Category Archives: Blog 1

Geannel Vargas

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Hey guys! My name is Geannel Vargas. I would prefer any female pronouns like she or hers. This is my second year in New York City College of Technology studying Fashion Marketing; I will be getting my Associates very soon. I’m in this major because fashion has always been a part of me. Since young I went to many Arts schools and learned that throughout each Art I studied or majored in I still looked up to Fashion as my favorite. In High School I majored in Dance, which was an advantage for me because I would always help my dance teacher pick out the costumes for each show and number that we had. Not only did I help put together shows but I also made sure everyone looked their best while they performed, which I enjoyed doing. Before choosing my career path I realized maybe I should see what Fashion is really about and see where it takes me. Now that I studied my major a bit, I came to the conclusion that I would like to become a wardrobe consultant or a stylist. I noticed that I love to help those who want to look their best and I feel like I have that talent. While studying at City Tech I enjoy to share the same interest with many others in my major, as it is motivating for me to get to where I want to be. I guess you can tell already that I’m a very ambitious person and go for what I want no matter what it takes. I look forward to learning a lot in Women’s Studies and to share our perspectives on the subject. The picture I’m sharing is from a Christmas show that I performed with my senior cohort in High School, you can see that The Nutcracker was the theme of our show.IMG_4889

Nancy

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Hi, I’m Nancy Morales. Prefered pronouns are she/her. I am from Mexico but live in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, 21 years old and single (Fortunately). I recently changed my major from Liberal Arts to Human services because after 2 years I have finally decided what to do with my life. I enjoy helping people as much as I can. I hope that I can find a job at a hospital within my career field sometime in the future after I earn my Bachelor’s degree.

The current love of my life has been with me for about 3 years and a half, his name is Toby. He has the mind of a 24 year old, but he is actually 3 years old and he’s a Siberian husky. He’s very playful and friendly and enjoys being around children. I don’t have children of my own, but I can say that I consider him my child because I practically raised him and he’s always preferred to be with me than with anybody else. Toby is the best birthday present, so far. Below is a picture of him being a bit silly.

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I feel like I don’t know much about females in general, and this is 1 reason why I’m taking Women’s studies this semester. My goal is to finish this semester with some knowledge about women’s rights in order to be informed and be able to take advantage of all the opportunities that I have. I’m also taking this course because I need it for my major and I hope to keep enjoying it as much as I have been this first week.

Stephanie

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  • Good afternoon,

my name is Stephanie Chapusette. I am a teller supervisor at a bank while completing my last semester in the Health Services Administration program. It is a little bit harder this semester because I am a full time worker and a full time student with a family to take care of; however I am going to make it work regardless of everything that is going on.

Surprisingly, I got interested in this career path because of all the paperwork that is involved because I like writing, where most people do not like it. You will notice that take notes in class because I learn best by taking notes. I hope to find  a job at a hospital after completing my program. I am a very nurturing person, however I do not like having someone’s life in my hand which why my goal as a heath service administrator would be to make people get the proper care at the lowest cost possible.

I am also a mother of a five month old baby who would lighter any one’s day with a smile like in this picture. This baby is the joy of my life. IMG_2248

I already mentioned that I like writing and I also love reading. Reading is my favorite past time, therefore I am really looking forward to this class. My goal is to learn more about the women’s rights that we take for granted today that most females did not have back in the days or still today do not have  in some countries in the world.

 

Garcia

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Barbados_Map Beach_RunnersHello, my name is Garcia and I am sorry that I will be disappointing a few people but I am not at all Hispanic. I identify as a heterosexual male and as such think it is appropriate that I be referred to by the common male pronouns.

I am currently completing my BT in Computer Systems Technology with only the final workplace (internship/ job) requirement remaining. I work in construction as an architectural millwork installer. That is just a fancy name for the peron who installs all of the wood trimmings, cabinets, shelves, doors etc for high end ( rich) detailed obsessed clients. It is a great paying job but after more than ten years and with varying interest I think I am ready for management or a career change. I expect to continue school an have enrolled this semester in the Construction Management syllabus. Unfortunately, due to my packed class schedule and other interests, I am not available to help you fellow students with your house improvement projects (unless you are secretly rich).

As you can tell, or at least I hope you can, I have a keen sense of humor. Nonetheless I like intelligent, social conscious conversations. Before I forget. I am originally from Barbados and have been living here way too long. I however return multiple times a year but would love to travel to other countries.

I am looking forward to having my fellow classmates jump into class discussions and make this course a memorable and informative one.

