Friday night meeting with Carlos.

Rainy days make for real encounters. Friday night, pouring in Southern California, and I sped off to meet with Carlos on La Brea and Venice. I pick up Carlos outside his new apartment complex. He introduces himself respectfully, yet almost as if a friendship was already there. We had been in contact via text messages and I had heard from Amalia, the director of our site, that he was a great guy to talk to. There was a very brief moment of hesitation, but the conversation quickly took off.

Carlos spoke with a side-way manner and a unique movement of his mouth that speaks to what he has lived through. When he first began telling his story, his story began with him telling about how he just woke up in the United States as a kid. He said that the only thing he remembers is one day being in Mexico, and the next day, he woke up in the heart of Los Angeles. As I drove amidst the rain, his story had a sort of surreal tone to it. Surreal in the sense that time, place, and circumstance made it feel like Carlos’ story was something out of a movie, sitting right next to me. I tried not to be the overly shocked outsider that is extremely enthusiastic, and overly moved by his story. I remained connected, yet neutral because I didn’t want to affect the way he told his story. We drove to the La Paloma Market near the USC Parking center, where we continued to talk over dinner.

We went to the Chichen-Itza Restaurant that serves Mexican food from the Yucatan peninsula. Carlos was well educated, and said he had already eaten, but that just meant he was too shy to allow a stranger to buy him food. I ordered a couple of small dishes that I thought he and I would both enjoy. I asked him how his poetry piece had gone earlier that day, since he had let me know that he was part of a spoken word event earlier that day. He said it went well, and went on to sample some of his work off the time of his head. He said his talent in poetry helped him charm the girls. The conversation over dinner was all laughs, since he had me laughing at the numerous stories he told. The way he tells his stories, in combination with the actual story made it all humor. It was interesting to hear the different connections and edges to a story that often goes untold. For example, I never understood how love works for youth who are in and out of jail. Carlos answered with, “it just doesn’t.”He said he and his friends once exchanged pen pals to write to while in prison, and when he got out of prison, his then girlfriend smacked him for having been writing to her cousin. I felt at ease with Carlos, and I wanted him to know that. I laughed, and said “wooow, that’s crazy!” Every story followed with, “that’s nothing, this other time…”

The night overall was not this solemn time of sad life stories. Laughs made that night real. There were so many tragic and difficult things said, but what I would like to highlight is his humor in staying positive to get through every obstacle life has in store for him. Towards the end of our dinner, we noticed that there was a group of students meeting a room in the market place. A USC student came up to us, and asked if we would like to join the group as they heard poetry and spoken word from students and community members. It was quite the coincidence that we were there, but Carlos had already made plans with his girlfriend, and said he was a man of his word. “Next time,” we said, and I drove him to his Friday night date with his girl friend.

First Impressions

Before visiting Crenshaw High School to start the project with the Fades for Grades program, I talked about this assignment with some of my friends. Most of their reactions were pretty similar. They consisted of "Uhh... That's a pretty ghetto area" or "You're going with a guy there, right?" or "Wow, it's kinda dangerous." After receiving some interesting feedback about the school, which I'd never been to before, I went into the project wondering if my friends' perspectives would appear true.

Of course, their perceptions were exaggerated and influenced by what they heard from other people who also assume things about Crenshaw. Not only was the area around school peaceful and clean, but a group of random kids around the school parking lot were friendly and told us (a small group of three girls) how to get to the right building. None of them asked us why we were at their school or gave us any weird looks. While walking to the program site, I thought Crenshaw looked just like any other typical high school.

The students of Fades for Grades were also welcoming and friendly. Although Rick, the director, told us that they were a rowdy crowd, they were all very polite and well-behaved once three girls entered their territory (usually no girls are allowed). Although they must have felt a bit uncomfortable seeing my group and I come in, talking about doing a documentary with them, I thought that they were still pretty open with their thoughts and am hoping for them to grow more comfortable with us for the sessions to come. The boys mentioned some interesting things about the program, such as how Fades for Grades provided a "barber shop" experience, where they could all come together to talk about anything and everything freely. The boys also showed a lot of respect towards Rick, the director, saying how those that didn't have a father figure present in the household could be mentored through the program. Overall, each of those boys were full of life and had a lot of character. Although the meeting was brief for the first day, I could tell that most of the students there had some special talent, hobby or a drive to excel, whether that involved sports, the decathlon, arts, math, etc.

Saint Francis Halfway Home

My first visit to the Saint Francis Halfway home was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. On the drive over to the house I was a bit nervous because I knew how important it was for us as a group to establish a rapport. As we walked in and were introduced to a few of the men I noticed they had the Laker game on and were eager to get back to the game. It was at that moment that I realized that relating to someone who had spent twenty years in prison could start off as easy as talking about Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. After my initial set of nerves wore off we had the opportunity to meet more of the men as they slowly streamed in from each of the other halfway houses. That night they were gathering for a talking circle in which they woulc share one blessing of the day. As they went around and shared their one blessing, I couldn't help but think how nice all these men were. Though I knew these men obviously weren't perfect, they still took the time to make us feel comfortable and encourage use to partake in the talking circle. After the meeting I had the chance to talk to two of the men one on one, and Tiffany and I ended up giving them a ride back to to the other halfway house. I definitely left feeling inspired and eager to continue growing in these new relationships.

