Work, Language and Identity

 

Dylan Erazo                                                      10/25/2018 ~ Revised ~ 11/16/2018

Professor C. Hall                                                                                            ENG 1101  

                              The Puerto Rican Flag in New York

         Yo soy un Nuyorican, growing up in New York with Puerto Rican roots, I can identify as being a Nuyorican. Many people in New York come from families with Puerto Rican background, Puerto Ricans represent 33% of Latinos in New York, but in some cases don’t consider themselves Puerto Rican. They grow up actin like a New Yorker if they from New York. Meaning that they don’t listen to the Spanish music, or speak Spanish or Spanglish, and if you asked them do they identify as Puerto Rican or Latino they may be like nah. Pero if you have la familia to embrace la musica y la comida y habla asi to talk like this in and out then you can associate yourself being Latino.  School’s in New York are mad diverse you got kids with all types of culture and background. Not every Latino in New York is Puerto Rican you got Dominicans, Cubans, Ecuadorians you name it, ya tu sabes. It’s good to learn some Spanish entonces you can chat and make more friends because the Hispanic community is large.

        Growing up in a Hispanic family means eating food that is deadass fire. Tu tienes comida asi, the food is like this so you got rice con beans y chicken, you know what its like to eat un pernil y tostones, there’s mad food that’s delicioso. New York is a large city with a lot of places to eat out. The New Yorker side of a Nuyorican is accustomed to a fast pace dealing with public transportation and rushing to work or school. You can eat on the way with all these corner deli’s and fastfood spots. You know what it feels like to appreciate some Chinese food when yah parents is too tired to cook or if you are tired from work. O cuando you going to school in the morning and you got like five dollars that shit right there is enough to get you a whole bacon egg and cheese with an Arizona or jugo. It be the worst when your bus runnin late or you see your bus and that shit says not in service, you finna head in the corner deli and buy something. Nothing like eating un pastelito and Arizona for like 2 dollas. You learn to appreciate the small things that New York has to offer and the cultural diversity it offers with all types of food. When you’re a third generation Puerto Rican, meanin that if yo grandparents came to the U.S. from Puerto Rico, some people are raised not knowing their culture or ever embracing it. They grow up just identifying as a New Yorker. Como un gringo, they are only use to their American side. Now if you was growing up in a Spanish speaking household then you prolly gonna be able to habla asi con otra gente. Nuyorican Spanish isn’t so good porque lo gente aqui en Nueva York don’t speak it as much. If you was in Puerto Rico then you’d pick up the language hella quick because that’s all they speak out there. But over here in New York the Spanish can switch in and out between English and Spanish, we call this Spanglish. That don’t mean you can’t speak full Spanish that just means you prefer to switch up with your family or friends. Pero a lot of hispanics don’t learn this, even tho the roots is there, they rather just stick to being un Americano or gringo because that is what they’re used to.

       For me I grew up a New Yorker, this is deadass facts. When I was younger I was Dylan from the Bronx I still am but I’ve grown to embrace my Puerto Rican roots. I am a third generation Puerto Rican living in New York. I still have much to learn because I need to know more Spanish and bailar con la musica. When I was younger I didn’t know Spanish as much because my father never spoke it he didn’t really learn it because he was just raised up in the streets and outside more than with his parents. Like him the New Yorker in me is used to rushing to places, walking at a fast pace when I am on the go to school or in the city. New Yorkers are used to a deli or somewhere to eat being like a block away. I enjoyed mi abuelas homemade cooking, aroz con pollo is the shit. The smell of the beans, the rice, the chicken, it be having you anxious to eat. I would try savor every bite of the plate, then the next day kill the leftovers. I also enjoy connecting with mi familia, when I got older and learned how to speak Spanish more. When you’re talking to your aunts and uncle you ask in Spanish may I have the blessing or anyone who is older, out of respect. Having allat said I started off como un gringo, I was only familiar with my inner New Yorker. As I realized how much I enjoyed Spanish food, and chattin with the family in Spanish or Spanglish I began to take more interest in my Puerto Rican side. It was mad nice too when I visited Puerto Rico tambien.

