Author: Jocelyn DeWitt
Posted date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 6:33:49 PM PST
Last modified date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 6:33:49 PM PST
Our idea is to basically intertwine a group of people and individual experiences into A documentary that shows the necessity of global awareness and how being a part of the world at large can individually effect people in such different and yet the same way. In the process we will film and document the experiences of each person through confession room like interviews and personal reflection times, weekly video diaries, blogs, really any form of contact we can establish to develop an in depth story of each person. We hope that through getting in contact with these people we will find and create connections between each situation that will support our global awareness/ global compassion goal. We plan to get in contact with people, thinking about studying abroad, currently studying abroad, and people who have studied abroad recently. We will follow these people and ask key questions to link each individual story to our larger picture and in the mean time witnessing the changes people undergo through these experiences.
First project blog:
January 31st.
My partner, Jimmy and I met up at Dutch Bros on Friday to get started on our project... Finally. Up until this point, we honestly hadn't really done much except talk about how good the project can or cannot turn out.
Upon our little meeting, we discovered a few key things: who it is exactly we need to talk to (that is, interview) and about what. Between Jimmy and I, we have many many names of people who are a)about to travel abroad b)are currently abroad or c) have traveled abroad. This is what we need. We also chatted a little bit about the layout of the documentary and the different elements we want to add in to make it aesthetically pleasing and emotionally gripping.
I feel good about this, mostly because Jim and Joc have some pretty creative juices- if I do say so myself. Our first filming session is tomorrow.
:)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Our girl Lindsay S
Last night's class was full of fun and excitement as OSU alum Lindsay Schnell came into class to talk about her career after studying Liberal Arts at Oregon State. I learned a lot. In fact, I consider myself enlightened once again due to this fantastic Tuesday night class. Lindsay told us many stories about the people, places and situations she's encountered during her rise to the top as a reporter for the Oregonian.
She started with a personal introduction: who she is, where she's from and why she has ended up as a decorated writer of athletes and sports for one of the largest newspapers in the Northwest. I was quite impressed to say the least. I had heard about Lindsay from my advisor and NMC profs, and was happy to get to see her, take her all in, in class. She's kind of a wild one to be honest. What is she, like 6' at least? As she said, "tall, blond and loud", obviously not a formula for blending in in a crowd.
After hearing a little background, we heard a little more about what's going on in her world of reporting... which inevitably led to the first story she has ever broken this past weekend about UO quarterback Jeremiah Masoli being accused of theft by a frat house in Eugene. The case is far from closed and Masoli is far from trial, as any famous college athlete would be in this situation, but Lindsay was there first. It was exciting for me to hear exactly how "the breaking" of a story goes down: extremely fast-paced and dependent on other people who can make or break this career-changing story for you. To be honest, I', not sure if my blood pressure and stress levels would allow me to make out of that situation alive, but I suppose that comes with the job description.
I think what affected me the most out of listening to Schnell is the way she has always known what she wanted to do, and how she wanted to do it. With the media industry experiencing such dramatic DAILY revolutions, it's hard for me to imagine knowing... anything. I know I want to be involved, but I'm not sure how or where. It's fascinating to me that Lindsay knew she wanted to have a career in writing and sports, and now she does. Granted, it didn't appear out of thin air. Many turbulent years of hard work, lack of a college social life and passion landed her where she is now. But, she always knew it would come.
Thank God for people like Lindsay Schnell, who simply know what they want and push anything out of the way to obtain it.
She started with a personal introduction: who she is, where she's from and why she has ended up as a decorated writer of athletes and sports for one of the largest newspapers in the Northwest. I was quite impressed to say the least. I had heard about Lindsay from my advisor and NMC profs, and was happy to get to see her, take her all in, in class. She's kind of a wild one to be honest. What is she, like 6' at least? As she said, "tall, blond and loud", obviously not a formula for blending in in a crowd.
After hearing a little background, we heard a little more about what's going on in her world of reporting... which inevitably led to the first story she has ever broken this past weekend about UO quarterback Jeremiah Masoli being accused of theft by a frat house in Eugene. The case is far from closed and Masoli is far from trial, as any famous college athlete would be in this situation, but Lindsay was there first. It was exciting for me to hear exactly how "the breaking" of a story goes down: extremely fast-paced and dependent on other people who can make or break this career-changing story for you. To be honest, I', not sure if my blood pressure and stress levels would allow me to make out of that situation alive, but I suppose that comes with the job description.
