#document statement

[finalportfoliostevens]

Document Statement #8: Essay #3

        This essay was the most developed piece of writing and required the least amount of work when it came to making it fit into the portfolio’s theme of social justice. However, with this essay I faced a unique issue which was actually having to trim sections from the original piece in order to keep the subject matter relevant to the theme. I also tried my best to condense and add more descriptions to the pieces so that readers who are not familiar with the series can easily follow along. The piece already contained the necessary social justice aspects so it naturally fit and was the foundation of the theme. It was this piece that I centered my theme around and crafted the other pieces of writing to complement this one.

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Document Statement #7: Essay #2

           This writing assignment was the most challenging to work on but allowed me to be creative. We were required to write a memoir where in it we included a lesson that we learned and could even teach to a younger version of ourselves. Since it was not required to be completely factual, I included events and scenarios from my own life and other friends and combined it for this piece. This piece was the most difficult to get to be able to fit within the theme because it initially didn't include a social justice component. I added in a scene where my friend and I had an altercation with the NOPD that again is a combination of experiences I’ve had with them over the years. Looking back and comparing the two essays, I am happy with how far this essay has come. It was hard to include it because it is such a personal piece and slightly embarrassing to reveal so much from my high school days.

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Document Statement #6: Essay #1

         This piece was especially difficult to fit in with the other pieces. When given the assignment to write it, it was simply to summarize and that was it. I struggled with how to further complicate it and what direction to take the piece in. After some brainstorming, I decided to add in my own opinion about his visit and the things he discussed while on campus. The conversations between Coates and his son are what makes it fits with the theme of my portfolio which is social justice. The struggle he faces when explaining to his son to be active but also being safe and knowing that every battle is not yours to fight is something that I think many black parents face.

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Document Statement #5: Resource Guide

        My resource guide is truly something I wish was given to me as a freshman because it could have helped me navigate this confusing, unfamiliar college system. It is a good introduction to the major and gives you an insight into what to expect to cover in your courses. Creating it now in my second semester of my sophomore year, it is a refreshing reminder of the knowledge that I have gathered over my two short years here at Howard. Sadly, now though, it has hardly any use to me now. I believe that we should keep these resource guides and use them for incoming freshmen who have decided on their major or for others who major are still exploring their interests.

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Document Statement #4: Making Connections

         The second “Making Connections” was included because it contributes a different perspective of social (in)justice. It looks at the effects and consequences of American’s political actions. It is a reflection on the piece that Osama Bin Laden wrote over 10 years and truly I wonder did we even learn from it. He goes into detail about why he feels they are justified in attacking us because of all the harm that we have caused them. I included this piece because I felt it was time for Americans to take a look in the mirror. It is time for us to face ourselves and look at the ugly truths. While we are solely focused on issues that are taking place on American soil, we should also look at the chaos that is happening in other countries that is our fault.

[finalportfoliostevens]

Document Statement #3: Making Connections

          The first “Making Connections” was included in this portfolio because it perfectly fits with the theme of social (in)justice. The first few years of Obama’s presidency were purposely free of mentioning and concentrating on race. The moment Obama made a statement regarding the death of Trayvon Martin, the tone towards the issue changed completely. His comment sympathizing with the mother basically split the country in two. Coates is quoted stating Obama is a “conservative revolutionary” as to how he runs the country. I also thought about from a psychological perspective if the response the country had would have been different if the victim was white or the president had been white.

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Document Statement #2: Journal

        I chose to incorporate my final journal for the course because it is a true  reflection of the struggles I faced during this semester. I was successfully able to get over my fear of steering away from the five-paragraph writing format but came into contact with a brand new dilemma. This new dilemma was the tedious, boring process of editing and revising. I transitioned from feeling fear to stray from what was comfortable to overcoming laziness to reach improvement. Looking back on two of the essays especially that I included in my portfolio, I am proud of myself and the edits I made to it.

[finalportfoliostevens]

Document Statement #1: Journal

         I chose to incorporate this specific journal because it demonstrates my overall fears about being forced out of the five-paragraph writing structure. It explains that the work I do in this class and that are incorporated in this portfolio are just the beginning of me breaking out of that familiar mold. With the revised essays included, I am testing the waters and simultaneously learning and making mistakes throughout the complex process of writing. It also touches on an important topic which is the thesis paper I have to write my senior year for the COAS Honors Program. By further exploring my ideas, it has helped solidify my interests and potential topics for the paper.