30 - consider timing. 8

D- Variety of vocab. Expression and terminology does support analytical discusison. 9

This is my memory collage. It is impossible for me to encapsulate all the memories that have shaped my identity, but the photos I have chosen represent a glimpse into my path towards who I am today and my journey to self-discovery. 

I want to start off with the first two photos at the top left of my collage. The top one is the first breakup playlist I ever made, and the second is a text I have received from my mom many times throughout my life. 

Growing up, the relationship I was exposed to was the epitome of a 'traditional' marriage. My mom worked until I was three and then stayed home to take care of me, while my dad continued to work and ensure we had a comfortable life. However, this decision created a power dynamic between my mom and dad, and even me and my dad. My dad made the money, so he ran the house. No matter how disrespectful or belittling his words were, there was no option to oppose. My mom stayed quiet, and at night when they argued, thinking I was asleep, I would sit on the stairs and listen. But the only voice I could hear was my dad's.

If I tried to defend my mom, the situation got worse. When I was nine, she sat me down and told me speaking up only made things worse. 'Let it go'—the words you see in the screenshot and the same ones I heard anytime I stood up for myself or my mom.

When I got into my first real relationship last year, this was my mindset—just let it go. If I was unhappy or hurt, I let it go, never sticking up for myself to avoid escalation. Unsurprisingly, after bottling up emotions and lacking transparency, we broke up. But only after making that playlist did I realize the connection between what I grew up with and how it shaped my relationship. The more I listened to those lyrics on repeat, the more I thought about my own experiences. I realized that growing up watching a relationship where confrontation led to destructive, unresolved conflict made me avoid it at all costs. But once I recognized it, I knew I could change because I knew the root cause. This was one of my biggest steps toward self-discovery and transformation.

On the topic of family, I’ll move on to the photo of me and my grandma at the top right and me with my two cousins at the bottom right. The photo with my grandma was taken three weeks before she passed, and the one with my cousins was taken two weeks before my grandma on my dad's side passed.

Losing both grandmothers was so difficult it’s hard to put into words. They taught me everything I know about my culture and religion and brought me closer to my cultural identity. As much as this feels like a memory of loss, they left me one last gift—family. When my grandma at the top left was diagnosed with cancer for a second time, we knew it was the last. Similarly, when my dad's mom got sick at 83, we knew it was her time. Knowing this, close and extended family from both sides came together from all over the world to say goodbye. I met my cousins in the bottom right picture when I was eight, and now I call them my older brothers. I also met aunts and uncles from my mom’s side, who I now have weekly calls with. Though their passing will always hurt, they left me with something to be grateful for—lasting family connections.

My second last photo at the bottom left, is a screenshot of an account I made with my friend to post original music of mine, and covers. 

Music has been an outlet for me since I was 10 and started playing guitar, but confidence was not my strength. At my first guitar recital, my amp stopped working halfway through, my face went red, and I froze. After that, I deemed myself a terrible musician and decided never to perform again. The songs I wrote went unheard by anyone except my friend who sang them—until last month.

Last month, I wrote the best song I had made so far. I knew the lyrics and melody resonated and represented me better than anything I had created before. For the first time, I gave myself internal validation of my skills and practice and truly felt proud. After much-needed encouragement from my friend and reminders that I create music I love—and that’s what matters—we created our account, and people heard the songs I worked so hard on. It marked a pivotal moment, knowing that just a year ago, I wouldn’t have had the courage to do this. I once told myself I’d never perform again, yet our first video now has over 400 views

Finally, my last photo, the second photo to the right, is a photo of the first party I went to wearing a suit. 

Typically, like everyone else, I would wear a dress. I never felt comfortable or good, but fear of judgment made me conform. One day, my friend brought me a suit just in case I wanted to try it on before we left, knowing I loved them. When I tried it on, I felt confident in how I looked—not like I was putting on a filter to cover up my way of expressing myself.

I hesitated to show up in a suit but thought, what do other people’s ideas of what I should wear matter? I wasn’t wearing an outfit for them—I was wearing it for myself. When I arrived, I got nothing but compliments, with a few weird stares here and there, but feeling uncomfortable in my clothing was far worse than random people looking at me funny. This was the first moment I ignored possible judgment, let go of the need for external validation, and focused on what truly mattered—putting myself and my feelings first.

Lastly, explore the idea of losing one of these memories—how would it change who you are?

For this question I am picking the memories of my grandmother's passing. Loosing the memory of those experiences would have completely changed the way I value family now, and the way I perceive grief. Experiencing the loss of two family members so close to me that taught me so much about my identity made me understand the significance of family to cultural identity. Had I forgotten about losing my grandmothers and the connections I made with extended family, I would not have seen the importance of maintaining tight relationships with family and caring to learn more about my cultural heritage through storytelling. The way I understood grief had changed from something completely unfair and made of purely feelings of loss and hurt, to something that creates gratitude and leaves you with a lesson. Without the memory of the connections I made while grieving the inevitable loss of my grandmothers, I would never have been able to let go of that moment in my life, and the understanding I have of my identity and family heritage would exclude the importance of family connections.