The Borderlands Letter was to connect, analyze, and understand on a deeper level the writing of a chosen author. Using rhetorical analysis to dive into the world the author created.

The poem I read from the author talked about the past and how you don't realize the happy moments until they're gone. I chose Albuquerque NM because that was my happy moment.

The poem caught my eye because of the title, "Blue" . It was short and simple and eye catching to me. When analyzing the poem I wrote down parts that stuck to me, parts I didn't understand and parts I wanted to expand on

The rhetorical analysis for this letter wasn't the strongest. I'll admit I got more distracted with wanting to write about the poem and less so the purpose, genre, ect.

When researching the author I found very little of her, somehow I found her Instagram and started on my deep dive on her. I felt more connected to her in that way. She was a writer and scholar but on her Instagram she was just Laura.

So this poem, her poem, again talks about happy memories and not realizing them until they're gone and you're reminiscing. For me I connected in a way with my own travels and joy with close people. It taught me that Borderlands is really more than a border, it's the standing point of one side and the other.

This unit (both the Reflexivity Statement and Letter to a Writer) was my favorite, it felt the closest to my heart and I had fun with it. Would love to write like this again.

The Borderlands Digital Story Cover consists of a cover page that gives an overview to the digital storymap. As for the borderlands storymap, its purpose is to connect with the environment around us and to identify

The pin is located in Mt. Lemmon, the subject in my storymap

In order to get information I went up to Mt. Lemmon took photos, videos, and noted things I saw. In order to connect with the project more I chose a close friend to interview for more information. During this process I surprisingly learned more about the wildlife up there.

This project was for my friends family and those people that find peace in nature.

My writing is more personal, instead of the expected more professional writing. I don't think I broke any set rules, I just made the writing more me.

I'm used to writing in third person, it's not often that I write in first person so it was quite an adventure as I corrected myself many times when I referred back to third person.

This project was one of the more personal ones, it included my childhood safe space and my second family. It was slightly difficult to stop myself from going overboard with talking about them.

This came from a discussion board, to reflect on a portfolio of the bodies of migrants found on the border and in Arizona.

The chosen pin is the location of the body of a man, the toe tag information I was given. Quite literally this man crossed the border in search of a better life.

I was thankful to know a project like this existed, crossing the existing and known borderlands to show the many lives that have been lost. It taught me that even writing about things that aren't in the public eye or that may not be taken well should still be written about because it matters.

In my future academia I wish to write more about my culture, my family, things like this that go to unnoticed. Breaking barriers is necessary, which is what I learned from Borderlands.

It was nice to see something I care deeply about being talked about, paying attention to it. It was a beautiful showing of respect. It made me feel more cared for in a way knowing that there are people out there that have the strength to do this.