Social Awareness Project

Content-

Poem- I wrote a poem describing my experience at The New York City climate march which was my first protest and my first experience as an activist.

Short Story- I decided to write a story that takes the reader through the experiences of a girl whose mother passed away in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 and her actions to stop poor working conditions.

Entry- As a teen, I spend a lot of time on line and have witnessed cyber bullying. I wanted to explain the various forms of online abuse.

A First Step for Change

A balmy day,

September twenty-first

Hundreds fighting to prevent a curse

That fossil fuels and oil pools

Were bringing upon our small chunk

Of the universe.

An energy buzzed through the sweaty masses

People hailing from all social classes

Yelling with care and rage intertwined, 

The BOOM BOOM of their stomps

Bringing an elephant to mind.

This was no parade

But a march of shame,

Change had to come

Energy from the sun

Save the bees!

Take away guns.

I marched at first,

Clapping my hands

The distant tunes of a marching band

Mixing with the shouts

Heard all about.

The pace was slow

And the space completely filled

I pushed my way to the sidelines

As others continued to sluggishly rush by.

Everyone there had pure, passionate spirit

But there were so many clumps

Could anyone hear it?

The United Nations surely would pay attention

The voices of New Yorkers surely worth a mention.

After that day, I really do hope

That all of our efforts 

Will let the government see through a new scope.

In the thick of it all,

The order seemed tall

But as Doctor Seuss said,

“A persons a person, no matter how small.”

And people have opinions!

That they admirably fight for

Whether its climate change, animal cruelty or war.

That march was just a beginning 

Of fierce tension brewing.

A melting pot of people, 

No longer just stewing.

Flimsy

        That morning, I didn’t understand why my mother went to work. It was a Saturday and that week she said that we could go to the zoo. I wanted to see the monkeys so badly, they didn’t have a care in the world. They swung from branch to branch, seeing their mothers everyday, not having to worry about money, not having their mothers come home depressed with needle pricks covering her hand like a  lace doily.

Mother left a note on the dusty kitchen table for me, it said she was sorry but our rent day was coming up and we needed the money. Disheartened, I spent the rest of the day reading in my room. Mother had bought me all of the classics, in secondhand paperback form, of course. Mother wanted her little girl to be smart and go to college. She wanted me to get a good job, not like her factory job with a hundred other ladies like her, fresh from Europe. The Triangle Shirtwaist factory she worked at seemed to exclusively hire single women like herself, desperate for pay, as low as it was.

Mother told me a lot about Poland, how they always ate heartily and children could run freely through fields. But she also told me of the lack of structure in her village. How drunken men walked through the town, yelling charming rhymes to young women like my mother. She told of her stupidity back then, how she flirted with the intoxicated fool and was like a fly in honey when she tried to push him away. 

Mother’s parents banished her from their house and as soon as she heard rumors of a ship leaving for America, she gathered her meager savings and left the only place she had ever known for a land where she could support herself, or rather, where she could support us.

I was halfway through Pride and Prejudice when I heard the sirens. At first I didn’t think much of them, maybe there was an accident or a mugging. But, when the smoke drifted up my nostrils I left my cramped room to look outside. A huge cloud of smoke loomed about six blocks away and grandmas and babies were wailing into each other. I ran outside and tugged on Mrs. Rabinowitz’s arm. She was a friendly old lady who made challah every Thursday and gave some to us in return for watering her flowers while she was at synagogue. 

“What’s going on?”

“Oh child, oh yakirati, theres been a fire at the factory.”

“What factory?” I asked with dread for her answer. She continued sobbing and I practically shook the answer out of her.

“Tr-triangle, oh your poor eema.” The words didn't register at first and a certain numbness overtook me. No, no, this wasn't happening, it couldn’t, it didn’t. This blind hope grasped my mind with such a strong grip that only the timid words of Officer Stein could break.

“Miriam, your mother, she didn’t survive the fire. I am so sorry for your loss.”

