On Saturday March 8th I went to the American Sabor Exhibit at the EMP.  I spent most of my time there dancing to music in the listening booths with my friend and watching the music videos.  I discovered a new genre of music that I really like.  It is called Reggaeton.  Reggaeton originated in urban areas of Latin American and Carribbean countries such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.  Reggaeton blends Jamaican music influences of reggae and dancehall with those of Latin America, such as batchata, bomba, plena, and merengue well as hip hop and Electronica.   I love this style of music because of its beats by a drum machine.  Before I knew what the genre was called, I knew that it would be perfect for the merengue.  The artists rap in Spanish, with some English.

My favorite artists that could be considered Reggaeton are Daddy Yankee (Puerto Rico), Pitbull (Cuban American from Miami), Kat DeLuna (Dominican Republic), and Sean Paul (Jamaica).  On Saturday I was very happy to find out the artist and name of the song Gasolina by Daddy Yankee.  I think it’s very interesting to find out what countries the different artists are from and think about all the different musical influences coming from African rhythms, indigenous styles, and modern culture and technology.

Jack Black, Mos Def, and Danny Glover star in this 2008 film directed and written by Michel Gondry. I went out Saturday, the 8th of March, to Pacific Place in downtown Seattle to see the movie. To my surprise, I really enjoyed the film! It was quirky and original. Voice-over was present throughout the film, which is most likely why this was offered as an extra credit opportunity. Even during the trailers, I was watching for voice-over and its effect on atmosphere towards the audience! One film particularly, titled Funny Games, had an interesting trailer because the music and tone given off did not fit the film’s plot. It was like the remixed trailer of The Shining. Anyways, to get back to Be Kind, Rewind, the focus was on jazz and the legend of Fats Waller, who was born in the actual video shop, which of course is named, Be Kind Rewind. As Fletcher leaves town to attend a “memorial,” Mike is left in charge, though specifically instructed to “Peek Yrrey tou.” That was hilarious watching when their suits camouflaged with the fence perfectly on their way to sabotage the power lines/generator.  Due to Jerry’s magnetization, all the VHS tapes in the store are erased. Consequently, Mike and Jerry must remake these Hollywood film’s into their own masterpieces, though quite a bit shorter in length. Eventually, the government comes into the picture when copyright infringement forces the tapes to be destroyed. It is ridiculous how harsh the punishment is for doing what they did! Somewhere near 64,000 years in prison and over a billion dollars as a penalty. All those tapes being crushed was heartbreaking because the voice-overs and ambition put into those films were made with passion. The sweded version of films created is kind of like our remaking of PSA’s or voice-over’s of movie clips. We are sweding in English 121! Eventually, the documentary is made of Fats Waller, who really isn’t born in the video store. The whole community came in and helped to create the film and help save the video shop. So much generosity and the good of human nature was shown by this community. It really gave off a pleasant and happy tone. It isn’t always the new forms of things which are the best, be it a DVD or these new high-budget films. I think an underlying theme was that new things will always eventually sweep the old away, but both the new and old have their benefits and strengths. The ending came abruptly. It seems that the store has to close down after all that work, but the community saw the film and really enjoyed it. It was “indie” and really captured the hearts of those who were watching. The Be Kind, Rewind shop also had more of a personal relationship with its customers, whereas the giant mega-video chain did not. Also, I think this film also connected on a social level of commercialization taking over all aspects of American life, where small privately owned stores cannot survive anymore. I really enjoyed this film and left feeling great. I’m really glad that I had the chance to view this film, especially as an extra credit opportunity!

Dear Fellow English 121 b students,

As you can see by my salutation this is clearly an informal letter (take that outcome 1!). I write to increase awareness and give voice to one of our peer who has been silenced. I checked with my peer to make sure that writing this letter on his behalf wuld not itself be a violation of “speaking for.” Since I have my peer’s permission and was an eyewitness of the Incident I would like to draw all of your attention to some recent troubling events.

While working at the Boys and Girls club with the teens with learing disabilities sexual harrasment was going on left and right. Our peer endured unwanted physical contact and sexual remarks which made this person visibly uncomfortable. The disabled student said, “I think Larry-Sue [I want to maintain complete confidentiality and to avoid divulging gender] is cute!” The student went on to spank herself with a kitchen utensil and said, “This would be good for spanking Larry-Sue.” These sorts of sexual advances are clearly inappropriate and make volunteers, including myself, uncomfortable.

I asked Larry-Sue how they were going to handle the situation. Ignoring the student and not encouraging this type of behavior seemed their best solution. The next time I went to the Boys and Girls club this tactic was being implemented, with perhaps a worse outcome. The student would simply not be ignored, resorting to physical assault: slapping and punching.