       When I visited Puerto Rico everything was different from anywhere I had ever been. Mi familia and I visited El Morro the fort in Old San Juan. The atmosphere was much nicer, la brisas (the breeze) get mad intense by El Morro, it can get dumb hot  too but it was aight at the time. The fort El Morro is 475 years old. El Morro is located in Old San Juan which was the capital of Puerto Rico many years back. You could say I was a fish outta water, not used to speaking ode Spanish and la historia. I had visited the island once when I was younger but that don’t mean nada because I can’t recall allat. I was good with what I knew tho, I still was able to make them connections with my family, hablar, laugh, make some friends so it was dope.

       In New York there is an annual Puerto Rican Day Parade, this a time to get lit, celebrated in Manhattan on Fifth Avenue. Puerto Ricans come out to share their pride for their culture. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade takes place in the summer when the city is most alive. The streets are crowded with loud music, Puerto Rican flags flood the streets of Manhattan. So if you thinking of driving in the city good luck chico, the streets is packed. Puerto Rican celebrities come out on the float to do performances. You hear mucha de Salsa y Reggaeton music. The parade is a way of showing appreciation to the Puerto Ricans living in New York. You see the streets flooded with the colors from the flags, all the Puerto Rican flags. The parade takes place in the summer when New York is most alive. New York is most alive in the summer because la gente estan blasting music in the street turning up. You hear salsa music and  People all over come to celebrate and everyone has their tv’s on ready to watch the action. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade of 2018 was focused on creating that sense of unity especially after tragic Hurricane Maria. Apart of the parade there were 4,645 people marching under the Puerto Rican flags, that same amount of people was the death toll from the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

        Spanish Harlem is almost like a capital for Puerto Ricans in the U.S. New York is the city with the largest Puerto Rican population in the world. Tu tienes la gente that was born here and the people that moved here from Puerto Rico for more opportunities. The term Nuyorican came about from writer Jesús Colón. The term unifies Puerto Ricans living in New York, making them Nuyorican. East Harlem is referred to as Spanish Harlem. Very heavy Latino presence in East Harlem. El Barrio is another way of referring to East Harlem in Spanish. Puerto Ricans make up the most of the Hispanic population in Spanish Harlem. La gente que vive en Spanish Harlem say that they are at home because of the strength in their community. There are restaurants in Spanish Harlem como La Fonda Boricua that is well appreciated within the community. Puerto Ricans help build this city, we have been around since very early New York seeking opportunities. We have really marked up and made this community ours. You see a lot of graffiti and Puerto Rican flags in peoples windows representing their community and sharing their pride so you feel their presence.           

         Many people can be considered Nuyorican given the heritage and where you grew up. The thing is not many people embrace their Puerto Rican side because they weren’t brought up with it as much. They may just identify as being a New Yorker and nothing else. Your roots and culture should be appreciated because that’s your background of who you are. Even if you have to trace back or get familiar with something it’s worth connecting to your roots. 

 

Citations

• Goicochea, Julia. “A Brief History of Puerto Ricans in New York.” Culture Trip, 30 May 2017, theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/new-york/articles/a-brief-history-of-puerto-ricans-in-new-york/.

 

• “National Puerto Rican Day Parade 2018 ¡ Boricua ! ~ NY Latin Culture.” New York Latin Culture Magazine,

 

• Wierenga, Alexis, and Sean Billings. “2018 Puerto Rican Day Parade Marked By Hurricane Maria.” Newsweek, 11 June 2018,

 

• Berger, Joseph. “A Puerto Rican Rebirth in El Barrio; After Exodus, Gentrification Changes Face of East Harlem.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Dec. 2002,

 

• “El Morro: Explore a 475 Year Old Fort.” SanSe San Sebastian Street Festival | Fiestas De La Calle Old San Juan | Puerto Rico Day Trips Travel Guide, 15 Apr. 2018,

 

• Kandle, Arielle. “A Day in East Harlem, From Historic Murals to Puerto Rican Markets.” New Women New Yorkers, 30 Oct. 2017, www.nywomenimmigrants.org/spanish-harlem/.