The next few days dragged by. Mrs. Rabinowitz kept me fed and bathed but the food had no taste and the water would never wash away my grief. It slid off of my skin like oil on tin.

But soon grief turned to anger and when my ears heard Officer Stein telling our landlord of a strike against the unsafe working conditions I pounced. I would make my mother's evil boss pay. I skipped school and marched with the other 145 victim’s families with such fury, no adult dared send me to school. Us mourners were somber, almost everyone missing his or her daughter. We yelled of the preventable past, how if there were more exits or sprinklers this would never have occurred. 

My feet burned from stomping and my face was wet with tears, but the strike yielded some worth. Seventy five dollars was given to Mrs. Rabinowitz to take care of me and over the next several months, factories across New York changed for the better. We didn’t have slogans or weapons, just cold facts and cold hearts of people missing their loved ones.

The building I work in now has fire drills and bright red exit signs. The smoke detecters are top notch, but they rarely pick up much except for the occasional cigarette. I can’t imagine what my mother felt, but I imagine it wasn’t just fear. She was a women who sailed the Atlantic in a cramped ship with nothing but scraps of bread and a swollen stomach pounding with life. I know she tried her best to get out of the building, to get back to me. At school they described how the building across the street extended ladders through the windows. Those women got out alive, got back to their families. I don’t know if my mother tried to climb across those ladders or got stuck in an elevator or was engulfed by flame. Maybe she could have gotten out if the doors weren't locked to prevent theft or if the flimsy iron of the fire escape held up.

But these are all “ifs” and I’ll never know if they hold truth. So as an adult, I’m trying to prevent those ifs from others. Working at a nonprofit may not pay a huge salary, but the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was caused by a mere trashcan flame, an accident. But what wasn’t an accident was the shoddy workmanship and the lack of care from Blanck and Harris, the owners of the building my mother worked in, put her trust in, and died in.

Scenes/Situations

• Cyber hate (Ask.fm, To Be Rudes)
• Racist Terms (Words such as “nigga” or “cracker” are thrown around loosely)
• Dress Code (girls banned from wearing leggings/other items of clothing)
• Cat calling (unwanted attention from men or women)

Entry

Teenagers spend a vast amount of time on social media. Here, teens can post pictures of themselves, their friends, their art, whatever they want to spread across the internet. It is also easy to spread hate. There are an multitude of platforms to do this on but the most common is Ask.fm. Here, users can ask anonymous questions to another user. The asker does not even have to have an account to ask questions. On Instagram, users can post pictures with captions stating that likers of said picture will receive a to be rude, a relation of to be honest. Both sites were not intended for these purposes but have harvested them.

People use Ask.fm for multiple purposes, some people ask questions or statements they are too afraid to say in real life such as, “you’re so pretty” or “where do you get your clothes from?” Other people take advantage of the anonymous option to ask creepy questions about ones personal life or call them demeaning names. Because askers can hide behind a “curtain”, the only person affected by the cruelty is the receiver of said questions. In addition, on popular platform Instagram, users give out “to be rudes.” These are captions stating negative opinions about the way someone acts or looks. Many argue that people should just not like the picture. This is a very good start of a solution, when one liked a to be rude photo they are asking for criticism. However, the to be rude plays into natural psychology. Most teenagers always want to improve their image or social standing, and by liking the to be rude they can learn how, in one person’s eyes, they can be better. All solutions start at the root of a problem and the solution to stopping these forms of cyber hate is simple. First, don’t be a coward, express your opinions in real life if they are that dire and second, be kind. By posting something that emits the fact that one wants to be cruel, you are showing off negativity, something no one wants to see.

I have not received a vast amount of cyber bullying. One time an anonymous asker told me I was a suck up to “popular people.” I tried to respond maturely, saying that was their opinion but, to me I just spent time with people I enjoyed the company of. After I responded, some of my peers came to my defense. This showed me how while hate is never a good thing, teens raised with the internet know how to defend themselves and others, becoming on-screen activists against bullies.

