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For my Me Magazine slide I choose 3 pictures with the title of my Me Magazine. I organized my slide to focus the readers on the middle of the slide which was a flower. I touched on nature being important to me so I made it the central point of my slide. To the bottom right of my slide I placed the Apple Music logo because I listen to music on that application very often and I am also very passionate about music. At the bottom left I have a black fist which signifies power and unity for people of color. Being a person of color is important to me so I included a symbol of such. My title for my magazine and for my slide was Complex, because I think that is the best way to describe my person as well as the way I am seen. I designed my slide in a way that represented myself and important elements to my character. Taking this account I made an eye catching slide for people to see.

For my slide in the beginning I really had some trouble figuring out what to write about. I kept on saying to myself how are you supposed to describe yourself with only a few words and one slide. So I told myself to sit back and relax so you can figure out a word. So while I was thinking I started day dreaming, then it hit me. I am a dreamer. I have bring dreams and set very high expectations for myself. Every day I think about playing in the NFL because that is my big dream that I want to and am going to succeed at. So that's why I chose the picture for my slide, a boy dreaming big. For my slide design what I did was put a blue gradient back with the words dreamer to match my contrats in the back. I chose blue because it’s a type of pop color.

As I made the slide I wanted people to see a visual instead of the slide being dour and not exciting enough for people to be interested in. So I had put a picture in the background of a track field because as you guys may or may not known I ran track for two years in middle school. Since I wanted to show that I really love track I even put a catch phrase saying, “Run Forest Run” big on the top left side to have people interested into my slide. I made the words big to have it stand out and to have people see where I was getting at to have people laugh and enjoy it. I also put that catch phrase because my great grandma would always say to me that line to encourage me more to become faster and make me feel better of myself. I didn’t want the slide to cram everything about me focusing on multiple things because that would have people thinking a lot all at once and they would be not so much compelling towards it so I want people to focus on one thing so they can absorb in the slide and the main point.

My slide represent some parts of me. The background is a chalkboard to add texture to the slide. By adding texture it gives you a sense of something real. I used that font, because it makes it look like its actual chalk on the board.  I have in the center “Family” because I love my family and they mean a lot to me. It’s in big font, so everyone can see. It’s bigger than the other words because it means the most to me. The 2 cities at the top are places I grew up, smaller because they don’t mean as much as family. But in all caps because they are important to me. The flowers are there to add a pretty appearance, also to show symmetry. The basketball and cat are black to contrast the white lettering. They are also there to create a sense of symmetry just more loose. The basketball and cat are two of my favorite things. Lastly the pictures represent my twin sister because she means the world to me and made me who I am today.

Elements in my slide:

• Symmetry in the slide

• Chalkboard background to add texture

• Color/Font of words

• Pictures add color

• Black contrasts white

• The scaling/ framing like where everything is placed

Elements I researched that are not in my slide:

• Repetition (Get one point across)

• Transparency(Adds more effect)

Hello, I need to talk to you, it's important.  I wanted to tell you in person but I can't wait any longer.There’s something I need to tell you. Something about my past. You know me as Amanda  but that’s not my original name. My name used to be Ama. It means the one who was born on saturday. I changed it when I was sixteen. I figured I should tell  tell you now that we are getting  married. There is only a month left till the wedding and I figured I couldn’t hold it off any longer.  Better late than never right?  I am sorry for waiting so long but  I was trying to figure out a way to tell you. I just want everything to be out in the open.

Why? Because No more secrets.

How much time do you have?

My mother was a cultured woman. My family was very big on tradition. My mother and father were so used to their costumes so even when we came here to the u.s they kept true to those traditions. I was so little when we moved that I had no loyalty to those tradition as they did. My name was Ama. This three letter is what defined me. My name was the only thing I knew that would never change I took comfort in knowing this. All my life I was kept in this little box with my life all planned out for me. I did as I was told. I was to act as a lady and grow up to be doctor. Any Kind of doctor how kind of them to let me pick my own speciality although now thinking of it they had input on that aswell. I was to wear hijab everyday and not ask any questions or even complain at the smallest detail even with the acute pain of the pin throbbing at my scalp.

There was a time that would have done anything for my parents. When I turned sixteen instead of having a normal sweet sixteen we went  to Ghana and celebrated it with family. OH because we were  everything but normal. You would think that would be the best time of my life, image you get to spend your birthday outside the country but in fact it was the exact opposite. I had grew to learn that my grandmother was ill and that was the only reason we had came. We were not here to celebrate but instead here to mourn. I had been lied to.  My grandmother had been sick for a while so I had to have known it was was coming. She was second mother. Before she fell ill she was the one that took care me. Her and  I were close and I could tell her everything even if was about boys. When her illness became worse they sent her back to Ghana for herbal treatment since our western medicine had failed us. I had prayed over and over for Allah to help me heal her.  He ignored me.  After she died I no longer believed in the words of Allah. He had not been there for me when I need him and that my reason for abounding him. I just was returning the favor as you would say.