Carlos: An Inspirational Story

Meeting Carlos for the first time is a day I will never forget. As I sat and listened to his story, it brought me back so many memories of my own families’ struggles and hardships. As he spoke about his life prior to writing, I could not help but recall my brothers same endeavor, trying to find himself and dealing with the peer pressure. Like my brother, Carlos began to get involved in gangs and drugs at a young age (12 years old). However, Carlos’ story has a happier ending than my own. Now, at the age of 17, he says that he has been able to “cheat death” more than 3 times. Unfortunately, my brother did not have this same luck.

At first, Carlos was a bit hesitant to tell us about his life; however, it wasn’t soon until he openly began telling us detailed stories about his different encounters in the gang life and why he was taken to juvenile incarceration. He mentioned that what helped him survive in Juvenile Hall was a bulletin board he read while he was being taken away from his family. The bulletin board read, “write or be forgotten” it was here that he realized he wasn’t making an impact on himself nor his surroundings. He said that the thought of being forgotten is what frightened him them most.

While incarcerated he kept himself busy by writing. He wrote about anything that came to mind, his family, being in a gang, his friends, girls, feelings, etc. He used his poetry to release all inner feelings he had built up throughout they years. He wrote so much that, when he was finally release he had almost written an entire book. During this meeting, Carlos shared with us a few poems he had written while incarcerated. I think all of us were brought to tears at some point or another with his poems.

He continued by telling us about his new dreams and aspirations. He is now going to a great school in Santa Monica, and is no longer living in the same neighborhood. He is doing welling in school and has adjusted fairly quickly to the workload and school schedule. With the help of his family and Amalia, Carlos has been able to put is life back together again. He has given me inspiration to strive for achievement and fight even against all odds.

The Reality

Last night we met Carlos, an ex-gang member who just turned 18. We met him at his house, with his baby sister on his knee. Amalia and her husband introduced us and kindled the conversation while he got comfortable. She warned us that Carlos was shy, and this was definitely the case at the outset. However, after reading a few of his poems and hearing such positive feedback, he began to read with more intensity and explain them in more depth. As he spoke, it was difficult not to wonder at how such graceful reflection had sprang from such a chaotic life. Everyone in the room seemed to have the same sense of wonder as compliments and praise fell from their lips.

Upon later reflection, I wondered where this type of praise comes from. I’m not sure that makes much sense here, but what I mean to say is that I found myself somewhat tongue-tied by the situation. We all seemed to feel a great desire to tell Carlos that he would succeed, that he would go to college, and that all the guilt and pain he feels could be turned into wisdom and an antidote for those in similarly dangerous situations. However, the situation is not so simple. What Carlos seems to be aware of, far more than any of us, is that things will never be easy for him. From a sociological perspective, I can rattle off all the reasons why, but being face to face with someone who simply wants a minimum wage job and cannot get it because he is undocumented, well it all seems sort of ineffectual.

I guess my main point is this: I started out really wanting to provide a well-rounded perspective on the groups we work with – one that doesn’t isolate them as simply a sad story, but empowers them to suggest change and displays the energy that emanates from families of the incarcerated. However, I did not expect that we could fall toward the other end of the spectrum and paint an entirely rosy and inspirational picture of a very complex issue, and person. I hope that we will be able to work with Carlos to form something that explores the depth of the relationship between gangs and family, though it is alluring to settle on his own inspirational story.

Fades For Grades

My first vivid impression was how beautiful the surrounding neighborhood was. When I thought of Crenshaw, I thought of a not so nice of an area, but when I got there, it was beautiful. When I parked the car, we asked a group of kids for directions how to get to the classroom and they were very friendly as well. We didn't get any weird looks or questions of why we were there. It felt like any other high school setting. The students there were very approachable. The community is not like what your hear about in Boyz in The Hood or Menace To Society, it doesn't seem dangerous at all. My expectations were just that the neighborhood would obviously be dangerous with barbed wire and fences, but when we got to the school, it looked like any other public school.

The students we get to work with have great personalities! Im so excited for the project to get going because I can tell these kids have a lot to say and want to share it. The funny thing is that when we got there, being all girls, the boys froze up a little when doing introductions. It was really cute because Rick was apologizing because usually they are really talkative, but when three college women are in their presence, they become shy. The boys are very talented and driven from what we learned in our first meeting. Many are very active in after school sports teams as well as the academic decathalon team. The range of academic achievement is broad, so it becomes a brotherly mentor program rather than just a tutoring service. Fades For Grades not only covers academics, but we learned it is like a family, in which everyone is always there for each other. I am really excited to hang out with them again because these boys are genuine, interesting individuals!