Pavel Nunez

Dr Carrie Hall

English 1101

11/17/18

                                             

Have you ever woken up to get ready for work? Chances are, you might and you could take the train or use your own personal car to get there. If you work you would probably love or hate your job but everyone is different(and their jobs). They’re always doing one thing over and over again, and some people might not like their jobs and still continue doing it over and over again ..like a zombie, but some might like their job and continue doing it with a passion.

 

Well on the question ”What do monsters show us about ourselves and our culture”, I must say that there are alot of things that monsters show us about ourselves. One thing is that we must do things repeatedly in order to get somewhere in life and support ourselves. Evidence to support this on page 3 of 5 in which the Article”My Zombie,Myself:Why life feels rather undead” states that “in other words,zombie killing is philosophically similar to reading and deleting 400 emails on monday morning or filling out paper work……consumed by avalance”. This quote is basically saying that zombie killing is like the thing young adults in their everyday life over and over again like a zombie and some people might not like that and some. A real life example of this would be my parents or any adults who specializes on a certain task, like a surgeon who performs life saving surgeries for the sick or ill., the janitors to keep toilets smelling clean, an MTA worker who transports passenger, like all the jobs mentioned above, the people never stop coming and there has to be someone to do the job whether they like it not because that is how life works

As a culture(American Youth),monster show that we must keep doing the things we do until we give up or get put down. A life lesson is that you do a lot of things you might not like but it is necessary for the benefit of yourself or another person, but you can do things that you like and and do the same thing as stated as above. Like in a capitalist society we must work competitively with one another and no one must give up or else it will parish. An example of this would be working with co-workers and competing for high pay. They won’t stop until they either retire,quit, give up, get fired, or die. In the article or pg 3 of 6, the author says that “zombies are like the internet and the media and every conversation we don’t want to have…. And if we surrender…. We will whatever directly in front of us, we survive”, What this quote is saying is that zombies are like the internet,media and and conversation. Throwing out information at us that we don’t really care about, but we delete it or get rid of it in our memory but more will come out the next day. This is related to zombies because there will always be more to kill and it will never go away and we will have to deal with on both scenarios. A real life example would be about Trump, the media critizes him about all good/bad things he done, but honestly I don’t care about it, and move on my day as a college student. Overall, this was my opinion on how monster stories show s about ourselves and cultures.

 

Some people might not like their jobs for many reasons. According to an article on cnn(Yet more than half of U.S. adults identify as being unhappy at work. Job site Hired did some digging to see what it is that makes Americans so dissatisfied. “Top 4 Reasons Why People Hate Their Jobs — and What to Do about Them.” CNNMoney, Cable News Network, money.cnn.com/2017/08/22/pf/hate-your-job/index.html.) it says that “ it’s not surprising to learn that a large number of Americans are unhappy at work primarily because of the people they’re surrounded with. But while dealing with a toxic coworker or terrible boss is no picnic, there are ways to mitigate your suffering if you’re otherwise happy where you are.” Basically saying that their boss or the co workers are around them are not really friendly and so on. Also “Not shockingly, a large chunk of working Americans are dissatisfied with their paychecks. Basically a lot of americans don’t get payed enough for the job they perform doing.

But if your searching for a job you want to do take these into considerations: Does this match the skills you learned from college, apprenticeship or training?. Did you look  at other peoples experienced with the job your trying to possess? Is it good or bad? Is your job stressful? Or Does it have reasonable hours,pay, or location to go from point A to point B? All of this makes up your answer whether you would love or hate your job. If you hate your job its never too late change your profession(unless your about to retire) because you can always go back to school or take an apprenticeship or training course.

 

Overall, If you want a job, please find a job that you will love for the years to come because it will benefit you more in the long run. For example some benefits of doing the job you love are(Bluerock, Grace. “7 Surprising Benefits of Doing Work You Love.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 20 Aug. 2015, www.huffpost.com/entry/work-love_b_8010174.) that you will enjoy your life more because of the less negative aspects of work. Also Your relationships will improve, When you are unhappy in job, you will take out your unhappiness into your relationships with your spouse, your kids, and your friends. In the end, find a job that your passionate about. Because in the end it will matter since you will be working that job until you retire or quit

 

Bluerock, Grace. “7 Surprising Benefits of Doing Work You Love.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 20 Aug. 2015, www.huffpost.com/entry/work-love_b_8010174.