I needed a new start. It was time for change. It was the moment I had dreamed for years was here. I had never expressed my desire to practice a new religion I went to the mirror and look at myself with the hijab one last time. I took each pin out one by one. It was finally off and I was finally free. I was doing this for myself and no one else. I was tired of living in my parents shadow and having to do everything they asked of me because they knew what was best and hearing  “We are doing this for you Ama” everytime I questioned them.  Once I showed my parents that I had taken off my hijab they did not speak to me. We have not spoken since that day. I was sixteen then.

I figured I should reached out to her being with the wedding being a month away and all. I mean how would it look like not not having the mother of the bride at the wedding. I agree even though we don't get along I still would like her to be there. I know she will want me to go back to using my original name but I guess it's worth it if it means having her there. You’re right I’ll should call her.

I am Ama nothing more nothing less.

It really wasnt my fault, I mean some of it was and some of it was just coincidental. At least my mom ain’t find my gun in my bag, I would have been all types of done. Instead I just got kicked out.

That is allll over, now the streets are my home from the chinese place to the end of the block. It always plays in mind. I was standing right there in my room, I was just chillin in bed, talking on the phone. That’s when I heard it, my brother rated me out he snitched on his older brother that both bought him a bike and a skateboard.

Apparently, it was quote unquote peer pressure, I didn't believe him at all. He said before I left that he was scared, yea ok that's what he said when dad died. Was’t scared when he said it to mo-no wait his mom. To me this reason was not even that big of a deal, what she saw like 4 small baggies of weed big deal! I hate her so much she is so protective and always wants to do things her way and whatever happens good or bad she takes it out her kids like what is wrong with you. She acts like smoking weed is bad anyway it really is not, and besides she used to smoke it everyday no matter what, so why can’t I?

Well that's all over like I said my new home is the streets. But if she comes back begging me to come back to the house I’m going to expose her. She acts like I know nothing. You're probably wondering what I am talking about, well ever since my dad died she was addicted to drugs and she has always been looking around for money trying to always buy some. I remember I walked into her room at like 4 in the morning watching her bout to overdose, that's when I stepped in and tried to help. Yet if she saw me smoking she would have just said to stop no but when I see her doing something worse I actually help her and step in, something she will never do for me. I guess the only bright side of this is that I actually tried to stop her and wanted to help, not just kick my child out the house for 4 small baggies. Well now it’s all about making bread on the street and survivin.

But what if doesn’t work out or what if something happens, I don’t know what to do maan. What if I start rappin. Naw I’m not Ice Cube or Eazy-E. I gotta start sellin more weed. You know what makes me so much more mad, the fact that she had the nerve to ask me why I smoke it. But then again its for a good reason or at least I think it's a really good reason. I smoke it cause all the pain that I ever had goes away all my headaches all the pain from one day. Wait that was really good. I smoke it cause all the pain that I ever had goes away all my headaches all the pain from one day I remember all I used to do was wear the same lay the kids I went to school with used to always hate but at the end of the day I was worryin bout the price, cause I was the one bouta pay, ok. I could really make it if I try. Damn I really wish I coulda went back, I guess she really doesn’t want me around anymore.     

Mom, what is going on here? Wait none of my business what do you mean?  Why can’t I know anything? Why were you guys fighting the other day? Let me why?? Are you guys separating, are you guys getting divorced? This is affecting my life I have all the right to know what is going on. You know what I don’t care I am going to my room if you need anything mom you could ask someone else in this damn house, I am going to be busy.

So now mom you decide to come and talk to me hours later. If you have anything irrelevant to say I don’t want to hear. Wait what, mom you are lying this can’t be happening I knew it from the beginning. Mom, why are you guys separating. I don’t want this. I am so happy with my life now. I bragged to my friends about how perfect our family is. Now look, look at you guys are ruining. Is this is what you guys are going to do to me? No no, I am not gonna let this happen. Where is my father? Excuse me mother, I am going to go talk to him right now.  