Blogs

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Blog Rubric Eng 2160 F 16

Blog Instructions:

Each week I will post a blog prompt on the course OpenLab site, and each week you will have to complete a blog post that respond to the prompt. This should be an opportunity for you to reflect on the themes and concepts that you found interesting and/or challenging in the week’s reading and to discuss those thoughts with your classmates. Each post must be 250 words, minimum. It should fully and thoughtfully respond to the prompt and provide direct quotes from the assigned reading in order to support and clarify your discussion. Each week, you also must respectfully and thoughtfully comment on at least two other blog posts. Initial posts must be completed on Thursday of each week by class time. Response posts must be completed each week by Friday at 11:59 pm. Do not wait until the last minute to post!

To post your blog:

Make sure you are logged in to OpenLab and have joined our course

Then click on the + at the top center of the page

Use your name as the post title

If you want to include an image or file, use the “add media” button

When you are done writing your post in the box, choose the appropriate category on the right side of the screen (“Blog Post 1,” etc.)

Then click “publish.”

Blog 10 (Due 12/1):

This blog is a chance for some extra credit! I have started a list of “Things We Can Do” in response to the rise in incidents of hate speech and violence since the election. For Blog 10, you may add to this list by creating a profile of a specific organization that addresses a cause you care about. Here is an example of one I posted for the Audre Lorde Project.

You have two choices for this blog: You can post nothing and receive full credit (30 points). OR you can post the following for double credit (60 points).

If you choose to complete Blog 10:

Choose one topic or issue that you think needs to change in our society (this might be in general or in response to the new presidential administration). This might include racism, gender equality, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender rights, domestic violence, sexual assault, beauty standards, immigration, mental health, reproductive health, etc. You might decide that current efforts need your support (through volunteering) or that you would like to join an activist movement to make certain problems more visible.

Once you have decided on a topic/cause you care about, you should find one organization working in that area that you would potentially like to get involved with and create an informational profile for yourself and your classmates. You will post that informational profile on OpenLab, and choose the “Things We Can Do” category so it will appear on the list.

The profile should include the following information:

  • Organization name
  • An image or video to help people understand the organization better
  • Area of focus
  • Location
  • Phone number
  • Website (link)
  • Volunteer or activist opportunities there (be as specific as possible)

Blog 9 (due 11/17):

Throughout Americanah, we see Ifemelu’s blog posts from her popular blog, Raceteenth or Various Observations About American Blacks (Those Formerly Known as Negroes) by a Non-American Black. Usually, her blog posts are inspired by a specific experience or interaction that she reflects on and then then writes about. For Blog 9, you will write a blog post (250 word, minimum) modeled after Ifemelu’s blog. First go back and re-reread some of her blog posts from the book to study their topics, tone, and format. Then, choose one experience or interaction that you have had recently, and write a blog post that reflects on the race, gender, nationality, and/or sexuality implications of that interaction in the style of Ifemelu’s blog.

Your post should:

  • Be modeled after the topics, tone, and format of the blog posts featured in Americanah (including a clever title!)
  • Explain the experience or interaction that inspired the post
  • Provide thoughts/insights about the race, gender, nationality, and/or sexuality implications of that experience
  • Refer to at least one of the essays we have read semester to help you clarify your thoughts/insights

Remember to comment on at least two other posts by Sunday, 11/20 at 11:59 pm!

Blog 8 (due 11/10)

At one point in Americanah, Ifemelu thinks she is pregnant after having sex with Obinze for the first time. Reread this scene and write a blog post (250 words, minimum) that compares and contrasts her first experience with sex to either Esther’s experiences with sex or Celie’s experiences with sex.

Your post should:

  • Analyze Ifemelu’s first sexual experience with Obinze and its aftermath
  • Compare and contrast this sexual experience with Esther’s sexual experiences from The Bell Jar OR Celie’s sexual experiences from The Color Purple. How do they think about their own sexuality? What role do they play in their sexual experiences? What happens after their sexual experiences? How do they think/feel/react to the consequences of sex?
  • Use direct quotes from both of your chosen texts to support your comparison and contrast and provide page numbers using MLA format for any quotations you include.

Remember to comment on at least two other posts by Sunday, 11/13 at 11:59 pm!

Blog 7 (due 11/3):

We have now read several chapters of Americanah. In a blog post of 250 words (minimum) you will analyze the text using the elements of fiction.

Your post should:

  • Focus on one of the following elements of fiction:
    • Settings (place, time, influence on the characters and the plot)
    • Characters (names, appearance, actions, round/flat, dynamic/static)
    • Point of view (first, second, third, omniscient, limited omniscient, objective, the effect of the point of view on the novel)
    • Symbolism (anything that suggests an abstract meaning to the reader in addition to its literal significance)
    • Style/Voice/Tone (the way the author uses language, the effect of that language use, the unstated attitudes of the text)
  • Provide a detailed analysis of your chosen element as it appears in the chapters we have read so far.
  • Use direct quotes from the text to support your claims, and provide page numbers using MLA format for any quotations you include.