SoCal History Group Challenges

What are the particular issues, tasks or problems you have encountered or anticipate during your site visits?

So far, the only problem or issue that I have encountered with site visits are the logistics behind scheduling. We are a larger group (and we prefer it that way!) but that provides an issue with being on the same page with the Studio. For example, I feel the first group that went had a different experience than the group that went just recently. We are all working together, but sometimes these things can be tedious to work around.

The only personal challenge I can foresee with this project (as of yet) is the view she wishes us to take on USC’s history. I understand that we can take whatever position we wish as filmmakers, but as Kristine mentioned, she has stories she would like to uncover about USC that will probably shed a negative light on Troy. I will be the very first to admit that if anyone at USC “drank the koolaid,” it would be me. Embarrassingly, I blindly imagine that USC could do no wrong, so purposefully displaying a negative light might produce a bit of cognitive dissonance within me. The one redeeming factor about all this is that I realize I hold these inner presumptions, and I am willing to work around them so that I can help my teammates produce a valuable documentary. With all that said, Fight on!

First Visit to W. Adams

I am not typically the type of person to develop pre-conceptions, beliefs, ideas, feelings, or judgements on a group or person before I have the chance to meet them and get to know them. Unfortunately, Wednesday was a bit of a disappointment because we did not get to meet the kids. However, I was able to see the property and crutch through the vast herd of high schoolers socializing between classes. As we were standing in the middle of the congested hallway I became somewhat nostalgic thinking back to my high school years. Thinking how fast they went by and how integral those years were in shaping who I am today.

This is what got me excited about working with west Adams. Not to relive my high school days, god no I would never want to do that again once was certainly enough. But to be there. That plain and simple. To be present. These kids don't need to be reminded of where their school is, their ethnicity, race, or social class. They need to be reminded that they are high schoolers. that high school is a period of 4 years in flux. You are not quite independent but you are molding who you are so you can be the ultimate best when you are. This is what high school should be about.

Which brings me back to what I started this whole thing off saying. I went to West Adams with no pre-conceived ideas about the school the kids, nothing. Although I did not get a chance to meet the kids we are to be working with I got a sense of the environment that they are immersed in everyday. A culture, a lifestyle, a generation that I am unfamiliar and ignorant. I was able to realize how little I know about these kids but am excited to learn about them. They are growing up in another time, almost another world than I did. A world where technology runs rampant. I expected little of my first trip to West Adams which was the best possible thing I could have done. Because it allowed me to dive right into this small world, this West Adams world on the corner of Vermont and Washington. That I would have otherwise been unable to enter.

My Visit to the Francisco House

Last night I had the privilege of meeting the men of the Francisco Transition House. I have to admit, it was a bit of a scary feeling knowing that the house to former ex-convicts was only a 5-minute car way from the University of Southern California. However, I knew that I had to go in with a open mind and an open heart. It was a bit of a shock when all the men living at the house welcomed us with open arms and smiles; it was then that I realized how much of a rewarding experience this would actually be.

Upon entering the house, I was immediately amazed by the elaborate décor of both the exterior and interior of the house. The home was so well maintained; as I looked around I could not see one once of dust in any corner and every room was so well kept. We began the meeting by introducing ourselves and listening to a few of the men’s stories. They didn’t seem to want to go into much detail about how they were incarcerated, but they were more than happy to speak about their lives in and before prison. As we waited for the official house meeting to begin, they told us a little bit about their struggles to find work and the negative association that comes with being an ex-convict.

The meeting was lead by one of the housemates and as we went around the room each person involved with Families of the Incarcerated was given an opportunity to say what they most appreciated most about their day. This is a Native American activity and the time was to be used for each member to openly state their feelings with no interruptions or hostility. Being able to listen to all the stories and unique experiences each individual person had been a rewarding experience. I look forward to learning more about each individual specific situation.

Transitional House Site Visit

Our first site visit to the transitional house was yesterday. They have meetings every Wednesdays and every other week would be talking circles, with certain topics for each one to share. At this meeting, there were about 20 men who attended, all from the four different houses that were opened by Sister Mary. I was a little early so I went in and got to meet some of the guys. Ralph was very friendly. As the house manager for 1135 Leighton Ave (the main and largest house), he's been living there for 10-11 months now. He's also a certified optomitrist and since he got out, he's been dealing with a type of arthritis that prevents him from searching for a job. On top of that, he mentioned that with such a record following him, it's difficult to find one.

The topic of the talking circle last night was Blessing of the Day. Philip from 40th Street Back House led the session. He's Native American and he brought along an eagle feather that has spiritual meaning to pass along the circle. I was really touched by the things that people had to say. What they found were blessing are everyday events that I take for granted, such as waiting in line at the mall or being in traffic. One guy said that he's just blessed to be alive and free. To me, that kind of thought never really goes through my mind. As much as I hate it make it to be about myself now that I'm more conscious after reading the articles, but hearing those guys really gave me a different perspective on my own life. I'm really looking forward to the next two months to get to know the individuals and am interested to hear what they have to say about the problems that they deal with. I just hope that once I do hear those problems that we, the guys and my group, are able to collaborate and create something that will draw attention and better change to their lives.