No, dad, I don’t want to hear it “Listen to me, baby girl.” I want answers. I need to know why in detail. What the hell do you mean by the best? That is not an answer. Why do you guys always have to fight? I don’t want this. No, dad, I can’t accept this. This is going to ruin my life. How is it for the better? It’s really not. My ears are open I want the real answer, I’m gonna sit right here and just listen. Now tell me!! How could you ever do this to mom? Why would you ever cheat on her? You disgust me now dad. I can’t believe you hurt my mom. That’s it we are done.

I never imagined that this would happen to me. My family falling apart is just imaginable. Maybe if I look through some old pics it can make me laugh or smile. Aww, I was such cute baby. And we were such a happy family. Nevermind, I want to cry. I’m gonna go to sleep. At this point, the only thing that I’m wondering is what’s gonna happen to my life next.

What did you guys decide? Boarding school!! No, I can’t leave my friends here. Not just friends everything in general here. I am not going to leave this house. This is not for the best or for your own good. This is the worst. From the mistake, you guys made this doesn’t mean that I have to leave.

I don't give a damn anymore. Ughh, I have so much stress going it’s unbelievable. My crazy parents are really forcing me to go to that damn school. The first problem is a divorce and now the second problem is going to a Boarding school, I can’t wait for the third problem. The rest of my life is going to be miserable and I can’t wait for the misery. I really wish I wasn’t alive. I can’t handle all this. How is my mom going to stay alone? I don’t care about my dad anymore because it’s all his fault. You know what I hate this damn house I can’t wait till I disappear.

In this presentation I used pictures that showed who I am. I put different pictures of sports and school because that is how I spend most of my time. I also put pictures of friends and family because I enjoy being with them. I put these pictures on my slide because I believe they show a little bit of who I am. The pictures were placed evenly  around the frame to make the negative (empty) space more even. In the slide there is a picture of my bitmoji, I put that there because it looks friendly, like I try to be. The bitmoji is slightly off the screen to make it bleed into the slide. I think that this slide shows a piece of who I am.

My one slide is about the things I like and things I don’t like. The pictures I have represents how annoying school is with all of the projects and classwork, my fear of birds because I almost stepped on a dying one, how much I love to play video games, me liking to watch tv, me loving to dance, and me not liking to touch people I don’t know. The background I chose is of a black hole. I chose that because when I think about certain things, it disappears.  When I’m finished of thinking about it, sometimes it comes back. Everything that I dislike, I put at the top and turned to a 20 degree angle. I did that to act like it was going into the black hole. The things that I like, I put at the bottom.

When I was designing this one slide I wanted to make sure I hit the major important aspects in my life. Therefor that why i chose to include by love of softball, I chose a picture of me as a baby and then a picture of me all grown up on my team to show how long i've been playing an that although I don't want it as a career, it still is a huge passion of mine. I also chose to include a picture of my islands flag, I’m from Puerto Rico and it has shaped me hugely as a person, not only how I speak but also in how i carry myself day to day. I made the flag kind of cropped off the page just because i think if i would’ve left it in the middle, it would have been repetitive and unnecessary seeing as we all know what the Puerto Rican flag looks like. I also chose to include my name right in the middle because I consider your name to be one of the biggest aspect for social identity. Your name can give off many things about. I also included pictures of me and my friends because i'm very close to my family but friends for me have always been to fill in the gaps that family cannot. I chose for the pictures to surround my name in circle layout because the same way the planets revolve around the sun, in my world I am the sun and these are all of the things that revolve around my life. These are the things I need to keep me going.

Mom’s home tonight is the night I tell her my pain. (Uh oh) she has company I cannot believe my eyes when he enters. How dare he smile in my face and pretend like he isn’t a monster? How am I supposed to talk to my mom now?  my night is going to be terrible I can feel it.

Hey baby girl, dad says to me. What do you want? just leave me alone!!! I say to him. You know I cannot do that he says. In that moment I feel him taking blows at me and I just lay there silently crying. I think to myself this is so awful how he can take advantage of me like that.  I don’t know how much more I can handle. I hate this man he is a monster.

When she came home, I said Mom!! I’m so glad you're home we need to talk. Before she speaks to me I see this monster once again. Why is he back in my home? I notice my mom is hiding her finger and she is silent. Mom why are you hiding your ring finger. She says to me I’m getting married your father proposed. I burst out you can’t marry him no no !!!!!!!. Why would she say yes, now the abuse will never stop.Mom says Lauren why are you being so dramatic? I say to her it does not matter anymore mom. I knew he would win. Everyday I wake up and see a new bruise on my body. I cover them up so nobody can ask questions . Often times I wonder if I am really strong enough to put up with this abuse.

