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.

BIOGRAPHY

My full name is Henry Albert Acevedo; I was born in the year 1989 becoming an original of San Francisco. Sometimes when people first meet me they say I don’t look like a Henry. I always thought that was odd but I have experienced it more than once. I’m the type to observe before I move and think before I speak. Being raised in my Salvadorian home meant that there was almost no room for error in what ever you were trying to accomplish. This tough love lead me down a rocky road at first, then I started to find motivation through appreciating lessons learned from other peoples’ experiences. Of course I have my own; even so, engaging in a conversation with people in unique situations or with interesting pasts opens your eyes and sharpens your peripherals. This is the type of community I love to be a part of, a large group of people that stay in touch and really concern themselves with everyone else around them. With great support, you can let your passion lead you in to a successful career for the future. Mine would include computer hardware simply for the fact that it urges me to learn more about it. I want to become computer savvy to benefit myself and the people close to me. As I mature I want to become more approachable, engaging, understanding, and patient. My motto in life is “Live and Let Live”, which for me translates to mind your business and everyone else will mind theirs.

Irish vs. British

During 1972 a bloody massacre occurred in Northern Ireland by British troops towards civilians. They opened fire during a Catholic civil rights march murdering a total of fourteen people. Decades passed on and none of the affected families had received compensation. The lawyers representing these families are demanding compensation. Now the British Ministry of Defense has replied agreeing to resolve the compensation problem. The issue is not all families want compensation. They would rather have justice implying the soldiers that commited the murders to be prosecuted. “Bloody Sunday” another phrase for the 1972 massacre, is known to be the fuel for the 30 years of violence between Irish and British forces. Even the name of where the incident occurred is being disputed. Irish nationalist call it Derry whereas British unionist call it Londonderry. The three- decade period after the 1972 massacre claimed over 3,000 lives.

I agree with these victims' families. If the British soldiers responsible for this are still breathing they should be prosecuted. Not only that, I believe the victims' families should also get compensation. There isn't any manner of bringing a deceased loved one back, so British government should do all in their power instead of attempting to buy an exit out of this issue. This article indicates the British government had no sympathy or remorse for this massacre, by not taking a plan of resolution in 1972. My reaction to this effect would be to create my own justice. It seems that there is no government like the U.S. government. Being part of any other government would probably turn me in to a guerilla rebel. Acknowledging history like this has me appreciating the freedom, opportunities, and justice the United States delivers. Even though I feel there should be more justice in America.

This is the article about the Irish marchers massacred by the British troops and now the families are trying to reach justice still after 30 years.

(http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/22/world/europe/ireland-uk-compensation/index.html?hpt=wo_c2)