I think what affected me the most out of listening to Schnell is the way she has always known what she wanted to do, and how she wanted to do it. With the media industry experiencing such dramatic DAILY revolutions, it's hard for me to imagine knowing... anything. I know I want to be involved, but I'm not sure how or where. It's fascinating to me that Lindsay knew she wanted to have a career in writing and sports, and now she does. Granted, it didn't appear out of thin air. Many turbulent years of hard work, lack of a college social life and passion landed her where she is now. But, she always knew it would come.
Thank God for people like Lindsay Schnell, who simply know what they want and push anything out of the way to obtain it.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Think Before We Speak
Published in the Barometer on November 13th.
There is no single definition for American anymore, as we are a racially colorful society made up of homosexuals, transsexuals, heterosexuals, Christians, Jews, atheists, Buddhists, Democrats, Republicans, the green party and every other sexual orientation, religious affiliation and political faction that I didn't get to (I apologize if I left you out). With all these varied groups of people, sometimes it seems difficult to keep track of what is appropriate and what is better left unsaid.
Before I get started, let me state that I am not the person who misinterprets everything that is said to somehow be rude or impolite. Those people bug me and I'm sure you know who they are: They are the people who wait in dark corners only to jump out when others make comments that may or may not be directed at anyone, and then they somehow turn the conversation around so that those comments suddenly seem extremely offensive.
I am not a neo-feminist who is insulted by the institution of marriage or any other age-old tradition that has recently been misconstrued as acts against women, and I am never offended when someone pokes fun at my 5'2" stature.
I am by no means a particularly politically correct individual who gets insulted easily. Actually, the term "politically correct" irritates me.
This is because its implication is so broad that having a decent discussion, in class or otherwise, without the worry of being "politically incorrect" is almost impossible. For these reasons, I will not use the term "politically correct" to define what can otherwise be referred to as decent or courteous.
With all that said, however, I am here to draw the fine line. Between what, you ask? The line between being an anal, uptight politically correct annoyance to society and simply being a polite, self-respecting human being.
The event that brought this issue about occurred last weekend when a group of friends and I were enjoying a meal at a dimly-lit restaurant.
Before I get started, let me state that I am not the person who misinterprets everything that is said to somehow be rude or impolite. Those people bug me and I'm sure you know who they are: They are the people who wait in dark corners only to jump out when others make comments that may or may not be directed at anyone, and then they somehow turn the conversation around so that those comments suddenly seem extremely offensive.
I am not a neo-feminist who is insulted by the institution of marriage or any other age-old tradition that has recently been misconstrued as acts against women, and I am never offended when someone pokes fun at my 5'2" stature.
I am by no means a particularly politically correct individual who gets insulted easily. Actually, the term "politically correct" irritates me.
This is because its implication is so broad that having a decent discussion, in class or otherwise, without the worry of being "politically incorrect" is almost impossible. For these reasons, I will not use the term "politically correct" to define what can otherwise be referred to as decent or courteous.
With all that said, however, I am here to draw the fine line. Between what, you ask? The line between being an anal, uptight politically correct annoyance to society and simply being a polite, self-respecting human being.
The event that brought this issue about occurred last weekend when a group of friends and I were enjoying a meal at a dimly-lit restaurant.
A conversation about a girl who is not popular within our group of friends arose, to which my friend added a little louder than anticipated, "Oh, she's so retarded!" As this comment was made, our waiter who happened to be serving our meals at that moment signaled for my friend to lower her voice and motioned toward the corner of the room where a mentally-disabled woman sat in her wheelchair enjoying a meal.
Needless to say, my friend was terribly embarrassed and blushed at her mistake. I am sure the handicapped woman heard none of our conversation, but my friend could not forgive herself for her slip.
Am I telling this story so my friend feels worse about what she said? Not in the least. I am telling this story because this sort of thing happens to the best of us. The comment my friend made says nothing bad about her character, except for maybe that she needs to be more cautious about the things she says. The same thing can be said about all of us.
This situation proved to me one thing. Though my friend was the one who made the "retarded" comment, she is not entirely to blame. Society plays a big part in this issue as well. Our culture as a whole is to blame for the way we all downplay hurtful phrases as if they are all just ordinary words used to describe what we really mean to say.
Everyone at the table knew my friend wasn't actually calling the subject of our conversation mentally disabled. But if there wasn't the awkward moment in which someone potentially could have gotten offended, would any of us have even thought twice about the vocabulary that was chosen? I don't think so. Why? Because society tells us that these words are meaningless.
Don't fret, though. It is not too late to reverse an entire societal tendency.
