In the video “10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation” Celeste Headlee talks about ten ways to have a civilized conversation. Celeste Headlee briefly talks about how teenagers and young adults will send up to one hundred text a day and would rather text the friends then talk to them face to face. I can honestly relate to that because if you have something to say that is hurtful or just straight up real talk it can be hard to it say face to face especially to someone you really care about. One thing that she says that really stood out me was her first rule and that was to not multie task while engaged in a conversation, That truly means a lot to me because ever sense I was little my grandmother always told me to give full attention to the person I’m taking to no matter whats going on around me.

 

 

Jacob Lattig

27 September 2020

Writ 101

Flint Crisis 

In regard to major events and controversies in the United States of America, there have been many to say the least. At this point, it is almost synonymous to associate American politics with drama, controversy, and discord as it has become a near sport for media pundits and citizens alike. However, there have been few events that have generated the type of visceral and widespread amount of public backlash than that of the Flint Michigan water crisis. It is important to note that this was an issue that plagued the city of Flint for years on top of years. In What The Eyes Don’t See, Mona Hanna-Attisha delves into the inner workings of the crisis and the extent to which the federal government went to lie about the realities of the situation and mislead the general public. One of the biggest takeaways from reading this book was that although the problem in Flint, Michigan, was of sizable magnitude, it was the government trying to hide the truth from the public that amplified the problem and turned into something that could not be redeemed or forgiven. 

It is often expected that when something goes horribly wrong in a city or a state/region of the United States, the federal government is expected to come and use the resources of the country to solve the problem in a timely and effective manner. That is why reading Attisha chronicle the lengths to which the federal government went to hide the grim realities of the water crisis was so stirring and surprising. It was almost as if this entire book was a complete paradox as to what we, as a citizenry, have expected from our federal government. One of the most interesting quotes from Attisha that addressed this specific concept was when she said “If we stop believing that the government can protect our public welfare and keep all children safe, not just the privileged ones, what do we have left? Who are we as a people, a society, a country, and a civilization?” (Attisha) Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha was a pediatrician, political activist, and scientist. It’s fascinating because Attisha did not know a lot about the material that was found in the water, but through experience and strenuous research/trials, she found out more information about the metal that was found in the water which would ultimately prove to be crucial when she would be the reason that the problem was solved in the end. 

There were many instances in which Attisha was lied to or led astray. One of the times in which she was lied to was in 2014. The city’s leadership intentionally led her astray in telling her that it was completely safe for children to continue to drink the water in Flint, knowing all the while that it was dangerous for them to do so. When reading this for the first time, it did not seem as though it was a big deal from the way it was framed; but when learning about the deadly implications that this lie had on the state, it was almost impossible to grasp just how dangerous that one singular lie was. Dr. Attisha being a pediatrician helped to make her mission in solving this more personal for her. Additionally, she had two daughters of her own, so it was nearly impossible for her to not be drawn to wanting to solve this issue because she knew this could have easily been one of her daughters drinking that water through no fault of their own. 

Another instance in which the government or a governmental department lied or misled her was when she presented her findings from her research in front of a press conference. There was a lot of noticeable backlash with many not even acknowledging her findings and assuming that she did not know what she was talking about or that she was a conspiracy theorist. This was incredibly frustrating for Attisha because it seemed like all of her hard work had gone down the drain and that nobody was taking her concerns seriously even though she had spent months researching it and had data to back up her claims. Attisha’s efforts would prevail in the end. The federal government would eventually acknowledge that she was correct in everything that she had said, and President Obama then proceeded to declare an emergency in the city and state for the water. 

When looking at this story, there are many comparisons that I could make in relation to things that I see in real life.  One of the biggest times that I encountered consistent lying/misinformation was during the time of the Presidential Election in 2016. Every time I would go on social media, there would be an ad full of untrue and misleading claims about both of the candidates from either side. This made it difficult for me to come to a conclusive opinion on the candidates because although I knew what the facts were, when you are constantly being fed information based in conspiracy theories and lies, your brain begins to normalize it and that just makes the process of decision making even more complicated. This relates to the story because even though Attisha knew everything that she was saying was rooted in facts, the government had presented her with so many lies that it began to wear on her morale. Thankfully, she persevered. The same can be said about me when talking about the information spread during the last election cycle. 

When I think about a time that I was presented with misinformation, there are too many to count. An example I will use will be a small one. Once, my friend told me something that my other friend said about me. However, the way that it was presented was not representative of the way that it was actually said to me. This is important because it goes back to the fact that even the smallest misconception or mischaracterization can have large and impactful ripples. 

 

Jacob Lattig

 

Adverse childhood experiences are potential traumatic events that happen in childhood from the years one to seventeen. ACEs have a big impact on future violence victimization, lifelong health and opportunity. ACEs also include all types of abuse and neglect as well as parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration, and domestic violence. Toxic stress response can occur when a child experiences strong, frequent, or prolonged adversity such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, and exposure to violence. When toxic stress occurs continually it can have a cumulative toll on an individual’s physical and mental health for a lifetime. The more adversity a child goes through in its life the more mental and developmental problems they will have later in life. Children that go through ACE are more likely to have a harder time in school, having increased odds of having bad below average academic skills also including poor literacy skills. Children can also have problems with their attention, social life, and aggression placing them at significant risk for poor school achievements.     

