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Rocket Stages 2 Late-Inning Comebacks; Brave Extreme Cold to Take Down Edison 6-4, Stay in 1st
Rocket Stages 2 Late-Inning Comebacks; Braves Extreme Cold to Takes Down Edison 6-4, Stay in 1st.
Three years ago University City took it down to a play at the plate in their final game to preserve a perfect season, their final as a school and program. As a result SLA (11-1), who dominated with the best offense and pitching rotation of the season, finished 2nd and missed the playoffs. SLA would move up to C-Division due to a realignment after multiple schools were shuttered, but it was an early season loss to UC that sealed their fate. The following season would see SLA destroy King in their lone head-to-head meeting. But King, who inherited a very good B-Division team when Germantown closed, ran the rest of the table finishing 11-1 to take the Division. SLA would make the playoffs, but they were stuck in C.
Last year it was The Rocket who completely ran the table undefeated, won the Division and made a magical run to the Public League Final Four, finally moving up to B. That team was defensively sound, had great pitching and just smashed the ball game in, game out. Yet, everyone on the squad recognized they were misplaced in C and weren’t getting to play real baseball every day. They desperately wanted to play against better competition, and their run in the playoffs proved they belonged by knocking off three A-Division powerhouses- Esperanza, #1 Frankford and Lincoln- to reach that Final Four where they fell just shy of the City Title.
Five games into Season 7 for SLA Baseball, and the expectations have changed. No longer are The Rockets overlooked, underestimated or considered irrelevant. Every team feels compelled to throw their ace to have a fighting chance, and Edison was no different. Having been in A-Division for most of a storied history, Edison found itself relegated to B after a dismal 2015 season where half their starting nine was ineligible. Not the case in 2016, and they most assuredly expected their stay in B to be short-lived. SLA had other ideas, and after the weirdest and arguably worst officiating ever experienced, The Rocket finds itself in the Divisional driver's seat after a 6-4 come-from-behind win.
Granted it is only early April, but both sides recognized this game as the equivalent of a Division Title game. Both threw top pitchers who dueled in the worst of conditions. Gale force winds upwards of 35mph made it nearly impossible to hit a ball in the air outside of the infield, yet neither pitcher sacrificed much in the first three bone-cold innings.
Leon Finney, in his 2nd start for SLA, struck out the side his first time through the Edison lineup. Yet, Edison's Maddox held SLA's potent offense at bay for the first half as well. Eventually Edison would break the tie with two runs in the 4th. They manufactured a run off of an error, walk and single to center, the only ball to leave the infield against Finney all day, and would get another off another error that prolonged the inning. The Rocket looked poised to respond, but a 4-6-3 Double Play squashed the power of a lead-off walk in the 5th. Finney would come back to strike out the side in his half of the frame, setting the stage for an emotional roller coaster.
After 83 pitches, 11K, 2BB, 3H and only 1 earned run, Finney's day on the mound was done. But Leon led off the 6th by beating out an infield hit to 3rd. He'd steal and advance to third on Courtney's tapper back to the mound. Ijustice Avery drew a walk, then immediately stole 2nd. A first pitch swing and Lukas Supovitz-Aznar erased Edison's 2-0 lead with a double to Center. Then with two outs Benny "Buckets" Simon scorched his own RBI Double out to Center to give SLA the lead 3-2.
Lukas would come in relief and struck out the first two batters on nine pitches, and it seemed that all the momentum had officially shifted. Then disaster struck as SLA's normally rock-solid defense imploded a bit, committing 3 errors that lead to two more runs, putting Edison back on top 4-3 heading into the 7th.
Moments before the 6th, Lukas rallied the troops and said, "all we need is three runs. Just three runs and this game is ours!". They got just that to take the lead but now found themselves down to their last at-bats down now trailing by 1. But The Rocket wasn't done. With one out Tony Brown slapped an opposite field single and quickly stole 2nd. After Leon Finney drew a critical walk, Brown nearly got caught in a rundown, yet ended up safe after Edison dropped the ball on an aggressive slide into third. Finney would make it to 2nd in the confusion. Down to their last out, IJustice Avery lashed out and served a hard hit ball to the left side. A solid throw came across the diamond with drama in tow as the bases umpire called Avery out, ending the game.
