RIVERA'S TIME IS OUR TIME

Diego Rivera's Frozen Assets painting reminds of the phrase "the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor". For me, the top section showing the skyscrapers, represented a land of opportunity where supposedly anyone can make something out of nothing. The middle section with the guard watching over the sleeping people gave me a sense of overpowering control. The guard is acting as the government making sure the people who struggle are kept comfortable enough so they won't have the desire to climb the social ladder. The bottom section emulates the same government protecting the rich by securing their position on the social ladder through banks which protect their money. Even though the painting refers to the Great Depression during the 1930’s, I think it still applies in 2011. This Rivera painting relates to events currently running around the world, for example the Occupy Movement. Even though our time isn’t in as bad of shape like the 1930’s, there is still social inequality occurring. Do not forget the Oscar Grant case in which his murderer, a police department official, only got a maximum of three years and was out in one and a half, after shooting and killing a handcuffed, defenseless, urban male. Michael Vick, an NFL football player, got the same sentence for dog fighting. If that isn’t recognized as social inequality then I don’t know what is. These kind of situations take place right in our face but are inevitable because a position of power and money control all.

What Inspires?

I gain most inspiration from older people that tell me their personal experiences. So personal that the only reason they tell me is to specifically teach me a life lesson. This way I have the option to learn the easy way or the hard way.  Some stories I heard have ended with a righteous path to success and others, unfortunately, have been cut short with continuous trips to prison or death. The message I receive from all these experiences is to have a focus on what my heart really wants in life, pursue it and achieve it. I also have to clearly realize the road to my success will be a row full of obstacles to overcome. The most inspiring auto biography I heard so far came from an older man, about 35, named Kuma. He shared with me that he had been in and out of incarceration since the age of 11. It took him until the age of 30 to realize it was finally time to straighten out his life. After his last stay in San Quentin Penitentiary, which lasted 5 years, he got his first job working for Goodwill Industries. Kuma expressed to me how blessed he felt to have the chance to start over the right way after everything he has done to himself. The one thing he wanted me to understand was that there was nothing better than freedom and I should do my best not to lose it. I captured that point and noticed the incredible drive Kuma obviously has, to be able to pick himself up when he reached rock bottom. In my life, I try to incorporate consistency and quality for a better outcome, when trying to reach my goals. I feel fortunate when I understand the perspective of a more mature person because it is similar to predicting and controlling the future for my own choices.  

Community Essay Pre-Writing Prompt

I can strongly say I'm familiar with the dog park community. The members of the community involve a diverse group of people and dogs. I have a one year and eight month old, female pit bull, named Ahkela, and training her to be friendly in public is vital when interacting with these diverse groups. If my dog were to approach another one aggressively, then a fight could break out between the two animals. That would also leave a bad impression between owners. Other than a situation like that occurring, most owners I have encountered seem open minded and show care for their pet. Even if you don't have a dog you are welcome at the dog park. Sometimes, I see couples asking about the different breeds or just petting the different kinds they're attracted to. There are Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Huskies, Bulldogs, Poodles, Beagles, Rottweilers, Golden Retrievers, and it keeps going. My favorite thing to notice out of the various types is their attitude, it's funny how dogs carry themselves, almost like humans. 

Personal Reflection During Module 1

PLUS:

- I turned in all homework assignments.

- Until now, I have been getting along with the staff and my colleagues.

- I earned an award for my Business Communications class.

- I earned first place for the Elevator Pitch assignment in Business Communications class.

- I earned a decent grade for my Tech mid term.

- I have become more comfortable speaking in front of a group.

DELTA:

- I earned an infraction for being late once.

- I need to maintain better health.

- I need to complete all homework the night before school.

- I need to get the required hours of sleep every night.

- I should read an assigned chapter, more than once.

- I should take the practice quizzes, more than once.

- I must practice the art of small talk.

- I need to be better prepared before a presentation.

What neighborhood are you from?

The neighborhood you are raised in can definitely influence you if you let it. It is easy to get influenced because many argue that their neighborhood is all they know, this could influence you in a negative or positive way. For me, I directed towards a positive manner. I grew up in the Fillmore District between the ages of six and twenty-one, so I witnessed how raw it was before it's gentrification occurred. If you were to walk on Divisadero and Grove Street today you would never guess all of the illegal activity that use to take place. I witnessed robberies, people getting jumped, drive bys in parking lots, and narcotics being sold daily. If you weren’t from the neighborhood and you walked through, you were going to get harassed about it. Now it looks like the club scene with people out wining and dining. There are so many police cars patrolling the area that make me feel like I'm the suspicious looking character in my own neighborhood. I believe the openings of new businesses, especially clubs, caused gentrification. The rent started to increase rapidly moving out all of my long time neighbors and even my own family. When the changes first started to take place it frustrated some residents and they reacted violently. Suddenly I started noticing flyers informing residents of the area that there have been vicious attacks and robberies taking place at night and to be aware. I knew that meant some long time residents were releasing all their frustration on the new, wealthier, residents. Even though gentrification isn’t fair to me, it appears as an example of life, sometimes you just have to accept it and move on. I believe I am who I am because of my neighborhood. The nature of my neighborhood taught me to move on my toes and always be aware of my surroundings.

I BLAME YOU

It seems companies are exacerbating the opportunity divide by giving people in debt a small window to crawl through, so to speak. These companies tell you there is a way out of debt without the customer realizing how much you will end up paying. Most people experiencing poverty don't notice how much income they will spend getting out of debt due to the interest percentage. Another way customers are getting victimized is by having to pay a higher interest rate than someone who is not in poverty.

I understand that these companies are taking advantage of people in poverty, but I also understand these companies didn't place you in debt to begin with. I believe it is the individuals responsibility to foresee the consequences of their financial spending. Perhaps, spending more time in cogitation would help to create a broader picture for any situation. The reason I stand behind this opinion is my family went through poverty for most of my life and never got into debt. It was four of us living in an apartment studio with my parents earning minimum wage. The key to avoid debt is to cut out any unnecessary expenses. I know this could be hard for mothers especially because they have a harder time saying no to their children, when it comes to purchasing items. If my family could get through it any family can.

Now, there are a lot of free resources I have discovered including food pantries, free furniture give aways, food stamps, government money, and various programs that help you find free schooling or work. With all these connections, there is almost no excuse not to pull yourself out of a slump. I know pride may be an issue, but you have to realize what is more important.