 

Jacob Lattig 

Dr.Mona’s is a pediatrician professor and public health advocate who exposed the flint water crisis from her in depth research. Her research showed that children were being exposed to dangerously high levels of lead in Flint. Dr.Mona’s was very relentless in her pursue to expose the crises to the people. She knew that as a mother and professional that the lead in the water would most likely cause permanent damage to the human brain and body especially in children. As a high school student my school had a pretty bad bullying problem. Being a leader on my football team I felt like I needed to make a change in my school so I decided to talk to my principal and schedule a meeting to speak in front of the school board. I feel like as a student at the University of Mississippi the only thing I can do to change the world or the community is the spread positivity to everyone.

Jacob Latig

8 September 2020

Writ 101

Analysis of Literacy Sponsorship 

 

The Three Sponsors 

When looking at the sponsors that have an impact in one’s life, it is important to take into consideration every external and internal factor that encapsulates their life. Whether that be parents, friends, or environment, every sponsor goes hand-in-hand in helping to shape the structure of a person. I think of this especially when it comes to the sponsors that have helped mold me into the person that I am today. Additionally, the aspect of my personal writing/literacy has been directly impacted by a numerous amount of sponsors in my life. Some were large, and some were small; but they both were equally important in terms of shaping my identity which is foundational to my style of writing/literacy. 

Growing up in an affluent town and neighborhood in one of the largest cities and states in the country, Dallas, I had access to a numerous amount of resources that was not common for the average person in America, as this country is plagued with disparities in wealth based on class and profession. Recognizing and acknowledging my privilege in terms of wealth, I can say that I did not have to face these challenges and hurdles, so that put me in a better position to succeed when it came to my skills in writing and literacy. When looking at the process of writing or reading a piece of literature, what many fail to realize and acknowledge is the way in which you write is directly tied to your life experiences and access to resources. Similarly to education, money and class give students more opportunities to establish themselves as the “smart” and “advanced” because they have the ability to gather resources geared towards guiding them down that particular path while students who have little to no resources have to work nearly twice as hard just to even catch up. I was one of those students who had access to resources and tutors who could assist me at any time if I needed assistance in classes or any standardized testing (ACT, SAT). All of this culminated in the formation of my first major sponsor that influenced my literacy and writing: wealth. When writing on a particular topic, my perspective is automatically skewed because I am speaking from the perspective of someone who has a lot of wealth; so when I get asked about specific topics, certain factors do not come into my mind that would be considered by someone who has a vastly different economic background.

Although I am rich in tangible wealth, I am still a minority in the United States of America. Race has been an issue that has dominated the consciousness of this country. From slavery to the brutal police shootings that have made headlines recently, race relations have progressively gotten better; but they are no where near where they need to be today. Growing up as a mixed young man in America, my experiences have been unique in every sense. On one hand, being part white gave me access to some privileges that a white man in America would be privy to; however, on the other hand, being part black is what has dominated my outlook, perspective, and experiences. While my wealth served as a sponsor that came to be of major benefit to me, being a mixed race man is a sponsor that has been seen as a negative for the majority of this country. This brings me to my second sponsor: race. Before anyone sees my wealth, they see my skin color. My skin color is the premise for the way that I am viewed, intentionally and unintentionally, because race has been so ingrained into our culture that a large chunk of the citizenry consciously has preconceived notions and stereotypes about people who look like me. Experiencing alienation and discrimination based on my mix race have been two defining factors in the way that I write and read literacy. When asked about a particular life experience, the way in which I would answer would differ dramatically than that of a white male because I have had differences that have shaped my identity and the foundation of my personality and being. 

My third and final sponsor stems from my gender. Men; not only in America, but all throughout the world, have tremendous amounts of privilege over women. When I walk into a room, I do not have to worry about the possibility of being picked apart by strangers. I know that I can wear a basic suit and it be perceived as socially acceptable; however, women are picked apart from all angles and aspects whenever they wear anything. This is rooted in the fact that women have societal pressure to always look “perfectly”. Being a male has impacted the way in which I consume literature, in the sense that there is a higher level of comfortability for me when reading because I do not have to face and take into consideration some of the factors that women have to. This has influenced the way that I write because I always write from the perspective of someone who lives in a country who puts their specific gender on a pedestal while having the other gender endure hurdle after hurdle.  

All in all, my three sponsors: wealth, race, and gender, have been determinative in my overall consumption of literature and the way that I write. My sponsors are similar to that of a melting pot, and some contradict one another; but that is the foundation of my diverse and complex perspective whenever I write. My three sponsors go to the root of the complexities of the concept of intersectionality. 

 

Peer review for Makayla Jones

From Jacob lattig 

Directions

• Carefully read each of your peer group members’ drafts and make notes as you read.
• Thoroughly answer each of the below questions for the drafts. Do separate reviews for each member.  
• Send peer reviews to your group members via email by the time you establish as a group.
• Copy+paste each peer review into one Word doc(x) then upload it to Blackboard (navigate to “submit MPs”) by the due date.