I´ll never forget the night when he first abused me. It was on a friday night when my father lost his job. He came inside the house and immediately started drinking. It was one bottle after another. Soon I realized he was drunk and it was not safe to be around him. I ran to my room and minutes later he entered my room and locked the door behind him.I was scared so I remained quiet while he inched closer and closer to me.  

When he was directly in front of me, he slapped me across the face  so hard there was a red mark afterwards. Then I yelled stop, desperately hoping that he would leave me alone. Unfortunately, I was wrong instead he just kept beating me until he wasn't. I have been dealing with abuse for 15 years.

Finally, I realized he enjoyed beating me. I started to think I was his personal punching bag.  In reality looking at my bruises made me believe it. What kind of father was ok with beating his child out of anger. I gave up trying to put a stop to my pain. After a while I hoped my mother would notice my pain and help me…..

Now I’ve gotten away from all of them. My room is the only place I feel safe. I cannot believe her. I should've known she wouldn’t believe me. For several years,

Chayla, I am sick and tired of you. Why won't you  just leave me alone. I am really comfortable about the way I look because that's how God created me, so I don't have anything to say about it. You are always judging  me about how I look. Like what the hell? What is your problem?  Dang like omg “You black as sh*t” yup, that’s what you always call me. I feel like is there any blacks kids that you can mess with beside me.  I feel so angry to myself, like I feel like to explode right this second. I need to get the hell away from you.

Ugh, I can't believe I exploded like that, but she crossed the line. My mom told me  not to let them get above me because they are just looking for problems or they just wanted to make me stop doing my work. But this is getting difficult and it cant over. I can't take it anymore because this hatred is annoying. Nothing is more annoying than this. Even if am the darkest person the world, it doesn't have to do nothing about you.  Wait! let me call you that, how is you going to feel? Who the hell do you think you are! Saying all these racist stuff to, to yourself! Because not to me, so you better go find your mate outside. You irk my soul every single day. Her stupid self going to come in class talking about other racist and stuff and she know that I am always freaking mad about it.

The worst part is… she saw how I felt . She knows that I really wanted to become a light skinned girl. I was thinking so bad about what to do to her but i feel like I should just ignore and focus on my work, and become successful.. Come on focus! Stop thinking, I try but is hard for me to stop thinking about all the terrible stuff. But like why am I focusing myself to some stupid people who don't even know nothing or think about their future life because if i keep  thinking about doing terrible things in my life this is going to ruin my future.  

You is the worst person that I ever met in my life. I complained to my teacher about you but guess what they don't care about what the haters be saying. I get your back I  will let the office know about it. My mother always tell me stories about people like that. At first i thought she was just kidding. Later her speech became true, like it happened in real life. Why am I thinking about killing myself because of people talk  about me? I don't care about the other students.

My slide here today is part of me on a screen. This slide was designed using many techniques employed by Presentation Zen and various resources all across the world wide web. For example, if you see the contrasting colors inside the text, blue and orange go tremendously well together. I then made sure to include a lot of empty space so the visual aids and text would have a more profound effect on the viewer. Also, if you notice I used a drop shadow for the text and a reflection for the scroll behind it, making it appear like it’s reflecting from the ground. As for the actual visual, I used blue arrows around it signify that it’s pointing to the video game logo controller and the pen and feather, which stands for my love for writing. My goal for the text was 20 letters/numbers or less so you wouldn’t have to read that much.

I chose my way to design this slide because the baseball, video game, and pen and feather all represents 3 of my hobbies. I love to play baseball, play video games, and I am a passionate writer.

Hey mom. Why did I get home so late? I was out. Where? I was at shoprite and got some apples, doritos, and cheetos. My receipt? I don’t have one.

Yes mom, I did steal that food. You want me to tell you why? I stole that food because I’m hungry and we’re poor. I stole that food so we can all eat. I stole that food because there are some days where I wake up and there is no food to eat. I STOLE that food because I’m sick and tired of being the poorest student at school and being made fun of for that, so yeah mom, I did steal that food. Why do I have to return the food? They’re not going to miss the food. Well it’s not my fault I stole that food. The only person you can really blame is yourself. You would have done the same if your were in my shoes.