At the beginning when they asked us specifically why we are there, we were a little stumped because we didn't want to make it about ourselves and offend them in anyway. Nevertheless, they were very welcoming and warm towards us. Julie, a "facilitator" of these meetings, also spoke with us afterward about how society tends to group all the incarcerated people together and make judgement on the large rate of recidivism but they ignore that it's different for lifers. Throughout their experiences in prison, they really do alot of soul searching and most of them come out wanting to change and improve their lives. She said that it is really inspiring to work with them and I look forward to that as well.

Also, in terms of the way the Families group is established in our class, it's been a hectic and confusing process just to figure out who is in what group, at least for me. I admit I was a little caught up and worried about not having a group or having to work alone but I think having visited the site gave me a grander perspective that I shouldn't be worried about those things right now. What's important is building relationships with these guys and hearing them out on what changes they think would improve their lives and get them back on track into society. I guess it's okay that I don't really have a set idea about how I want the documentary to be. After all, it is a collaboration and the purpose is to give voice to our community partners, not me. So on that note, I do look forward to the next few months and I hope whoever I work with - my group and the individuals at the house, it'll be a learning and effective community changing process.

The neighborhood that surrounds Crenshaw High is not what you’d expect. There were quant, well-kept houses, lusciously green trees, and a light, cheery neighborhood vibe. My first visit was on the last Friday of the semester at 3:30pm. Thus, the campus, and the classroom were mostly empty. Rick, the site coordinator and director of after school programs at Crenshaw, greeted our group and lead us to his office. As most of the kids had gone home for the day, our meeting’s purpose was to get acquainted with Rick.

Right off the bat, our group could tell Rick was passionate about these kids. Throughout our meeting, kids would casually walk up to his desk and grab a pen, a computer game or just give him a high five goodbye. My group outlined our ideas for the Fades for Grades project. We discussed the idea of the kids conceptualizing and eventually writing and creating an EP (a three track album) using Ptones as a foundation to assist in the album production process.

I feel confident that my group’s relationship with Rick will be strong and supportive. Judging from Rick’s enthusiasm for our ideas, I am confident the kids will respond well and accept us into their after school lives. The classrooms that have been allocated for after school programs are deceiving. They fit cliché “don’t judge a book by its cover”. The outside was grey and had little vegetation or life. The inside is different story. The room’s perimeter is lined with computers, equipped with games, printers and the occasional scanner (all the equipment a young student would need). The wallpaper was bright and covered with photos of the kids and the schools after school schedule.

I am excited to meet the kids and begin our project. I look forward to my next visit to Crenshaw High School, something I didn’t think I’d say before I visited.

Saint Francis Halfway transitional house

We made our first visit to one of the halfway houses tonight. It really was an incredible experience. This program only deals with men who have life sentences. We met around 20 men tonight during their weekly group talk. We introduced ourselves and what we're trying to do and I think it was difficult for me personally to communicate what we're doing without seeming voyeuristic. We thanked everyone for letting us into their house and hoped to build sound relationships with them. While we introduced ourselves, one of the men asked what we were really doing there. Most of the men have served at least 17 years of their sentence in prison and some just arrived at the halfway house a few days ago and others have been there for almost a year. The topic for tonight's group talk was a daily blessing. Phillip, one of the members, started out the discussion and passed a feather along to each person when they spoke in hopes that each story would share the truth of how everyone was feeling. We didn't expect to be apart of this experience but the feather got passed to one of our group members by surprise I think. It made for an incredible experience because for me, at least, it really broke down some initial barriers that might separate us from the members. One man spoke of the blessing it was to see rain today for the first time because when he was first released he missed the rain just by a few days. I felt that the overall feeling from the group was that they felt blessed to wake up today and put their feet on free ground. The fact that we were able to participate in the discussion made the experience feel even more intimate, especially given the number of people in the room.

There are 4 transitional houses with around 7 to 8 men living in each. The house we visited tonight was the main house with the most residents. Each house has a "house manager," who is a member of that house but for the most part they are not supervised on a constant basis. Bryan, one of the members, talked to me about how a few other programs are a lot more strict than St. Francis, in terms of surveillance of the members.

A few of us mentioned in our blessings how we felt that being at the house was the highlight of our day. At the end of the group talk Phillip mentioned and welcomed us on behalf of everyone in the house. I'm really looking forward to our next visit and to building relationships with the men.