Needless to say, my friend was terribly embarrassed and blushed at her mistake. I am sure the handicapped woman heard none of our conversation, but my friend could not forgive herself for her slip.
Am I telling this story so my friend feels worse about what she said? Not in the least. I am telling this story because this sort of thing happens to the best of us. The comment my friend made says nothing bad about her character, except for maybe that she needs to be more cautious about the things she says. The same thing can be said about all of us.
This situation proved to me one thing. Though my friend was the one who made the "retarded" comment, she is not entirely to blame. Society plays a big part in this issue as well. Our culture as a whole is to blame for the way we all downplay hurtful phrases as if they are all just ordinary words used to describe what we really mean to say.
Everyone at the table knew my friend wasn't actually calling the subject of our conversation mentally disabled. But if there wasn't the awkward moment in which someone potentially could have gotten offended, would any of us have even thought twice about the vocabulary that was chosen? I don't think so. Why? Because society tells us that these words are meaningless.
Don't fret, though. It is not too late to reverse an entire societal tendency.
Article on Interracial Marriage
Published in the Barometer on October 22nd
If you and your significant other are planning on tying the knot in Louisiana, make sure you're both the same race.
"Interracial couple denied marriage license in Louisiana" were the first words I read in the paper while eating breakfast last Friday morning.
The words were a little startling, but mostly they made me extremely angry. Those emotions were only amplified as I continued to read the story in the Associated Press.
Let's hear it for Keith Bardwell, undoubtedly Louisiana's finest justice of the peace who proudly denied a couple their marriage license for one sole reason: the bride is white and the groom is black.
Apparently Bardwell has given himself the task of deciding who can get married and who can't. This is not the first couple he has denied a marriage license; any interracial couple who calls on Bardwell for his legal services is rejected.
At least he's consistent. It seems we still have a long way to go to reach the American goals of integration and equality.
Bardwell justified his decisions by claiming that most interracial couples do not last.
He may have been correct in his claim that there are higher divorce rates for interracial couples than for same-race couples (after 10 years of marriage, interracial couples have a 41% chance of marriage disruption, while same-race couples have a 31% chance, according to a 1998 government report.)
But as justice of the peace, it really is none of Bardwell's business if the marriage is going to last or not. He has no right to refuse a couple their license based on statistics.
Bardwell argued, "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way." However, since Bardwell is so keen on statistics, he would have known that there is actually a higher chance of marital disruption for specifically all-black couples (47%) than for mixed race couples.
But since he is "not a racist," he would never deny that category of newlyweds their marriage license. Smooth move, Bardwell.
"Interracial couple denied marriage license in Louisiana" were the first words I read in the paper while eating breakfast last Friday morning.
The words were a little startling, but mostly they made me extremely angry. Those emotions were only amplified as I continued to read the story in the Associated Press.
Let's hear it for Keith Bardwell, undoubtedly Louisiana's finest justice of the peace who proudly denied a couple their marriage license for one sole reason: the bride is white and the groom is black.
Apparently Bardwell has given himself the task of deciding who can get married and who can't. This is not the first couple he has denied a marriage license; any interracial couple who calls on Bardwell for his legal services is rejected.
At least he's consistent. It seems we still have a long way to go to reach the American goals of integration and equality.
Bardwell justified his decisions by claiming that most interracial couples do not last.
He may have been correct in his claim that there are higher divorce rates for interracial couples than for same-race couples (after 10 years of marriage, interracial couples have a 41% chance of marriage disruption, while same-race couples have a 31% chance, according to a 1998 government report.)
But as justice of the peace, it really is none of Bardwell's business if the marriage is going to last or not. He has no right to refuse a couple their license based on statistics.
Bardwell argued, "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way." However, since Bardwell is so keen on statistics, he would have known that there is actually a higher chance of marital disruption for specifically all-black couples (47%) than for mixed race couples.
But since he is "not a racist," he would never deny that category of newlyweds their marriage license. Smooth move, Bardwell.
Keith Bardwell also claimed he was doing the world a favor by refusing interracial marriages because he thinks half-black, half-white children are shunned in today's society.
I agree that life would be more difficult as a mixed-race child because it would be harder to find and identify with a group of people of the same heritage.
However, society offers many obstacles that make living more difficult. This doesn't mean we should run away from them. Couples shouldn't let the complications of society stop them from starting families.
No man named Keith Bardwell, or anyone else for that matter, should think they have the right to prevent any family from reaching its full potential.
