Final ROP Essay

I enjoyed Rites Of Passage. I liked talking about My Ancestors, stress, the good and the bad of the music industry. I also enjoyed hearing my peers response on different topics. ROP was a good class to have in a school like ours. Even though most of the topics we had weren't interesting I tried to take all the information he gave us so that we could use it in the future. The things Mothuri Mukasa taught us was only to help us get ready for the future. He shared with us real life stories about gangs, drugs, diseases, music and other topics.

One of my favorite topics to talk about was on Assata Shakur. I liked talking about her because she was a brave African American. She put her life in jeopardy just to fight for what she thought was right. She was a young black women who was dedicated to her race. Another topic I liked talking about was on Big Momma Thorton. It was crazy how she wrote that song and then Elvis came out of no where with the same song but different tempos and beat. He tried to take credit for her work and no one knew and if they did, they didn't mention it.

Another one of my favorites was talking about my Grandma Helen. I was proud to share information about her such as her occupation, education and life style. I didn't know too much about her but I do now. I also learned that my Grandma on my Mom's side. I really like hearing about them.

On more topic I enjoyed talking about was about Biggie Smalls and 2 Pac. They were good rappers that sometimes talked about the truth but some of their songs were too violent. Some of their songs like "Keep Your Head Up" and "Dear Mama" by 2 Pac were songs that spoke the truth. "Juicy" by Biggie Smalls was another song. Those songs were ok minus the curse words. Both rappers grew up with nothing but forgot about their brains. They thought they were too much of a thug.

I really liked ROP. I wish (even though I don't like wishing) that every school had ROP. Kids could really change the way they look at life....... well some kids.

Talking Equality

When I read the article "Talking Equality" I felt offended. I felt this way because they made it seem like all Blacks and Latinos were dumb. They made it seem that all Asians and Whites were smart. Not all Whites and Asians are smart. By looking at the graphs a Black kid or a Latino kid would think that they're stupid. They would just give up on their lives just because one article showed that they were on the bottom. Everything that they did in life wouldn't even matter to them. Society makes it seem that all Blacks and Latinos aren't worthy in life. They worship Whites and Asians like all of them are on the good-foot.
To me I don't care what the article thinks. They are talking about those who are not doing their work, those who are acting stupid because their friends are acting stupid. I'm not one of those Blacks who represent those graphs. I'm an individual who does her work when told to. I'm someone who doesn't follow her friends around and act stupid because they act stupid. So in my mind, I don't count. Maybe to someone else I am but I don't count.

Stress

Stress plays a very important role in childhood years to their teen years. As your younger you don't have to stress about anything. As you get older you have a lot of things to stress about. These things include homework, school work, relationships, and the most of all.... peer pressure. When I get stressed out I usually go in my room read a book, write a poem or just listen to music( which calms me down). I like to be alone when I'm stressed out. I don't really like to be around a lot of people when I'm stressed out. I like to calm down and slow my nerves.