New Village Charter High School

Upon arrival at the New Village Charter School, my first impression was that the facility is very nice and that there are great accommodations for girls with various life circumstances. We were met by Diana Harrelson, who provided a brief introduction concerning the school and the girls attending it. New Village has a block scheduling system, which incorporates different subjects along with a daily advisory period where they participate in transcendental meditation. Flexible scheduling is important, since approximately forty percent of the girls attending the school are pregnant or have small children. The site has a daycare for the girls’ children, if needed, and even housing for girls who are not fortunate enough to have stable households to live in. It is clear that the teachers and staff members are wonderful people who have invested a lot time and effort into helping these girls become confident and independent individuals. Another great feature of the program is that each girl is able to share her career interests with her advisor, who then arranges an internship based upon her preferred profession. We did not get a chance to interact with the girls a great deal on our first day because of the limited timeframe. We were, however, able to sit in on an advisory period to observe the class structure. We felt, and Diana agreed, that the girls appeared to be very distracted from what was going on in the class because of our presence there. They whispered, giggled, and texted as Diana attempted to conduct the advisory with a disposition much like a stern parent. It may take a few visits for the girls to warm up to us and fully understand the project, but it is a positive undertaking that will result in an enlightening experience for both parties.

Reflection on Visit to West Adams Prep

Today was my first visit to West Adams Preparatory-- a recently built high school within LAUSD. I grew up in the area and attended high school not far from West Adams, so for me this was not a new or shocking experience. Instead, it did bring back a lot of memories about my own high school experience. Everything went smoothly and people were friendly and courteous to Lonnie and me.

When we arrived at the site we met with Mario, the teacher who we are going to work with throughout the semester. A few of my other team members had already met with him, but because his schedule was rearranged, they did not get to meet with the students. Fortunately, Lonnie and I arrived just in time to sit in his 12pm sophomore literature class.

Mario was welcoming and he helped us tremendously. He gave us 30 minutes of his class time to speak with the students and to introduce ourselves. I think it was hard to explain to the student what we were doing at their school. We wanted to be careful not to say or make it seem like we wanted to study them or help them (community service), but that we wanted to form a collaboration between two classes-- that we were working together to learn from each other.

Once we managed to explain our project, Lonnie and I went around asking students for their ideas about what they would be interested in sharing with the public. Many of the students did not have any ideas, so we often had to use examples. We told them about the documentary on jerking and how the film tried to explain to people what jerking really is --a lifestyle. We asked that they write down a few ideas. These were some of the responses that we got and that I found creative and possible for our documentary: “why is it that there are a lot of fast food restaurants near our school?”, “people should know that West Adams is a normal school, just like other public schools in LAUSD”, “changing negative thoughts of our school by providing success stories and programs that have helped”, and finally “finding out what people really think of our community and West Adams.”

I am excited to work with the students and to collaborate with them to create a unique documentary. I was impressed by their responses, especially since we had already discussed some of these in our class (fast food, perceptions of the neighborhood, etc).

Who Knew There Was So Much to Know?

The Studio for Southern California History was actually not what I expected at all. Our contact, Sharon, was very energetic (I had imagined a librarian), the studio was noisy and colorful (I pictured a sterile museum) and the venue was plopped in a storefront in the middle of Chinatown (for some reason, I had pictured it in a quieter area, like Pasadena). The Studio feels very neighborly despite being surrounded by buildings and stores on a busy street.

After spending a little time exploring the Studio (which boasted walls and boards covered in locals’ scribbled love notes and signatures), Sharon and her three interns led us on a walking tour of Chinatown. We were lucky to be visiting as the neighborhood rehearsed and prepared for Chinese New Years celebrations. I was really surprised that just a few minutes from campus, an entire community was setting off fireworks and putting on dragon costumes for a holiday I wasn’t even aware of. That’s rather embarrassing to admit; I suppose it makes me sound uncultured.

The community tour was intended to inspire us as we develop a project on the history of USC. More than anything, I left the tour and the studio inspired to explore. The Studio had so many anecdotes about the surrounding area and hearing them made me want to know about the hidden history of everything around me. I love exploring LA, but I rarely go off the beaten path (I go to tourist favorites and local hot spots).

This weekend, I decided to try to get lost in LA (safely, in a car and not by myself). I took back roads and avoided the freeway, winding around Hollywood and ending up in Burbank. I still can’t believe how much I don’t know about the city I live in and even the campus I’m a part of.

Round One at West Adams

Our first trip to West Adams was productive, although it turned out differently that we expected. Mario is very welcoming and happy to accommodate whatever we plan to do for our documentary. Because his class schedule got rearranged, he was not meeting with students when we arrived. It worked out really well because we got to sit down with him for an hour and talk about the history of the school and what we plan to do.

Mario warned us to be careful with topics like gangs, which can pigeonhole us into an area that does not encompass the student’s lives and the experiences they have at West Adams. We decided that we will start our first meeting with the students – juniors at West Adams – by asking several specific questions in order to see what directions we can take our film. We’re hoping that the students want to be involved in the filming process. As suggested in class, we want to make sure that the students are able to take control of the filming and make a documentary that they can be proud of.

Because we planned to primarily focus on the students, we didn’t expect to learn so much about the history of West Adams. Only four years old, the high school began as a hybrid of LAUSD and it’s own governing board. Because the board makes many of the decisions for the school, West Adams has special opportunities that other schools in the district don’t have. They also have a partnership with Mentor LA that provides students with exciting experiences like bringing a famous chef to the school to work in their culinary arts classes.