In fact, there are now 6.1 million multiracial Americans in the United States and that number is not decreasing. The demographics of this country are changing with great thanks to the multiracial population, whether Bardwell believes it or not.
Has he even taken the time to realize that the leader of our nation is a multiracial American? Next time he wants to deny an interracial couple their marriage license, he might want to think about what kind of future leader he is prohibiting them from having.
I agree that life would be more difficult as a mixed-race child because it would be harder to find and identify with a group of people of the same heritage.
However, society offers many obstacles that make living more difficult. This doesn't mean we should run away from them. Couples shouldn't let the complications of society stop them from starting families.
No man named Keith Bardwell, or anyone else for that matter, should think they have the right to prevent any family from reaching its full potential.
In fact, there are now 6.1 million multiracial Americans in the United States and that number is not decreasing. The demographics of this country are changing with great thanks to the multiracial population, whether Bardwell believes it or not.
Has he even taken the time to realize that the leader of our nation is a multiracial American? Next time he wants to deny an interracial couple their marriage license, he might want to think about what kind of future leader he is prohibiting them from having.
Article on Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis
Published in the Barometer on November 6th.
There's nothing that can quite compare to the twinkle in a child's eye. I discovered this recently when I started volunteering at the Corvallis Boys and Girls Club a couple weeks ago. I saw it in almost every one of their expressions - that look.
It's the look that would keep kids giggling even in a whirlwind of misery. It's the look that keeps us bitter, crusty grown-ups from taking life too seriously. Before I walked into the Boys and Girls Club for the first time, I had forgotten that look.
As I made my way through the crowds of kids from one room to the next, I started to recognize a pattern. Every kid, whether they were sitting by themselves or running around with a herd of their friends, seemed to radiate an aura of bliss and well-being.
This proved to me one thing: They were all exactly where they were supposed to be.
As I got a better feel for the building (i.e. where the "little" gym is compared to the "big" gym and which study room is for which age group) it became obvious the excitement I felt was due to the fact that it brought me back to my own childhood days. Those sweet, distant days that have been swept further and further under the carpet of my memory.
As a little boy whizzed by me fighting an imaginary being of some sort (probably a dragon judging by the way he swung his sword really high above his head) another epitome hit me straight in the face: Lack of a child's sense of excitement and imagination is the root cause of many of the world's problems.
If what we see in a child reminds us of our younger, better, less regretful days, then why don't we spend more time learning from them than from a grumpy, gray-haired professor who rambles on about things we don't care about?
Every emotion a young child has is genuine - not posed, faked or forged in any way. To them, the world is at their very disposal. What it can't provide them, they create using the most effective weapon against boredom and monotony in the world today: the imagination. With it, kids conquer the world. Actually, at the Boys and Girls Club, world-conquering is a daily occurrence, and I see heroes and heroines waltz around with giant grins on their faces.
It's the look that would keep kids giggling even in a whirlwind of misery. It's the look that keeps us bitter, crusty grown-ups from taking life too seriously. Before I walked into the Boys and Girls Club for the first time, I had forgotten that look.
As I made my way through the crowds of kids from one room to the next, I started to recognize a pattern. Every kid, whether they were sitting by themselves or running around with a herd of their friends, seemed to radiate an aura of bliss and well-being.
This proved to me one thing: They were all exactly where they were supposed to be.
As I got a better feel for the building (i.e. where the "little" gym is compared to the "big" gym and which study room is for which age group) it became obvious the excitement I felt was due to the fact that it brought me back to my own childhood days. Those sweet, distant days that have been swept further and further under the carpet of my memory.
As a little boy whizzed by me fighting an imaginary being of some sort (probably a dragon judging by the way he swung his sword really high above his head) another epitome hit me straight in the face: Lack of a child's sense of excitement and imagination is the root cause of many of the world's problems.
If what we see in a child reminds us of our younger, better, less regretful days, then why don't we spend more time learning from them than from a grumpy, gray-haired professor who rambles on about things we don't care about?
Every emotion a young child has is genuine - not posed, faked or forged in any way. To them, the world is at their very disposal. What it can't provide them, they create using the most effective weapon against boredom and monotony in the world today: the imagination. With it, kids conquer the world. Actually, at the Boys and Girls Club, world-conquering is a daily occurrence, and I see heroes and heroines waltz around with giant grins on their faces.
So what exactly is this place? You may be from one of the few areas in Oregon that doesn't have a Boys and Girls Club. You may have even heard of it before but aren't really sure what the deal is.