Nonfiction Reading Response

        In 1492, Colombus’s men did not find as much gold as they hoped. However, they found something much more addictive, tobacco. Since then, tobacco has strengthened its hold on America’s adults and youth, included in soldier’s rations and appearing in cartoons on Saturday morning. But, smoking would not have grown as popular as it was in the mid 1900’s without advertising. The article, “Kicking the Habit,” sourced from Upfront magazine and written by Robert K. Elder, demonstrates how advertisers in the past glorified smoking and how government involvement over the years changed this.

Cigarettes were beginning to addict multitudes of Americans in the 1930’s, 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s thanks to the unique advertisements companies put out. For example, when popular actors such as John Wayne were hired to smoke a particular brand, teens who looked up to the celebrity were convinced smoking was hip and rebellious. This illustrates how companies targeted certain groups using different tactics. Celebrities beloved by teens would make adolescents purchase cigarettes the same way a cooking show can make moms and dads want to try out a new recipe. In addition, teenagers were not the only demographic directed specific ads. In 1968, the brand Virginia Slims focused on making their product appealing to women. Their magazine advertisements read, “…the makers of Virginia Slims feel it highly inappropriate that women continue to use the fat, stubby cigarettes designed for mere men.” The ads, picturing a woman in superhero garb, prove how companies used unique, powerful language to endorse their product. The publication uses the degrading words, “mere, fat,” and “stubby.” The ad portrayed women as superheroes who should not have to use the disdainful products do. This advertisement was focussed on women believing the opposite of male chauvinism. Another example of forceful endorsement was the 1947 Camel ad. The advertisement stated that the majority of doctors smoked Camel cigarettes. As a result of the subliminal message that since doctors smoke it is healthy to smoke, the ad shows how advertisements like this highly encouraged smoking through different tactics. In the previously stated ad, Camels used “health professionals,” in reality, actors, to lure customers in. 

Advertisements were using tricks and lies to promote cigarettes, but when the government stepped in, this all changed. As of 1970, cigarette companies could not endorse their product on the radio or on TV. So, cartoons smoking and short, comical radio bits were out of the public’s eyes and ears. Without these platforms, the youth were less exposed to the unhealthy habit. In addition, congress raised awareness of the nasty side effects of smoking. “…Warnings became more direct: ‘Smoking causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy.’” These words of caution were printed directly on cigarette cartons. The firm precautions made customers think about the damage they were causing themselves from smoking. No one wants to hurt themselves, the age of “blissful” ignorance through unregulated endorsement was over.

Everyone knows at least one smoker, but back in the 20th century, one would know a multitude of tobacco addicts. This was thanks to deceptive and engaging advertising that was soon regulated by government involvement. This article has made me grateful to our government for including these barriers, both mental and physical, for smokers and companies. Without putting warnings on cigarette cartons and graphic images on the subway and in stores, people would have less premonitions about smoking.

Original Poetry on Activism

Screams, shouts, murmurs, thoughts
People parade around the blocks
Signs, posters, banners, cheers
These are what meet my eyes and ears.

All fighting for something they want
Trying to stop the hurtful taunts
That the ignorant feel the minorities need
Not caring, if they make hearts bleed.

A Visit to the Museum of the City of New York

        Last Thursday, we all hopped on the subway to visit the Museum of the City of New York. The museum itself is beautiful inside and out, with winding staircases and a view of Central Park, but the exhibits were the real beauties. From the exhibit that displayed a history of activism in the city, I learned different ways to be active and their effects.

        Activists are people who take a stand for what they believe is right. They can take this stand through violence or nonviolence and through comedy or serious demonstrations. An example of a nonviolent, serious protest was four-hundred years ago. Before New York was New York, it was the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. Peter Stuyvesant served as the "mayor" and used his power to ban public worship for any religion that was not the Dutch Reform Church. Even people part of his religion saw the lack of fairness and petitioned to allow religions such as Quakers and Jews to worship in public. However, petitions are not the only non violent way to get one’s point across. When segregation was enforced in public schools, thousands of New York City kids did not go to school, a boycott. An empty classroom definitely illustrated the outrage that citizens were feeling. But some people were not satisfied with the effects of nonviolence and took matters into their own hands. The Black Panthers, who fought segregation with violence, were a dangerous group who showed the government they would not be silent. More recently, bike safety has been a big issue in the city and cyclists are responding with humor. Falling over intentionally, wearing tutus and hats with cones on them are all ways cyclists are using peculiar displays to show the perils of biking in a city without guidelines for cars.