I know you raised me better and I know I’m your son Kahlil, but I am the same Kahlil that is a 15 year old poor kid who doesn’t even have a bed to sleep on at night. My name is Khalil and I don’t even have food in my cabinets and I have to sleep cold on the floor with no covers while there is a draft coming from the cracks in our broken down walls, in our broken down house because the heat doesn’t work. It’s not my fault that we’re poor. You want me to tell you what else I stole? I stole this Wallet! I stole it because WE NEED MONEY TO LIVE! It has three 100 dollar bills, five 20 dollar bills, a dollar bill, and a 200 dollar visa debit card. I thought that it would help with the bills you pay, and to buy food, and even buy a t.v. We are so poor, that we may as well be HOMELESS. Everytime when I go to school, I get bullied because of my cheap shirt and my cheap shoes or I get laughed at when they say I probably don’t even have a bed to sleep on which they’re right, I DON’T. I am fed up. Now leave me alone mom. I’m grounded? Why? What am I grounded for? For being poor? Am I grounded for wanting to have things that I don’t have. Is that a crime? Is being poor a crime? It’s not fair being poor and it’s not fair that I am being grounded for that. Why you calling dad? Please don’t call...

Hello sir. Yes I stole some food sir, and a wallet sir. I know my name is Khalil and I know I’m not acting like I’m your son but, it’s not my fault that I stole that man's wallet and it’s not my fault I stole some food. WE NEED MONEY! Why don’t you understand that? We need that MONEY to make sure our bathrooms work. We need that freakin MONEY so we can have electricity, and we need that MONEY so my classmates won’t make fun of me because I can’t even wash up. How are you even going to get money sir, I just got more money by stealing then you make in a freaking year. I don’t want to go to my room! Please I’m sorry sir. Don’t beat me...sir.

Although, I didn’t bleed any of the images on my slide, I still used blank space as a way of promoting one of my favorite colors. The slide also incorporated my two other favorite colors of black and red. Interestingly enough the four symbols of what represents me matched the black and red I used for my name. Netflix has been a large part of my life for the past three years. H&M is my favorite clothing store, and I frequently find myself checking their website for new releases. Music is also very important me, I listen to various genres such as rap, R&B, rock, etc. Lastly, but certainly not least my blackness makes me who I am. I’m black and I’m proud of it. This Abel, thank you.

I don't even know why I'm getting in trouble. How is my outfit inappropriate. Because the rule says no rips allowed? Or because you can see my shoulders? No disrespect but that rule is stupid. I mean like why does it even matter if my jeans has rips in them or not. And if my shirt is off my shoulder. Last time I checked this was highschool with people all older than 14. I don't understand how a shoulder and a knee gets me sent to the principal's office. Anybody who is 14 years or older should be able to control themselves if they see a shoulder or knee right? So you are making me miss the whole school day because of my outfit. I don't understand who I'm hurting by my knees and shoulder being out. Can I call my mom? I need her to hear the reason why I'm getting sent home by you. Unwanted attention? As a young female in today's world I get unwanted attention for everything I do. You have no idea what it feels like to have clothes that you want to wear but don't feel comfortable in them because other people will stare. Or because people don't wear the same things as you , you aren't accepted. We live in a place where girls are told what to wear and how to wear it and if there is too much showing they are called out of their name, or are viewed as less than.  Why should I be defined by the clothes I wear. If I like something I should be able to wear it right? Just because I wear my legs out doesn't make me less of a person right? I go to school, get good grades, help around my house, don't cause trouble and still somehow things don't seem to work in my favor. Yes I’ve read the rule book so maybe it is my fault. If I didn't want the attention I should cover up. You’re right. I understand what I did was wrong and I understand that sending me home is what you have to do.

I know what type of world I live in so I should just learn how to deal with it so I can be accepted. Being accepted is all I really want out of life. I don't want to be looked at as the weird girl or the outcast anymore. If I follow the rules and the norms of society I will be accepted. Even though the norms aren't me I still want to be accepted so I'm going to do all that I can. Maybe instead of adjusting myself to the norms, I can change the norms. In schools teach the students to stop judging people before they know them. And that it is okay not to be accepted by people who don't matter. As a school principal I think teaching your students that they should feel comfortable to wear their skin out if they want to is vital to preparing them for the world. I get sent to school to learn things that I am going to need in the real world. Am I wrong to think that self confidence is something that I will need in the real world? In school you teach us math, reading, science and history but what about self-care?

I chose this format for many reasons. I feel like the fading red contrasts perfectly with the pictures I picked. I put the surfing in the middle because that is the most unique picture out of all of them. Also, I wanted to make the picture stand out. The CrossFit picture is incorporated because it is one of my favorite hobbies and that was my heaviest lift at the time. The basketball picture is there because it is my favorite sport and it is practically half of my life. It is an intention that you can’t see my face in the shot because it is supposed to show mystery so the observer can imagine what they think my face looks like. I put the wind designs in the bottom corners to add a smooth feeling in the picture and to fill up space so there is no emptiness.