The only efforts I saw from staff against this behavior were intermittent reminders about keeping “our hands to ourselves.” I inquired why Larry-Sue didn’t tell the staff and they replied that “they have enough to handle as it is.”

 Well, I won’t tolerate this. As volunteers we are warned about only giving sidehugs and high fives, because as older people we are the sexual predators. The Boys and Girls club mission is to create a safe, healthy enriching environment for kids. What about for its volunteers? Is it not fair that we also demand a space free from sexual harrassment?

Please feel free to comment, ask questions, I want this dialogue to continue and make an impact. My dear 121 peers, don’t let yourselves become victims.

Vigilantly,

Summer

Target audience: UW students

Tone: Upbeat – energizing

Pathos: Something at the end like, “Make the choice that will be best for you, the organization, and the people you serve. Serve for more than just one short quarter.”

Logos and Ethos: Possibly quote the interviews. Either quote or cite Adam saying what % of quarter-long volunteers end up staying longer. Or try and find that info from Michaelann.

Benefits of service:

– Staff = less paperwork, can trust volunteers with more responsibility, volunteers know how to do more jobs

– Volunteers = learn more, can do more instead of just the low-level jobs, can perform service more effectively by forming relationship with clients and getting to know the culture of organization

– Clients = better served (see last points above under “volunteers”)

The Alcoff piece was definitely dead on with the assignments we are working. I am still not 100% sold however that speaking for others is harmful… that is kind of where I am stuck.

In her three beginning examples she sets up what her pice is going to be about by giving very different situations of speaking for or in the last case not speaking for. In the first example I believe that her style of writing should not be critiqued by a few other women so harshly – that example did not sell me to believe speaking for others is bad. Yet the second point about the president is a grey situation where he could be helping and could be hurting… yet the president is not simply speaking for but acting for. And then the last situation when the theorist won’t even lecture.. I thought that he could have lectured if he was educated on the situation he is still qualified to stake claims of his own personal opinion.

As far as relating that Alcoff piece and the situation at the boys and girls club I have been struggling with speaking for and speaking about. Since we are working with younger kids I feel there is some knowlegde I have looking back at my childhood that they are not aware of. Since our group plans to incoroporate a volunteer activity schedule its hard to say what speaking for the kids really is. Am I speaking for them if I express the activity choices I enjoyed when I was younger and state that I want the kids to have those opportinitues as well? I guess its a difficult subject that I am having trouble grasping but the Alcoff piece didn’t make it any clearer for me.

Some parts that I find confusing are:

“Charge of Reductionism” - why is it viewed negatively? In many cases I feel I need to see that someone has successfully achieved something higher than I have to know it is attainable. And in just as many situations there mentoring, help and even their networks can be very helpful to me. I many times especially in school and work know I am “reduced” to a lower level of inteligence and training – nor would I be angered if someone where to point it out. Its true and a place for growing not something to try and hide and not let people talk about.

I guess my biggest misunderstanding is what is the problem with being spoken for by someone who has an intention of helping you. I’m trying to grasp the idea but it hasn’t fully clicked.

I do agree with Alcoff’s statement: “Even a complete retreat from speech is of course not neutral since it allows the continued dominance of current discourses and acts by omission to reenforce their dominance.”

• It sounds to easy to be true but it almost feels like if you are going to speak for someone, with good hearted intentions, and they are aware of your intentions and direction – how can it be negative? 

People! It’s almost over. The balance of the haul appears as follows:

Response Paper 2.1 due Tuesday, March 4th (but no class)

Response Paper 2.2 due Thursday, March 6th (in the Allen Auditorium)

Major Paper 2 due Tuesday, March 11th (the last day of class)

No class on Thursday, March 13th

E-Portolios due on Thursday, March 20th

If you have questions about any of the above, then send them my way ASAP. I’ll do my best to access my e-mail while in D.C.; however, I cannot guarantee a response until Wednesday, ok?

Your campaigns all sound brilliant, and I’m looking forward to seeing what emerges. We’ve got campaigns on music culture and music education, sustaining public work with communities, working with youth with special needs, encouraging teen participation at the Club, and augmenting volunteer-staff-youth relationships. Lots in the works and plenty to be excited about.

Finally, here’s the schedule for Conference Three:

Thursday, March 13th

9:30 >>> Aly

9:50 >>> Jenna

10:30 >>> Kenyon

10:50 >>> Aitza

11:10 >>> Sam

12 >>> Summer

12:20 >>> Juhi

12:40 >>> Ashley

1 >>> Nathan

1:30 >>> Scott

1:50 >>> Seth

Friday, March 14th

10:10 >>> Ryan

10:30 >>> Ainsley

10:50 >>> Krysta

11:10 >>> Sohroosh

11:50 >>> Casey

12:15 >>> Francis

12:35 >>> Colleen

12:55 >>> Miriam

1:20 >>> Jillian

Be in touch.