Anti- Coloial African Leader

The Anti-Colonial African Leader I'm researching is Nelson Mandela. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei,South Africa on July 18,1918 in a village located in Mvezo in Qunu to a royal Tembu Xhosa-speaking family. He was 1 of 13 children and one out of four boys of his father's four wives.His father was chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu tribe. At age nine Nelson's dad died and his uncle, the head of the tribe became Mandela's guardian. Nelson is the 1st of his family to go to school. He began his education at age seven at a Methodist missionary school. That's where he was given the name Nelson. He continued his education at Clarkebury School and then at the all-British Healdtown High school. Mandela attended a strict Methodist college where he first heard of the African National Congress (ANC). While achieving his bachelor of arts degree, Mandela was expelled for participating in a student strike.
When Mandela was 23 he moved to Soweto on the southwestern outskirts of Johannesburg to avoid an arranged marriage. In 1941 he meets an active member from ANC(Walter Sisulu)who recommended Mandela for employment with a layer in Johannesburg. In 1442 he joined the ANC where he founded the ANC Youth League. During that year Mandela married his first wife, Evelyn Mase, a trainee nurse. The couple had 2 sons and 2 daughters. In 1947 Mandela was elected for Secretary of the Youth League. In 1948 his first daughter died at the age of nine months. The National Party is voted into power by the white electorate. The party has campaigned on the promise to introduce a system of "apartheid" to totally separate the races. Later that year Mandela said""I despised them. ... They dressed in beautiful suits, silk shirts and silk ties, but they were like a grave - beautiful outside and full of evil inside. That's why I despised them. That's why I fought them."
In February the ANC calls on the government to repeal all unjust laws or face a 'Campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws'. Mandela was placed in charge of volunteers for the campaign. The government reacted by introducing harsher penalties for protests. Campign leaders and newspapers were banned and about 8,500 people were arrested including Mendela. Whiled banned he makes a plan to break down ANC branches into underground cells. In 1957 he met a social worker named Nomzamo Zaniewe Winifred "Winnie" Madikizela. He divorced his first wife and married Winnie in 1958. The couple had two daughters. In January 1962 Mandela left South Africa illegally to attend a freedom conferences in Algeria. In July he was arrested for leaving the country illegally. He was arrested for five years. In July 1963, while Mandela was in prison, police raid an ANC safehouse.
In 1964 Mandela and Sisulu were convicted. Mandela was found guilty of four charges of sabotage. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. The prisoners were kept in tiny cells measuring about two square meters and with only one small barred window. They slept on the floor on straw mats and had to use a bucket for a toilet. Nelson Mandela was released on February 11,1990. Mandela was 71 years old when he was released from prison.
I think that Nelson Mandlea was a true leader. He spoke up when their were things he disagreed on. He took action on things that some people would of never did. He fought but without th violence. I've learned a lot about Mandela that I've never knew before. Before this research I only knew that he was sentenced to life in prison....This research was very interesting.

Oratorical Final Contest

The oratorical was very interesting. I was glad to see a lot of the 8th graders there. The oratorical was at New Media High school this time. It was a nice event. I won 1st place for my Non Original poem"Negro Mother" by Langston Hughes and won 3rd place for my Non Original speech"Definitions of Black Power" by Stokely Carmichael. I wa nervous but not as nervous as I was last year because I wasn't new to this. I was glad to see those who won trophies and was glad to see those who showed up and supported our school. As I said before it was a nice event.

Parent's Review

Hello, my name is Chanda Qualres mother of Richan Goodman. Unitl recentlty, I wasn't familar with Blogging(until these assignment). I find Blogging interesting. If you're interested in knowing how people feel about current events, blogging is dfinetly one of the ways to go. Blogging can be very beneficial, espically to those who find it most difficult to express themselves with spoken words. You can express yourself, point of view without people seeing who you are. Also, blogging is a way to stay in the tune with current events. I enjoyed Richan's Blog. I found t to be very interesting. I'm very intrgued with her thoughts and the ways she expressed her iews. She is definitly in touch with reality, as demonstrated on her blog page.

President Obama's Stimilus Package Assignment

1.In general, what is the Stimulus Package and its overall purpose to the economy? Why is the Stimulus necessary?
The Stimulus package is a package that's made to stimulate the economy. Stimulate means to motivate or encourage. The Stimulus package is necessary because the economy is inadequate and Obama is trying to dispute it.

2.What are the agreements and disagreements (with Democrats, Republicans, and others) around the Stimulus Package? What are President Obama's counter arguments in this debate?
The disagreements are that some expect to lose about trillion dollars worth of demand this year and next year. Another one people are saying is that this is not a stimulus bill, it's a spending bill.

3. What are the spending details of the Economic Package? How will it create jobs? In other words, where and how will the money be spent?

Some of the spending details of the Economic Package are $58 billion to Energy, $16billion to Science and Technology, $92 billion to Infrastructure, $114 billion to Education, $149 billion to Health Care and for Taxes on individuals $500 per worker, $1,000 per couple tax cut for two years, costing about $140 billion Greater access to the $1,000-per-child tax credit for the working poor Expansion of the earned-income tax credit to include families with three children. A $2,500 college tuition tax credit Repeal of a requirement that a $7,500 first-time home buyer tax credit be paid.

4. What are some other areas of the Package that President Obama emphasized in both speeches on the youtube CNN speeches?
The other areas of the Package that President Obama emphasized in both speeches are reducing energy,saving government energy, save and or create over 3 million jobs and put people to work

5. Do you feel that this package will help Afrikan Americans and if so how? Do you feel that racism and/or gender bias will make a difference in the output or results of the package? Explain.
I feel that this package will help African Americans because Obama is putting money toward those who are in need, those who need a helping hand, those who are struggling. I think racism and/or gender bias will make a difference in the output of the package because we as black people have so many stereotypes. Most blacks are losing their jobs and blacks aren't the only ones that are losing their jobs. With the stimulus package, blacks will have a chance to gain the things they lost on their struggle. Then most of these sterotypes would be put aside.