Our documentary will very possibly cover the aspect of overcrowding at West Adams. The administration has had to cap the number of students and West Adams is not able to take students for next year’s freshman class. The students who are on the waiting list for West Adams are bused to other schools like Venice High School.

There is also a high turnover rate with teachers. Out of 150 current teachers, only 10 were part of the group that founded West Adams. Because West Adams lacks the space to give each teacher his or her own classroom, they share classrooms and some teachers rotate to as many as four classrooms in one day.

Between West Adams history, its teachers and what I’m sure we’ll learn from its students, we are excited about the many directions we can take our documentary. I can’t wait to meet the students next week.

West Adams Preparatory High School

Because I had already posted my first two blog entries prior to Mr. Murray's explanatory post (in regards to the required context of each blog), I will use this post as a synthesis of blog entries number 2 and 3. This is a fitting convenience considering it was also our first visit with our site, West Adams Preparatory High School.

I had coincidentally seen West Adams on numerous occasions while driving around the surrounding area of USC. I specifically remember commenting on it to a few friends on more than one occasion, remarking at its flamboyant architecture and colors. I had wondered what exactly it was; an adult school? A special arts college? These memories made my entrance to the school feel a bit more surreal, but also more exciting given my previous interest in its veneer. While me and my group mates (Stephanie and Kady) seemed to stand out in the halls and office, I don't believe any of us were uncomfortable with the surroundings since everyone was so cordial and helping. Mario Galindo, our site's facilitator, was especially kind and encouraging of our involvement with the school and our project.

After speaking with Mario for some time, I had become increasingly interested in the school's history itself. Mario expressed a sincere passion for the school's ambitions and sense of uniqueness amongst the surrounding school district. We learned that the school had only been opened four years ago, so his devotion to its curriculums and methods indicated that West Adams was no ordinary high school. Still, I got the sense from Mario that the school does not wish to be viewed as a "preparatory" high school, as it is humbly not an inclusive school and is open to the surrounding vicinity's children like any other public school. Still, it is not exactly apart of the Los Angeles Unified School District, or at least that's the jest that I understood. I believe our group's problems in the future may work around this area. How is West Adams similar to the LAUSD? How is it different? How do the students feel about its distinctions? How can we document the school's ambitions and efforts without neglecting the students and whatever separate issues they may have in the community? I believe these areas will work themselves out in future classes, and I'm excited about filming the process.

Families of the Incarcerated

My First Visit.

Sorry for the delay in posting on the blog. My first visit to the Families office took place last Friday with Amber. We drove east down Washington Blvd into the warehouse district, a part of Los Angeles that to which I had never been and a part that never seems to be mentioned in conversation. There were numerous fast food stands, electrical cables, and free-flying newspapers along the sidewalk, and the metro was to our left almost the entire drive. The office itself is located within a warehouse-type facility, right next to a gentlemen's club and the freeway.

I parked the car, and Amber, having previously visited the facility, knew at which door to press the buzzer. After ascending a flight of stairs, I was pleasantly surprised by the extremely clean and professional atmosphere of the office. It was a much different environment than the outside area. By no means did I expect a trashy office; I was just very impressed. Immediately, we were greeted by Amalia, our helper and liaison with the Mothers of the Incarcerated. She was nothing but supportive as we presented our preliminary ideas for the documentary, and knowing the mothers better than any of us, she offered her own insights on how we could best approach and execute this project.

As we continued our conversation, I gazed around Amalia's office and noticed that it was chock full of photos and thank you letters. Her walls were a visual scrapbook. One of the letters in particular caught my eye. It was written by an incarcerated father, thanking Amalia for allowing him to be reunited with his daughter. A photo of their visit together was posted right next to it. I realized then that Amalia and this organization are making some extremely admirable, touching accomplishments. They help and represent families that go largely unaided and unnoticed.

Though it was hard to find days that worked in everyone's schedules, by the end of the meeting, we scheduled our next two visits - one at the Mothers of the Incarcerated group meeting and another at an individual's home. I can't wait for these next two visits because we will actually be meeting the families with whom we will be collaborating.

For the Studio of So. Cal History folks

On the subject of how to do a documentary about USC that doesn't simply promote the school, check out pages 14-16 of Donna Bickford's article on activism and service learning. She talks about on-campus activist projects that could give you some ideas for your documentaries.

Fades for Grades

Visit #1.

Group 2 went to visit Rick and some of the fades for grades students this past Friday. A great experience, and one that was unexpected. We were shocked to see how pleasant the campus was and how excited the kids were to go to the CYCF after school program. We have a great plan that will hopefully be locked up by today. We will be taking 12-15 of the students and bringing the P'Tones Records curriculum to them. Rick explained that there has never been two groups at the same time so we are eager to see how that went.

Rick is very easy going and he could not be more passionate about working with the youth. We are all looking forward to having a great semester at Crenshaw and hanging with the students.