Overall, activists fight or fight without fighting for their cause in many ways, but all ways have shaped our city to be a center for activism over the years. New York City is very diverse and full of people ready to stand up for what is right. Recently, I marched in the climate march and I was proud to be part of something helping to save our earth. The march was filled with people brimming with passion and drive, true marks of activists.

To Kill A Mockingbird Reading Response

        Growing up as a girl in the South may not have been easy for young women with a thirst for adventure, similar to Scout

 in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In the novel, readers follow Scout Finch as she grows up in a small town plagued by racism and prejudice. Scout does not have a mother figure in her life for the majority of the story, and looks to her older brother and father as role models. In this setting, Scout represents the innocent hero because of her growing leadership and maturity throughout the  story, and her courage displayed at the conclusion of the novel.

“Proper Southern women,” listen to the men of a house hold, and their place is at home. However, Scout defies these standards as she grows throughout the story. In the beginning of the text, Scout did not possess a very free will. On page nine, Scout narrates, “Jem was a born hero.” This quotation illustrates how Scout was sometimes blind to how much she was barred from more daring parts because her admiration for her brother was so strong. While she and her brother and their friend played games, Scout was often forced to play a boring role that was consequentially a woman. Yet, as the novel progresses, Scout grows to be more self-possessed. When an uninformed school teacher crosses the Cunningham family rules, Scout stands up for Walter Cunningham and tells the teacher why Walter cannot borrow money. This illustrates how, because Scout stood up for her peers, she is becoming more mature. Earlier in the story, when presented with conflict, Scout responded with violence. But she is now capable of arguing her position. Southern women in that day may have not liked it when girls are headstrong, but Scout transitions from a loose cannon to an intelligent young lady, one of the many qualities of a hero.

Another attribute of a hero is bravery. An attribute, that Scout Finch possesses in spades. Bob Ewell, provoked by Atticus Finch’s defense of a black man in court, follows Jem and Scout home from a Christmas Pageant. This chase would be an occasion terrifying for anyone young, but Scout is courageous in the midst of chaos. After the chase, a body is in front of Scout. “A prickly stubble on the face told me it was not Jem’s.” This quote, on page 263, demonstrates how Scout was able to keep calm and use her senses in the face of danger. Murderers cannot be stopped if the hero is freaking out during the crime. In addition, after the chase and eventual death of Ewell, Scout protests that she wasn't scared. This claim demonstrates how Scout is still a little childishly defensive. However, she tells this to her father, who she is honest with. Atticus is her role model and Scout wanted to prove her fearlessness to him. To continue, after the entire ordeal, Scout meets the shadow of the book; Boo Radley. Radley was rumored to be insane, hurting his own family, eating live animals and other barbaric activities. Despite these whispers, Scout still treats him with kindness and respect, walking him home after the investigation. A hero is not someone who heartlessly defeats villains, it is someone that treats strangers with kindness and respect. A girl worthy of the title hero, Scout Finch developed from a submissive child to a daring adolescent.

        In today’s ravaged world, innocent children are forced to turn into heroes for themselves and their families. Acts of terror and violence force children to mature quickly in order to adapt to a rapid change in life style. Scout did not experience these traumas, but does exude maturity and courage in the face of prejudice-based conflict . Lee may have written Scout as the heroine she did to show how children can be as wise and possess the same valor as adults. 

Symbolism Synthesis Page

Quick Information- The setting is Bombay, India during the second World War. India is a colony of Great Britain but trying to break away. The main character Vidya lives comfortably but after her father’s brain is greatly impaired at a protest, she and her family must leave to her father’s family house. There she is treated almost as a servant, similar to the tale of Cinderella. She cannot take much to her new “home” and must leave her dog Raja behind.

