Day: March 25, 2021

Week 9: Community-Based Discourse

Arianna Liang Zheng

1. Whitehead starts by talking about where he was born and how his surroundings or other people have changed over time and as many people have come and left. He discussed how people have their own opinions or build their own memories of New York when they first come to it or when they just get off the plane. He also talked about why people should never listen to what others tell them about the community, and how history books and public television documentaries always try to tell all sorts of facts about the community. He concluded by advising to be patient with those new to the community and not to be too quick to judge as they are also new here, once. 

Lewis began his talk by saying that his life here is over, but something has happened that makes him happy and hopeful because many people across the country and around the world are beginning to put aside race, class, age, language, and nationality and demand respect for human dignity. He spoke of his experience and feelings about life as fear has constrained him like an imaginary prison since the murder of a man he knew when he was 15 years old. Although he was surrounded by loving parents and many siblings and cousins, he knew that their love could not protect him from the unholy oppression that awaited him outside that family circle. He concluded by saying that in his life he had done everything he could to prove that the way of peace, the way of love, and non-violence was the more excellent way and that now it was the turn of a new generation to raise the voice of freedom. 

2. I think the theme that overlaps between these pieces is that they both discuss how the new generation can change the world, make it different, change what was unfair, and make the world better. I got from their message that I should not listen to what others think about the community. I should find out about it myself, and that it is time for us young people to make a difference and change all the injustices.

3. I found myself identifying more with what Lewis was talking about because as an Asian, I do have some sort of similar feelings and experiences with the fear and violence that Lewis was talking about, so when the world started to leave the race, language and class behind, it gave me a sense of hope and release.

Week 9: Community-Based Discourse (Yailene Rodriguez)

Yailene Rodriguez

1. The new article, “The Way We Live Now: 11-11-01; Lost and Found”, talks about New York and what makes you a New Yorker. It shares the topic of how gentrification and new buildings keep emerging and replacing old places from New York. It mentions that to be a true New Yorker is to be able to see the new building and know what was there before that building took over. The attitude of the article is positive because one should appreciate that you are able to know what was there before. The author doesn’t see it as a bad thing to have the city consisting of changing and replacing things. The new article, “Together You Can Redeem The Soul of Our Nation”, talks about how the narrator went to Washington to protest to fight for what he believes in although it seems he ended up in the hospital for it. As he searches that his friend had been killed at the hands of police. Also mentions that they are proud that they have been able to get this far in the movement and hopes that in time this is fixed. The attitude of this article is hopeful because as the writer is dying he feels that the change is very close to happening.

2. The overlapping theme of both texts is that the feeling stays alive with you. In “The Way We Live Now: 11-11-01; Lost and Found”, this theme is talking about how New Yorkers can keep the New York that they know alive if they remember it whenever they see the new buildings. It knows that when you see a Target you remember it uses to be a family-owned restaurant you used to love. In “Together You Can Redeem The Soul of Our Nation”, it talks about that it is up to the new generation and ones who believe in the rightful change to make sure that the dream of equality is achieved. The message that I took away from both is that you hold the power of letting something be forgotten or remembered.

3. The piece I identified feeling close with was “The Way We Live Now: 11-11-01; Lost and Found” because this actually touches on what I am writing about for my Unit 2 essay. This did make me see what I was complaining about from a different perspective and made me feel better about the changes that have already happened. This spoke to me more than the other piece because this is something that is directly affecting me on an everyday basis, seeing how my old New York is changing every day. In “Together You Can Redeem The Soul of Our Nation”, the author shares about having a direct connection to police brutality with one of their friends. I have been fortunate enough to have not had my loved ones killed in the hand of an officer. So although I agree and believe in the black lives matter movement, I connect to the gentrification one more.