New Village

New Village Charter School is the first all girls charter school in California. Our first day on the site was an orientation and introduction, to get a feel on how the school works and meet the students. Attending public schools all my life I never really knew what a charter school was and didn't know what to expect. However, walking into the classroom I was surprised to see how few girls were in the class. There was about 9 girls in the room, as we sat in and observed I learned more about the structure of the classes as well as the relationship between the teachers and students. Class began at 8:30 and after 9 students were still trickling into the class which Diana was not very happy about. That day the classes that where meeting were called advisories. Every week they have multiple advisories so the students can comment on their behavior and progress at school. I learned alot about the structural aspect of the classes, such as the amount of reading they are suppose to do per semester, how they are placed in internships, and the past week they had exhibitions of their own work. This was a school that went above the norms for their students which I loved. I thought the internship was a great idea.

I was really impressed by the staff and how they interacted with the students. They were very upfront with them. However, I wanted to learn more about the girls individually which I will over the coming months but they seemed so different yet similar. The school is very small which I thought was good because the girls received one on one attention. Also I found out that the school received a 150,000 scholarship for the school! The most vivid image that stuck out to me during my first visit was when one of the girls came into class late, and Diana was surprised she had came in since she had been out for a while. She mentioned that she had been really sick and further went on to say that she was pregnant. I remember that moment most vividly because of how she is a straight A student and still came to school even though she had more to deal with than the regular student. I really look forward to my experiences at my site. This coming Wednesday we will be discussing with the girls possible topics that they will work with us on for the documentary! My past classroom experiences have been at public schools where teachers don't have much time with students and this causes problems. I was surprised at first to see the small setting because I was expecting it to be bigger! but this will be an advantage for us and the students. I will post pictures soon!

Schedule for the next two weeks

Hey everyone:
So as you know if you were in class on Tuesday, we're canceling class Thursday, 2/10 to give you time to coordinate your groups and plan for your first visits.

We'll be meeting again Tuesday in our usual classrooms to discuss A2, your research paper. As preparation, you might start thinking about questions that might yield interesting research projects. Ideally, these questions will emerge from your site visits, but they can also take shape from your discipline. I recommend starting small: instead of "What's the problem with education in America?" think about "Why don't I notice any science labs in the school I'm visiting?"

On Thursday, 2/17 we'll be meeting in Leavey Learning Lab B for a library session designed to brush up your knowledge of databases and research strategies.

We'll hand out due dates for A2 when we hand out the prompt on Tuesday. See you then!

PS: Don't forget to post to the blog when you complete your first site visit. See the questions that John has posted for guidance. And feel free, too, to engage in a discussion via the comments section rather than posting your own separate blog entry. 

Required Blog Entries

WRIT 340/Writing in the Community/Spring 2011

Entry One:

Write a response to one or more of the readings assigned during the first three weeks of class.

(no later than 2/3/11)

Entry Two:

From your perspective as an observer in a new social setting, describe your most vivid first impressions of the site. How do you feel about your initial experiences in the community? How do your experiences compare with your expectations? Be specific.

Entry Three:

What are the particular issues, tasks or problems you have encountered or anticipate during your site visits?

Entry Four:

After a few weeks of working together, what have you learned about each other? Do you share anything in common? What (beyond the obvious) are the biggest differences?

Entry Five:

How are the students, clients, and/or staff responding to your efforts? Do you think that your presence is anticipated or appreciated? What is your emotional response to others’ reaction towards you?

Entry Six:

Option One: Write about your role as an “activist” with your community partner.

Option Two: Write about ANYTHING you wish to make known to other members of the class. Note: please avoid rants that serve no real purpose. This is not to say that entries have to be all sunshine and daisies, but please be constructive with necessary criticism.

Deadline for site-related entries is one week after site visit (no exceptions).

Entries should reflect rigorous consideration of the topic/s under consideration and observe the tenets of good rhetorical writing, as outlined in the grading rubric for the course. They should be free of surface errors and reflect your unique perspectives on the issue. It is essential that you read all of the previously posted entries for that week in order to avoid any subtle or blatant repetition of previous ideas. While entries that repeat previously stated ideas will not receive credit, it IS acceptable to respond to a previous entry as a way to launch your posting and contribute a new perspective on something someone else has discussed.

Print out your weekly blog entries as they accumulate. You will submit them for a grade at the end of the semester.

Interview Techniques

Below are some things to consider as you begin to make your site visits. Please add any suggestions that you think would be beneficial.

Some things to keep in mind while interviewing:

Your job is to facilitate and document ideas, so don’t worry about the legitimacy of the contributions, even if some points seem distorted. You don’t want someone to feel challenged as you begin building rapport

Don’t feel you need to validate their contributions, or they might begin to seek your approval, rather than divulge information. Maintain a sense of objectivity. Remember that you’re working on something together, and not there to feel good about your exchanges (though that may be an occasional by-product)

Be comfortable asking for clarification when someone makes an ambiguous (or confusing) statement. Consider that risky assumptions might result in confusion or alienation.

