Nikki Araguz is a trans woman who fully transitioned and began a stealth life before she met Thomas Araguz. Thomas’ family argues that the couple wed without him knowing about her transition, though Nikki says that is absolutely false and she has been honest with him about her past all along. Thomas, a firefighter, died July 4th on the job. His family has taken Nikki to court, arguing that she is not legally entitled to his estate because their marriage was homosexual and thus illegal. Reading the full story on the case above was nothing short of troublesome and unsettling.…
The poem “Mama” by Claire Kageyama introduces the reader to the life of a Japanese immigrant who immediately becomes a wife upon her arrival to America. The poem goes through the stages of her life as wife, mother and grandmother. The poem is told from the perspective of the “rice child”, (the youngest grandchild in the extended family). The “rice child” shares with the reader the many stereotypes the world has about families from different culture. “I followed her/ to Save & Save/ where we picked up/ packages of rice tea” (Kageyama 20-23).…
Toro De La Marisma A deployment from spain is how this sixty three year old painting began its existence. My great grandma Jean and grandpa Bill began their journey in Seville Spain where a famous United States mantador was rising. This specific mantador was John Fulton , an artist from Pennsylvania and also the first U.S mantador in spain. Bullfighting was a very popular at the time and my great grandparents went to a lot of them. However at one bullfight they noticed John and realized they recognized him from their hometown.…
Between January 7, 1832 and May 4, 1833, William Lloyd Garrison's newspaper, The Liberator, published six articles by abolitionist and black nationalist Maria W. Stewart.1 In these articles, Stewart spoke in two seemingly contradictory registers as she described God's interactions with humanity. On the one hand, she portrayed a gentle God who directed his angels to carry oppressed individuals "into Abraham's bosom [where] they shall be comforted" ("Address: Delivered before" 66); on the other hand, she warned sinners-specifically white American sinners-of a wrathful and violent God who was on the verge of sending "horror and devastation" to the world ("Address, Delivered in"). While these two images may seem paradoxical to contemporary readers,…
Life occasionally produces a tragic event or an unfortunate experience which brings a state of hopelessness. No matter the magnitude of these occurrences, they have the power to turn a life in the opposite direction. These events are turning points which give individuals the opportunity to better themselves as well as those around them. Kateri Tekakwitha experiences a great loss during her early years which leads to a turning point later in her life. Tekakwitha uses her suffering to help others through altruism and benevolence.…
The Mayor’s Speech A mayor is in charge to help change and solve problems within their city and country. We as citizens and residences should make our voices be heard so we can also help improve our home. In Mayor Eric Garcetti’s speech, he talks about many events that has happened over the years in California.…
In Tierra Stewart's presentation on Government’s Response to the Civil Rights Movement talks about black people made much effort in trying to achieve in getting equal rights. With many known figures connected to such events like the bus boycotts, sit-ins, and rally's, black people were divided but still fighting for the same cause. Two very prominent people of the Civil Rights Movement were MLK Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to fight for equal rights without the need for violence. He wanted all races to come together and for the hatred and violence to stop. Malcolm X felt as if blacks should stand up and fight back against the white man.…
The movie Mosquita y Marí, is a great representation of what it's like living in an urban community and their everyday lifestyle. We are introduced to the two main characters Mosquita and Marí, we see differences between the two, between their lifestyles, and personalities. After meeting each other they created a bond like no other. Therefore, the girls go through obstacles that the only they both can understand which were the roles as young Latina females, Mosquita trying to find her own identity drowned in her parent's dreams, and the two questioning their own sexualities. While identifying the popular culture in the film.…
The article written by Peggy McIntosh talks about how the “whites” in society have more privileges than other races. Mclntosh stresses her daily benefits being a white person in such a powerful way. After one reads McIntosh's powerful essay, it's impossible to deny that being born with white skin in America affords people sure honorary privileges in life that people of another color simple are not afforded. From her article some points on her list applies to me such as (1.), “I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.” “I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.”…
Women were not expected to lead anything. Women often were expected to do nothing but obey what their husband or father told them to do. What factors led women in ancient societies to abandon their traditional roles and take on leadership roles? All these women took on leadership roles in times which their country needed a good leader. Mulan, Boudicca, and Theodora all had driving forces that lead them to step out of traditional roles and step into leadership roles.…
Seldom in my night dreams do I discern any real relation to my daily, waking life. So I am surprised that my final waking this morning came as a result of a poetry dream, of all things. There I was, walking along a sidewalk and I came upon that part of a front yard where the house stands close enough to the street that the front yard is narrow, in this case maybe just 15 feet from sidewalk to structure. Pine trees provided some shade with one in particular that offered a wide swath of shade extending on over to the front of the foremost room with its large bay picture window.…
Amy Gumm, the main character of this series, and I have some connections and things that make us similar. Loyalty and being kind to people who deserve and need it are important things to both of us. Throughout the books, Amy has tried to be nice and caring towards many people. ““If Maude is a part of it, I promise, I’ll get her out”” (Paige, 338, Dorothy Must Die) and “I had made a promise to myself that I would help Ollie. Now I had a chance to make good on it” (Paige, 340, Dorothy Must Die) are both quotes that show this kindness.…
Addressing the complexities articulated within the act of ethnic identity enunciation, the art of writing is granted the power of eliciting a counter discourse. Ethnic identity, be it a heterogeneous construct fashioned by and through the narrative it sustains, unravels the interplay between competing discourses of power .To transcend the boundaries of marginality infused in the supremacy given to certain languages over others, voicing minorities plight of exclusion can only be maintained through the re- appropriation of their own linguistic medium .In the same way that language creates and determines discourse, identity is re-constructed; it is manifested in the very act of writing and narrating the shared experience of a given…
“I was silent as a child, and silenced as a young woman; I am taking my lumps and bumps for being a big mouth, now, but usually from those whose opinion I don 't respect.” - Sandra Cisneros (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/sandra_cisneros.html) Sandra Cisneros, famous author of works such as The House on Mango Street (1989), was born in Chicago in 1954, to a Mexican father and Chicana (Mexican-American) mother (Encyclopedia of Hispanic-American Literature, “Sandra Cisneros”). Cisneros was the last child of seven children and the only female of the children, to which she states made for a very alienated childhood (Erickson, “Sandra Cisneros: Biography) which she made up for by writing in a spiral notebook which only her mother could…
Literary Analysis Essay Assignment Emma Zunz is a short piece authored by Jorge Luis Borges. The storyline incorporated in this article illustrates the journey of an eponymous female protagonist that sought out to avenge the death of her father. The central themes included in the story include the basis of right and wrong, revenge, as well as justice. Borges bases his account on issues of self-deception, deceit, and the enigma associated with understanding and interpreting reality. As she devises a secret plan that will allow her to avenge the father, she is forced to act against her principles.…