•        

Peer Review Worksheet Writ 101, MP 1: Let’s Literacy! (due Sept. 11)

 

 

• How does the writer set the scene (begin to tell the story) to get the reader “hooked”? Cite specific examples.    Makayla sets the scene by describing her childhood memories of her kindergarten teacher teaching her the ABCs and 123s.  

 

 

 

• What specific context and details does the writer give for the literacy sponsor(s) or literacy activity? Cite specific examples and page numbers. “By “a discourse” a socially accepted association among ways of using language, of thinking, and of acting that can be used to identify oneself as a member of a socially meaningful group or “social network”(Gee, 18). 

 

 

 

•  How does the writer analyze the ways socioeconomic factors — like race, class status, gender – affect the access to literacy experiences and/or literacy sponsorship? Cite specific examples and page numbers. Makayla talks about how she was put in a great learning environment to be able to understand and us what she was taught.

 

 

 

•  What scholars – like Brandt and Gee – does the writer cite? Cite specific examples and page numbers. “Eli Jr. clearly illustrates this understanding of how children perceive and comprehend the sometimes seemingly elusive text of their lives”(Fisherman, 848).

 

 

 

• What could the writer add to make a stronger connection to those scholars and sources? Cite specific passages/page numbers. The writer could make a stronger connection by maybe describing a time where she used the scholars sources in school.(pg1-2)

 

 

 

• Roses: List 3 strong aspects of this draft. Cite specific passages/page numbers. 1. I think the first important aspect of the draft is the beginning where she talks about her kindergarten experience and how she grew from that. “Mrs. Carr, my head start teacher was one of the best. She taught me everything I needed to know when it came to reading and writing. The basics of reading and writing are easy. At school, we would sing songs as in the ABC and 123 song to learn them and write them down. As time went by throughout the semester, we would start to learn how to read words. Reading words would help us get the skills of learning how to read. It was all easy at first until I got older and started reading hard, long AR books.”(pg. 1)

 

2. The writer talks about her first time writing and I think it’s a major part in this draft. “In sixth grade, I started to learn how to write papers. It was really simple because all we had to do was write about what we talked about in the classroom. My teachers would teach me to indent and how to start a paragraph. We would also learn how to use literacy with our writing. Literacy is a form of reading and writing with communication.”(pg. 2)
3. I loved how the writer brought up the #1000BlackGirlBooks and described the concept perfect. “I feel like writing can improve your skills if you continue to write. The reason why people write books is because they want an audience to enjoy them. In the video #1000BlackGirlBooks, Marley Diaz talks about how some people are not dedicated to read and write because they do not really have to unless they are in school. She encourages some parents to let their children at least read a book once a day to improve their reading skills. Improving reading skills can also improve your writing skills.”(pg. 2)

 

 

 

 

• Thorns: List 1 to 3 aspects of this draft the writer might improve, then offer a way for them to improve these aspects. The one aspect of this draft that I think could be fixed is that you should get more in depth with your topics and talk about how it made you feel.

 

 

Jacob Latig
8 September 2020
Writ 101
Analysis of Literacy Sponsorship — Rough Draft

The Three Sponsors
When looking at the sponsors that have an impact in one’s life, it is important to take into consideration every external and internal factor that encapsulates their life. Whether that be parents, friends, or environment, every sponsor goes hand-in-hand in helping to shape the structure of a person. I think of this especially when it comes to the sponsors that have helped mold me into the person that I am today. Additionally, the aspect of my personal writing/literacy has been directly impacted by a numerous amount of sponsors in my life. Some were large, and some were small; but they both were equally important in terms of shaping my identity which is foundational to my style of writing/literacy.
Growing up in an affluent town and neighborhood in one of the largest cities and states in the country, Dallas, I had access to a numerous amount of resources that was not common for the average person in America, as this country is plagued with disparities in wealth based on class and profession. Recognizing and acknowledging my privilege in terms of wealth, I can say that I did not have to face these challenges and hurdles, so that put me in a better position to succeed when it came to my skills in writing and literacy. When looking at the process of writing or reading a piece of literature, what many fail to realize and acknowledge is the way in which you write is directly tied to your life experiences and access to resources. Similarly to education, money and class give students more opportunities to establish themselves as the “smart” and

When I was a child my family and I would always sit around and listen to music and tell funny stories about our day. One day while my Grandmother was making dinner for my family my Grandfather sat my brother and I down and started talking to us about how he grew up on a farm, with his mother and father and his three siblings. He described how they weren’t the richest but not the poorest, they lived on a farm which meant that they constantly had chores around the house and the land. My Grandfather told me in depth how every morning he would have to wake up at 4am and have to go around the land and feed and take care of all of their livestock on the property, he would also complain to us how easy we have these days. After Sitting down and hearing my Grandfather talk about how he made it from nothing and was the only one in his family to go to college and to graduate with his doctorates degree, It really motivates me to be spitting image of him and to know my life’s purpose.