Yet more than half of U.S. adults identify as being unhappy at work. Job site Hired did some digging to see what it is that makes Americans so dissatisfied. “Top 4 Reasons Why People Hate Their Jobs — and What to Do about Them.” CNNMoney, Cable News Network, money.cnn.com/2017/08/22/pf/hate-your-job/index.html.

Hi! To post your papers for this class, you will do so by adding a post to the website. I’ve made a quick video explaining how to do this HERE. Below, there are also links that explain the same process if my video doesn’t make sense to you. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOURSELF SOME TIME TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO POST YOUR PAPER PROPERLY!!!

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THIS WORKED! LOOK ON THE WEBSITE TO MAKE SURE YOUR POST WAS ACTUALLY PUBLISHED!!

If you want to write a Word Document with images and publish that, you may do so, but you will need to save it as a Pdf and upload it the same way you add an image in “add media.”  It may not initially look like you’ve uploaded the pdf properly on the draft if you choose this option. Publish it and check the website before you panic that it’s not working! Gifs and videos will not actually move if you choose this option! 

• ALL PAPERS MUST:
• Be posted on this website BEFORE CLASS BEGINS ON MONDAY. After that, they will be considered late.
• Include at least two images (gifs or videos count)
• Have proper in-text citation (look up “in-text citation MLA” on the Purdue OWL.) AND have a works cited page, which you can easily make on easybib.com
• Have at least 30% new material.
• It must be clear (preferrably at the top) what publication you’re writing for.
• For all other guidelines, see the actual assignment sheet (posted below.)

Here are the Open Lab instructions for writing a post and attaching images.

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/blog/help/writing-a-post/

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/blog/help/adding-images-to-your-site/

HERE IS THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET AGAIN, IN CASE YOU MISPLACED YOURS:

RevisionArticleAssignment18

Hi everyone! Remember that revisions are due MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH!! In preparation for those revisions, everyone will be meeting with me in one-on-one conferences in my office in Namm 525. To get there, get off the elevator on the 5th floor. You’ll see some vending machines, past which is a small hallway. Go through that small hallway and take a left, where you will find…DR. CARRIE HALL!!!

Please come prepared– know which essay you intend to revise and fill out ThisWorksheet. Bring this worksheet, along with ALL major essays with my comments to the conference.

Please note: the closer to the day of the revision it is, the further along you ought to be on your revision!

THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES ON WEDS, NOV 14TH TO MAKE TIME FOR CONFERENCES!  BE A FEW MINUTES EARLY! Do not miss your conference. These are required and I have over 40 of them. I literally cannot reschedule, and you missing it is a real hassle for me and will bring your grade down (and you won’t know what it is I’m looking for.)

• Wednesday
• 11:00 Jonathan
• 11:20 Kelvin
• 12:00 Angelica
• 12:20 Andy
• 12:40 Nagm
• 1:00 Michael
• 2:00 Bryan
• 2:20 Pavel
• 2:40 Omrit
• 3:00 Anima
• 3:20 Shehab

• ---

  Thursday

• 10:00 (open)
• 10:20 Sonia
• 10:40 Lashira
• 11:00 Cloyde
• 12:00 Albert
• 12:20 Ignito
• 2:20 Carlton
• 2:40 Hadassah
• 3:00 (open)
• 3:20 (open)
• 3:40 (open)
• 4:00 (open)
• 4:20 (open)

Hi! For Monday, please print out, read and annotate  ONEREVISION and TWOREVISION . For each paper, please answer (in writing– on annother piece of paper or  the back of the paper,) the following questions:

1. What do you think would be a good magazine to publish this article in? Who are the readers of this magazine and why is this topic important to them?
2. What is the “so what?” of this paper? Do you think the writer could deepen the “so what?” I’m basically asking, do you wish there was more to their main argument? If so, what?
3. What are they doing really well?
4. What are your (respectful) suggestions for revision?