Remember to comment on at least two other posts by Sunday, 11/6 at 11:59 pm!

 

Blog 6 (due 10/20):

For Blog 6, you will be writing about The Color Purple. Choose one of the following questions and respond to it with a blog post of 250 words, minimum. Regardless of the question you choose, remember to use direct quotes from the text to support your claims and provide page numbers using MLA format for any quotations you include.

  1. Compare and contrast the characters of Celie and Sofia. How are they similar and how are they different? What factors contribute to their dominant traits?
  2. Choose one character and describe the various aspects of that character’s identity (age, race, class, gender, sexuality, etc.). How do these elements contribute to our understanding of the text’s theme(s)?
  1. One of the themes in The Color Purple focuses on is the link between violence, sexuality, and voice. Discuss the various ways these topics appear in The Color Purple and discuss any connections you find between the way the text treats sexuality, violence, and voice.

Remember to comment on at least two other posts by Sunday, 10/23 at 11:59 pm!

 

Blog 5 (due 9/29):

This week you are working on drafting your essay. For Blog 5, you will post your essay outline. We will be working on developing your thesis, burdens of proof, and evidence in class on Tuesday. You will then create a complete and detailed outline for your essay and post it here on Thursday, 9/29 by 11:59 p.m.

You do not need to comment on any posts this week!

 

 

Blog 4 (due 9/22):

What role does race play in this text, if any? This week we are talking about how second wave feminism made a lot of incorrect assumptions about how the experiences of white, middle class women represented the experiences of all women. Many intersecting factors impact ones experience of womanhood, including race. For this blog, you will examine the treatment of race in The Bell Jar. How does the text address issues of race? Does it ignore race? Does Esther exhibit any awareness of her privileged racial status? Trace the rare appearances of non-white racial references/images. Is there any pattern or meaning that you can associate with these instances?

This post should include:

  • An arguable claim about the text’s treatment of race (whether you think the text avoids race, addresses it in certain ways, or does something else).
  • An analysis of specific textual evidence supporting that claim.
  • A connection to the issues raised by the Combahee River Collective and/or Audre Lorde.
  • Use direct quotes from the text to support your claims, and provide page numbers using MLA format for any quotations you include.

Remember to comment on at least two other posts by Sunday 9/25 at 11:59 pm!

Blog 3 (due 9/15):

Carefully read the passage about fear by Laura Franks in the side bar of page 51 of “Components of Gender.” Laura Franks is someone who has “refused to play gender games.” What do you think that means? What does that have to do with fear? Does Esther experience fear or discomfort when she does not properly perform the gender role that is expected of her by society? Does she ever choose to perform gender roles properly because of fear? For this blog post, you should discuss the issue of fear in relation to gender performance and make a connection between this concept and the experiences Esther describes in The Bell Jar.

This post should include:

  • An interpretation of the passage about fear by Laura Franks in “Components of Gender” that answers the questions above.
  • Choose and analyze a specific scene from chapters 10-15 in which Esther DOESN’T properly perform the gender role that is expected of her. OR choose and analyze a specific scene from chapters 10-15 in which Esther DOES properly perform the gender role that is expected of her.
  • An interpretation of her motivations and reactions and the reactions of others to her behavior.
  • Use direct quotes from the text to support your claims, and provide page numbers using MLA format for any quotations you include.

Remember to comment on at least two other posts by Friday, 9/16 at 11:59 pm!

Blog 2 (due 9/8)

Consider the way The Bell Jar deals with the concept of “proper” femininity and the possibilities for Esther as a female growing up in mid-20th century America. Choose one of the other female characters in the novel (not Esther) and write a post of 250 words (minimum) describing them and analyzing what type of woman they are. What is their primary job? What things do they value? What are they interested in? What is their sexuality like? How does Esther perceive them? Do you think they represent a positive role for a woman, a negative role, or something else?

This post should include:

  • A description of a female character in The Bell Jar (not Esther)
  • An analysis of their characteristics, values, and interests
  • An interpretation of how Esther views them
  • A claim about your view of them as a female role model
  • Use direct quotes from the text to support your claims, and provide page numbers using MLA format for any quotations you include.

Remember to comment on at least two other posts by Friday, 9/9 at 11:59 pm!

Blog Post 1 (due 9/1 by 4:00 p.m.)

  • Create a post with your name as the title
  • In the text box, introduce yourself, give us your preferred pronouns (he/his, she/hers, they/theirs, ze/hirs, zie/zirs, something else), tell us your major/career interests, and one interesting thing about yourself
  • Include a picture of yourself or something that represents you
  • Comment on one other post by Friday 9/2 by 11:59 pm