Ask them to expand on points as a way of achieving them (e.g., “it’s easier for the boys…” Don’t assume you know what that means; can you ask the boys for their take on that assessment? Work for clarity and consensus (it might just be one person’s perception). Also, consider paraphrasing a statement as a question, so that they get the sense that you’re connecting with them and clear on what they’re trying to convey.

Don’t speculate about what someone means. Wait for answers, and if they don’t come, try rephrasing the question. Avoid the urge to “fill in the blank” for someone—we’re trying to learn more about their “truths,” and not tell them what we think those things might be.

Be sensitive to things that someone might not want to share (e.g., academic achievement, sexual desires, feelings about authority figures, economic status, etc.). It’s not that these things are “off the table,” it’s just that some people don’t won’t be ready to discuss it in a room full of people.

Bickford and the Uselessness of Individual Transcendence

Bickford states that the main issue with modern “community service” and “service-based learning” is a mixture of naive preconceptions and an inability to ask the harder question “Why are conditions this way?” instead of the easier “How can we help these people?”. Though well intentioned, this is misleading at best. Taken to its logical endpoint, Bickford's question is an ouroboros of systemic issues. Conditions are “this way” because there is no longer any real mechanism for social movement - if there ever really was in the first place. Furthermore, she strays from focusing on methods of effecting change to question the psyche of student-volunteers (“why are you doing this?”), particularly the recurring theme in her research of students out to observe the “other”, thereby unconsciously placing themselves at the center.

This is demonstrably ridiculous; All frame of reference springs from individual perception. No amount of solemn head nodding and sober self-analysis is going to change that. If change is to occur, it must necessarily happen on an individual level first. Organizations such as gangs and institutions such as international banking conglomerates are not going to change out of nowhere. Instead, the alterations must come from within, particularly from those in the seat of power. This is where we uncover the real issue: size-based stagnation. Take for example the leader of a powerful gang. He is the ultimate authority within this power structure, and all members are beholden to him. But in a very real way he is much more in their thrall, than they in his. If a member decides to leave, he knows the stakes: they will kill him, and his family. A sad side effect of attempted change, but relatively small scale. But if the leader tries to leave, the entire power structure crumbles, taking with it all of the gang members and all of their families. If there is so much as a hint of anything other than unwavering confidence and complete dedication detected in the top of the food chain, it will quickly lead to the gang's utter decimation by those who display no such ambivalence. While a member of an organization is bound by its laws and demands, the leaders are equally bound to those members.

Replace the gang leader with the bank CEO, and the same principles apply. While the penalty for disloyalty is financial ruin rather than death, it is functionally the same scenario, since in both cases the penalty renders both simple members and authority figures incapable and unwilling to promote change – since that change would always come at the expense of themselves and their peers. In order to effect change, the motivator behind it must first reach a certain critical mass. But in reaching that point, these individuals/institutions have inevitably become to large to be concerned with anything other than their own perpetuation. The lower level figures can't do anything but support the company, and those running the company can't throw caution to the wind in favor of ideals without also throwing all their underlings into thin air as well. This is in addition to the not-inconsequential fact that those in power generally possess an extremely comfortable standard of living, on an individual level.

While Bickford certainly has several interesting and well-reasoned points, the basic premise of her article is flawed. By assuming that a greater individual understanding of social issues, rather than randoms acts of volunteerism, is the true path to change, she is ignoring the fact that trying to fix the underlying problems would result in a never-ending cycle of finding source after source for all the world's ills. It's all one big recursive loop of unalterable social structure. If Bickford is really so concerned with her apparent agenda, perhaps she should forgo the dainty attempts to better humanity on a core and individual level, and instead explore the historically-successful, tried and true path to actual change: violent rebellion.

Intercultural Inquiry & the Transformation of Service by Linda Flower

Flower's article explores several complexities I have experienced myself as a volunteer, "tutor", and "mentor" in a variety of service- learning projects. However, what struck me most about her discussion is her focus on not only understanding the personal experience of service- learning, but also the key transformation during that time that may facilitate a greater, "intercultural" exchange that empowers both individual and community in a meaningful and sustained way.


I especially liked her reference to various models of service- learning, one of which she describes as thriving "on an authentic pedagogy that enables' knowers to recognize themselves, their experiences, and learn how to change existing conditions for themselves as well as others in the community'". It's as if one must first re- claim their identity, sense of self, and sense of place to begin un- learning, un- doing, and cultivating more conscious ways of relating and living that are meaningful beyond the self and necessarily also rooted in the community in which one inhabits.


I especially related to her discussion of the "need to struggle." "This need to struggle is not due to a mere lack of knowledge. It arises because understanding means somehow dealing with the contradictions. It means fashioning a tentative and probably problematic negotiated response to the social and cognitive, historical and material conflicts within the human activity (and activity system) of community outreach."
I have experienced this intimately my self and feel that this struggle has significantly altered my life course and also, especially, my academic pursuits and understanding  of being a student. 

Help with organizing your group

Check out this site:

http://whenisgood.net/