Hi! For Weds, first find a “mentor article.” This is, I’d like you to find an article in a publication you’d like to write for in a tone you like.  You will not have to write exactly like this article at all– you’re just looking for something to be inspired by.  This definitely does not have to be about the same topic that you think your revision will be about. Look for a writer who is writing in a way you admire.

Read the article and then, print and fill out the worksheet below . (You can also just answer the questions.) Please do it thoroughly– at least 3-4 sentences per answer!

Who is the SPEAKER_ What do we know about this person_ How do we know it_

It’s two pages– so make sure to look at both!

RevisionArticleAssignment18

David Jaradeh

Dr.Hall

October 28,2018

English essay

 

Friday and Saturday (shabbat) in the jewish religion are considered the holy days of the week. On friday night at sundown we go to shul (synagogue) and pray. The men  in the shul are wearing suits and the women would wear modest clothes such as dresses and skirts  that cover up their knees and elbows in terms for modesty. During the holy shabbat in the synagogue the men and women would sit separately from each other. For example: the men would be on the ground level of the synagogue, and the women would be sitting on the balcony on top praying to gd for returning our souls back to our bodies and being able to live another day just like the day before.

When we pray there would be a rabbi sitting in front of the whole shul and there would also be a hazan of the shul which would sing the prayers in the center of the shul and everybody would follow his lead meanwhile praying. Us men go to the synagogue every friday night before eating dinner with our families and also go on saturday mornings and come back saturday afternoon to pray. During shabbat we do not drive, use our cellular devices, work out, work, and do not do anything that requires work. This holy weekend is a day of rest for us jews that we cannot do anything but enjoy that god gave us this day to rest up and take advantage of it. When women show up on saturday mornings there view from the balcony looking down their point eye would be a sea of heads with men wearing yamakas. Yamakas is what a man wears on his everyday life and especially to shul which represents that god is above you.

After sundown prayers are over, people go home for their shabbat meal. As they leave shul to go home we say to each other the words “shabbat shalom”. Shalom means peace used as a greeting and farewell. My family uses the word shalom as a greeting because it is common. Nowadays people use it greeting for a father, mother, sister, brother, cousins, friends, and strangers just to say hello. The word shalom also means peace and the word is originated during biblical times.

“ Shalom” is taken from the depth meaning called shalam, which means: “ to be safe in mind, body or estate,” or even “ peace upon you”. It shows us jews to encourage a person to give back, that you should always have a peace in the mind, to never ever be stressed, in the body and to have a good calm estate. “ peace upon you” states that you should never have conflict with anybody or anyone in any nation and just always have peace within yourself and always be calm.

Our land Israel is located in the middle east, that is surrounded by all arab countries. We usto be in war with Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. But we finally made  shalom (peace) with these countries and have no more battles against each other.  We have a bible called the Torah. The talmud explains, “The entire torah is for the sake of the ways of shalom” which states: that our bible is for the sake of the good and just to make peace in every way and everyday and not have conflict with anyone or anything.

When we get into arguments with people, family, friends, and acquaintances we often say  rude comments or even contempt people without actually even meaning it. People sometimes go back and forth to each other without realizing that it is a waste of time. In the end of the arguments people use the word shalom peace to become friendly and take back all the rude comments they said. The shalom in this part shows us that we can make peace in any way regarding any argument someone makes. Us people should always use shalom in our daily lives just to remember that we should never hold  grudge on somebody, just make peace and go on with our daily lives. Shalom is a peace, a greeting, the name of g-d , is a name, and is a key to life. The mishnah says: G-d did not find a vessel that could hold blessing other than shalom (peace).

Sometimes when we drive somewhere really far or even take a flight somewhere we say this prayer called birkat haderech which we pray that we get to our destination safely without any harm done to us. People say in hebrew to the other people traveling saying in hebrew “ Tesa beshalom ve tich or veshalom” which means go in peace and come back in peace and safely. This word is really serious in our daily lives, we just want to live peacefully without any harm done to us or anybody in the world.  True shalom only comes from g-d everything that happens to us on our daily lives whether it is peace or not we hope that g-ds blesses us everyday to get to go through our daily routine in peace and not have any complications.