Barack Obama's Civil Rights Policy

There are some things I agree with thats in President Obama Civil Right Policies. Then there are some things that I don't agree with. One thing that I agree with that Obama states is to "Fight Work Place Discrimination". I think that a man or women shoud have the right to go to work and not be judge by their appearances. Those people came to work to make money, not to be judged by their boss or peers. They get up every morning to make money for a living. I agree when Obama states that fight it and that are laws should be expanded.

The thing that I disagree with is "Support Full Civil Unions and Federal for LGBT Couples". To me, I think that supporting LGBT is wrong. We don't need kids seing their parents with the same sex. A child shouldn't see their Mom with another man and vise versa. The child will grow up and think thats its ok to be with the same sex. To me I except everyone. I really don't care if your one of the LGBT's. They are still human and just because I don't agree with what they are doing......now one deserves to be ignored. Thats what I think.

Ancestor Pictures

This is what my grandma did when she grew up

This is what my Grandma Helen does with her lesieure time

This is a picture of the type of house my Grandma Helen grew up in.

New Teacher Essay

Hello, I'm going to share with you 3 main things I like to do. The 3 items are who I am, my hobbies and why New Media Technology is a good school to work for.
My first main point is who I am. My name is Richan Goodman. I'm 14 and I was born and raised in parts of Philadelphia,-German town, Delaware and New Jersey. I'm the President of the school and I'm trying my best to make this school a better place. I'm a social butterfly who likes to meet to knew new people. I'm hardworking and kindhearted too.
My second main point is my hobbies. I love to sing, write poetry and make beats. Singing is my passion and I want to pursue my dreams. I enjoy writing poetry and reciting them. I won 2nd place in the Oratorical Contest. Making beats is also exciting. Every day I make beats in my studio with my studio.
My third main point is why this school is a good school to work for. Unlike other schools, New Media supplies a great amount of knowledge about our African descent. You get to explore everything about your history. Most schools don't tell you about all the African Americans who contributed things to us. Come here and you'll find out.
In conclusion everyone here is excited to get a new Social Studies teacher.

Critical Analysis-Biggie Smalls Juicy

Biggie Smalls:Juicy


To me this song is kind of negative from the use of language. To me this verse means that life was kinda hard. You have to make out with what you have. You can't complain about what you have and don't have. When life gives you lemons you make lemon juice. When times get tough you have to push through them."Don't let them hold you down, reach for the stars" means that there's people out there who would love to bring you down but you have to keep pushing to reach for the stars and above. Misery loves company. So when you around a lot of miserable people they expect you to be miserable like them. When they see that your nothing like them, they will do any and everything to get you to where they are.

Critical Analysis

You're gonna be a shining star, with fancy clothes, and fancy car-ars.
And then you'll see, you're gonna go far.
Cause everyone knows, just who you are-are.
So live your life, ay ay ay.
You Steady Chasin that paper.
Just live your life (Oh! ), ay ay ay.
Ain't got no time for no haters
Just live your life (Ay! ), ay ay ay.
No telling where it'll take ya.
Just live your life (Oh! ), ay ay ay.
Cause I'm a paper chaser.
Just living my life (ay), my life (oh), my life (ay), my life (oh)
Just living my life (ay), my life (oh), my life (ay), my life (oh)
Just living my life

(T.I.):
Never mind what haters say, ignore them 'til they fade away.
Amazing they ungrateful after all the game I gave away.
Safe to say I paved the way, for you cats to get paid today.
You still be wasting days away now had I never saved the day.
Consider them my protégé, homage I think they should pay.
Instead of being gracious, they violate in a major way.
I never been a hater still I love them, in a crazy way.
Some say they so yay and no they couldn't get work on Labor day.

To me this song means that you have to live your life and not anyone's else. When you try to live other people's life, your not being you. Your so busy trying to follow after that person. You can't worry about haters because they will try to bring you down. You'll always have someone trying to bring you down and you have to prove them wrong. You have to show them that they are wrong. I think this is a positive song. It's saying that you can't focus on everyone else when your trying to catch your dreams.