Allow me to enlighten you: According to the official Boys and Girls Club website, "In every community, boys and girls are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets. An increasing number of children are at home with no adult care or supervision. Young people need to know that someone cares about them."
This is obviously where the clubs come in. They offer programs and services that give kids the opportunity to have a place to go, something to do and friends to hang out with. There are different places inside the clubs where children can do anything from getting help on their homework to creating an artistic masterpiece to playing a friendly game of pingpong.
I suppose it is easy to confuse this institution with a day care when, in fact, that label barely skims the surface. Every club provides "a safe place to learn and grow, ongoing relationships with caring adult professionals, life-enhancing programs and character development experiences, hope and opportunity."
Still not convinced this club is making any kind of difference? Approximately 4.5 million boys and girls are served through the clubs. There are more than 4,300 clubs with locations in all 50 states, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The clubs have been ranked by Newsweek and other credible magazines and journals "among the top charitable organizations in America based on cost-effective use of donor dollars."
Of the national Boys and Girls Club memberships, 65 percent are from minority families, 21 percent are between the ages of 13 and 15 and 43 percent are 6 to 10-year-olds. They also work together with Native American tribes across the nation to help the nation's most at-risk children change their lives for the better.
On top of all of this, the Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis offers another invaluable program that I've already gotten to observe first-hand: free dental care for children from families who can't afford insurance. Two experienced and qualified dentists and their assistants come into the club and perform checkups on kids who make appointments. I was called in to play and translate for the kids in the waiting room who were going to get work done on their teeth. The experience itself was touching to say the least.
Allow me to enlighten you: According to the official Boys and Girls Club website, "In every community, boys and girls are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets. An increasing number of children are at home with no adult care or supervision. Young people need to know that someone cares about them."
This is obviously where the clubs come in. They offer programs and services that give kids the opportunity to have a place to go, something to do and friends to hang out with. There are different places inside the clubs where children can do anything from getting help on their homework to creating an artistic masterpiece to playing a friendly game of pingpong.
I suppose it is easy to confuse this institution with a day care when, in fact, that label barely skims the surface. Every club provides "a safe place to learn and grow, ongoing relationships with caring adult professionals, life-enhancing programs and character development experiences, hope and opportunity."
Still not convinced this club is making any kind of difference? Approximately 4.5 million boys and girls are served through the clubs. There are more than 4,300 clubs with locations in all 50 states, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The clubs have been ranked by Newsweek and other credible magazines and journals "among the top charitable organizations in America based on cost-effective use of donor dollars."
Of the national Boys and Girls Club memberships, 65 percent are from minority families, 21 percent are between the ages of 13 and 15 and 43 percent are 6 to 10-year-olds. They also work together with Native American tribes across the nation to help the nation's most at-risk children change their lives for the better.
On top of all of this, the Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis offers another invaluable program that I've already gotten to observe first-hand: free dental care for children from families who can't afford insurance. Two experienced and qualified dentists and their assistants come into the club and perform checkups on kids who make appointments. I was called in to play and translate for the kids in the waiting room who were going to get work done on their teeth. The experience itself was touching to say the least.
With these examples and so many more (check out Denzel Washington's testimony as a man who received the full benefits of the club when he was a child), it is obvious why the clubs have been around for so long and why they continue to hold a positive influence on so many young lives.
This is a building where all kinds of children come together - Saudi Arabians, Koreans, Mexicans, Chinese, Egyptians, African-Americans and any other ethnicity you can imagine. I see these interactions every time I go.
These kids may be playing foosball or bingo, carving pumpkins, painting flowers, slaying dragons, eating and studying together, but they are also doing something that the rest of the world has forgotten how to do: enjoy each other without a single issue of diversity or stereotype standing in their way.
I don't know about you, but any organization that can promote this type of activity among today's children has my unreserved respect and willing support.
This is a building where all kinds of children come together - Saudi Arabians, Koreans, Mexicans, Chinese, Egyptians, African-Americans and any other ethnicity you can imagine. I see these interactions every time I go.
These kids may be playing foosball or bingo, carving pumpkins, painting flowers, slaying dragons, eating and studying together, but they are also doing something that the rest of the world has forgotten how to do: enjoy each other without a single issue of diversity or stereotype standing in their way.
I don't know about you, but any organization that can promote this type of activity among today's children has my unreserved respect and willing support.
NMC 301-ers
This is my brand spankin' new professional blog. I'll be using this for class, resume building and as a medium to post some of my professional writing. It's time for Joce's bed time right now, so to all a goodnight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)