Raja symbolizes Vidya’s past life in Bombay

In Hindi Raja means “king.” This displays how in comparison to where she lives for the majority of the story, Vidya’s home in

Bombay was almost majestic.She had the right to knowledge that she is denied in Madras and is not scolded for not being “the perfect bride” that she is supposed to be.

In Addition, in the beginning of the book, page 4, proceeding the visit of Vidya’s uncle who limits her rights, Vidya’s father says, “And remember to tie Raja up Saturday morning before he comes. You know how periappa feels about dogs.” This quote illustrates how Raja makes Vidya happy and when her uncles or aunts are around, Raja and her joy are not priorities.

Also, Raja is often described by Vidya as silky and soft, unlike the rough mats she must sleep on at her relative’s household. Raja was part of a comfortable, free lifestyle that was very different than most Indian girls had. Vidya had the right to education and could speak her mind. But away from her home (and Raja) she is forced into the stereotype of “a proper young lady.”

Eleanor and Park Reading Response

A modern day Romeo and Juliette minus death does sound nice doesn't it? The novel, “Eleanor and Park” by Rainbow Rowell is a tender and emotional love story between an outcast battling her controlling stepfather, Eleanor and the boy thats been waiting for someone as different as her, Park. The story takes place in a segregated neighborhood in 1986 called the flats where Park lives in the upscale section and Eleanor in the slums. However the setting helps their budding love because the school bus they must take causes their meeting, the separation gives their relationship drama and with the lack of modern technology they connect on a more intimate level.

To begin with, the suburban setting helps to bring Eleanor and Park together because it requires both of them to ride the school bus. This is significant because it is on a school bus that they first meet. Eleanor is forced to sit next to Park and if they walked or took a train they could easily avoid each other. Also, a relationship flourishes through constant communication which the two have every week day. And during the weekend the absence of Park makes Eleanor’s heart grow fonder as the following quote illustrates. “On Sundays, Eleanor could think all day about how close it was to Monday. But Saturdays were ten years long.” To continue, their bus ride is of substantial distance so Eleanor and Park were able to get to know each other really well in this slot of time they spend together.

Secondly, the fact that they both live in separate parts of their divided neighborhood encourages their relationship because it gives the affair drama. An example would be that Park once displayed his affection for Eleanor by running in the dead of night to her window which was so bold Park’s love practically slapped Eleanor across the face. This gesture astonished fulfilled the love Eleanor never received from her mother or father. Plus, their different lifestyles strike a perfect balance between the two. Eleanor’s ragtag outfits coincide with Park’s pulled together style in a way that proves the old saying opposites attract. Furthermore, the drama is so high that Eleanor must flee the town. Park says he’s helping her escape and when Eleanor resists he shows how deep his feelings are, “Do you think I even care about that right now?…Do you think I care about anything but you?” This shows me how Park fits the archetype of a hero, saving Eleanor from hitchhiking or other unsafe methods of travel. Their separate backgrounds intensify their feelings.

Lastly, because the story takes place in 1986, the only accessible form of technology is a walkman and because of this lack, their relationship is built on an intimate foundation absent of anything near texting or social media. As discussed Eleanor and Park met on the bus and since no iphones were around to plug into, Park reads comics, the first thing he and Eleanor bond over. “But she made his comics smell like roses. A whole field of them.” This quotation demonstrates how Eleanors slight effect on Park’s comics made him see Eleanor in a new light.

In addition, because there was no texting their only encounters are face to face. This helps the relationship be one of honest feelings and trust.

To conclude, because Eleanor and Park fall in love in 1986, in a neighborhood that divides them, forces them to meet and in a time period where communication was direct, their love is aided by these components because it is more honest then most of today’s teenage relationships. From this novel the reader can see how if you really feel deeply for someone you don’t need to always be with them or constantly texting them. True love like Eleanor and Park’s pulls through any challenges.