Shalom  expresses our wellbeing. In Israel a teacher would walk into a classroom and say “Shalom Ma shlomcha or Shalom kita” which means Hi how are you and hi class. There is many ways to say it. In my community people just say it just to say hello. In our torah the word is mostly common with state of affairs, one of well being, tranquility, prosperity, security, circumstances, unblemished by any sort of defect, and as well as a blessing. Its significance is thus not limited to the political domain, to the absence of war and  enmity or to the social absence of quarrel and strife.

Shalom in my community and to the jews is a very powerful and strong word in our daily lives. We use it for hello and for protection.The Hebrew word for peace, shalom (שׁלום) is the key and we will always follow it for as long as this generation continues it will always be passed down.

 

Hey, everyone– papers are due by the beginning of class on Wednesday.  The paper assignment is listed in the post below, and if you’re confused, you can also refer to the “what I will be grading you on” handout from today’s class. You can also email me.  PLEASE BRING IN A PAPER COPY AND ALSO POST A COPY TO THE WEBSITE UNDER DOCS (as you did last time.) Just cut and paste. Don’t worry about tags.

You will need a works cited page, which you can do (in MLA format) easily on www.easybib.com. Make sure you are using MLA formatting and only use “I only want to create citations.” We’ll talk about why on Weds.

For in-text citations, review the rules on the Purdue OWL HERE. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, you may have to google something more complicated, like “How to cite a youtube video using MLA in-text.”

Remember, your paper goes down 1/3 of a letter grade (A- to B+) each day it’s late for the first three days. After that, it will go down a full letter grade every day it is late. That means it is an automatic F after 6 days late!

Tuesday meetings in my office (Namm 525)

• 11:30: Amani Nassar
• 11:45 Lansey Censier
• 12:00 Michael Bunsen
• 12:15 Alexandra Sandoval

For Monday, bring in TWO PAPER COPIES  of the first 500 words of your “portrait of a word”essay. If you lost the essay assignment, HERE is another copy.  JUST DOING THIS ROUGH DRAFT AND BRINGING IT IN IS 20% OF YOUR PAPER GRADE.  That’s it! That’s all you have to do! Bring in the full 500 words printed out on paper (two copies) ON TIME to class on Monday!

So, what am I looking for?

Content: I want to know why the word is important to you and your community and why the reader should care! (Coates wanted readers to know that “for all their guns and their gold” some words do not belong to white folks. Diaz wanted readers to know that whether or not you believe in the fuku, it believes in you.)

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO QUOTE DIAZ OR COATES. You do have to bring in outside research– either by way of quotation or summary. But this paper cannot be only about your own experience. This is about YOU and YOUR COMMUNITY in the world.  You need at least three outside sources. We will review proper citation on Monday. Just put the summary or quotations in there (and make a note of where you got them from). IF YOU DID NOT WRITE A SENTENCE OR PHRASE OR PARAGRAPH, MAKE SURE YOU PUT IT IN QUOTES AND MAKE A NOTE OF WHO DID WRITE IT!!

note: you can choose what kind of language to use, as it says in the essay assignment. You do not need to use both informal and formal language. Choose which one works best!

Structure: In class, I drew some CRAZY diagrams on the board. Here’s the deal: Diaz wrote in a storytelling structure; he built and built and built up to his point (the fuku believes in you!) Coates wrote in more of a traditional essay structure. I don’t care which one you write in– it’s up to you to decide which you think works best (or even if another works best.) I will tell you what I DON’T want, though: “You can use Hella to mean _____. You can also  use hella to mean ________ or you can use it to mean ____.” In other words, I don’t want a structure that just stands still and doesn’t get to any point ever.

Remember the most important question– WHY SHOULD THE READER CARE? You might not directly come out and say “This is why this should matter to you” but the reader should not be left wondering, “so what?”