As Edison jumped for joy and celebrated what they truly believed was a ticket back to A-Division, SLA's coaches lost their minds over how badly that call could have been blown as Avery was safe by an entire body length. This wasn't the first time this particular umpire blew a call in a game with SLA, and their coaching staff wasn't having any of it.
After the third instance in the game where officials needed to conference, the Plate umpire reversed the call. Justice was safe, Tony Brown had scored to tie the game 4-4, and Leon Finney was now 90ft away from giving SLA the lead. Justice took second with the catcher conceded the base since he was more worried about the go-ahead run just down the baseline. With two in scoring position for The Rocket, Lukas Supovitz-Aznar confidently stepped to the plate and drove a first pitch fast ball into the gap to plate Finney and Avery, making it 6-4. Edison's coach was overheard saying, "it was inevitable...just a matter of time" as he lamented a game-ending call being reversed.
The 7th started off like another potential nightmare inning for SLA defense when Edison got the first runner on after an error. Yet Lukas kept his composure and attacked batters. After a battle of an at-bat, Edison's Moronta hit a hot grounder to Avery at SS, flipped to Jason Greene who then turned a beautiful 6-4-3 Double Play to a fully extended Kevin Courtney to wipe the bases clean. No one else from Edison would reach base and SLA held onto the weirdest 6-4 win in their history.
These two late-inning gritty comebacks to steal this one was very reminiscent of The Rocket's slow and steady comeback over #1 seed Frankford in the 2015 Playoffs. They just keep battling, and much like in the Frankford game it was Lukas Supovitz-Aznar who rose to challenge and got it done when needed most. Against Edison, he'd finish the day 3-4 with 2 Doubles, 4 RBIs and a run scored. He would shut it down on the mound too, not allowing a single ball to leave the infield in two innings of relief.
And so now it is Edison who will be chased by the ghost of the 6th and 7th on Friday the 8th of April 2016. They'll keep battling for positioning and will make the playoffs for sure. However, Edison's expectation of a short-lived stint in B-Division now requires a whole lot of help from a Rocket team happy to leave them wallowing in the swirling winds of lost opportunity.
Next Up for The Rocket- Ben Franklin on Tues, 4/12, Kensington on Mon, 4/18, Roxborough on Wed, 4/20 and E&S on Fri, 4/22.
Steroids? Addicting?
Steroids usage can be mistaken for a lot of things. It can be used for medical purposes or to enhance your body. Anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the male sex hormone testosterone. Steroids can also treat diseases that cause muscle loss, such as cancer and AIDS. But some athletes and bodybuilders abuse these drugs to boost performance or improve their physical appearance. So when using steroids there are three different types of ways you can use them which is by cycling, pyramiding, and stacking. Abuse of anabolic steroids has been linked with many health problems. They include Acne, Breast growth and shrinking of testicles in men, Voice deepening and growth of facial hair in women, High blood pressure, Heart problems, including heart attack, Liver disease, including cancer ,Kidney damage, and Aggressive behavior. There aren’t many short term effects but there are many long term effects. Even though anabolic steroids do not cause the same high as other drugs, they can lead to addiction.
Society
This impacts society because if you don’t consult with your doctor or anyone before using steroids then you could potentially messing up your body. People just want to fantasize about having that great body and will always take the easier route. There are so many effects that could happen and harm users therefore it is a very crazy drug that should be used carefully. All these athletes and bodybuilders use steroids and sometimes they go crazy on it.
Self
I personally don’t think steroid usage is something that should be allowed. If you want the body then just work for it and eat right. It’s not that hard it is just that people are lazy. I personally work out on a daily basis and I see the results you just have to put a little time in every day and the results will come quicker than you think.
Link to slideshow
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1i416c3d3nvy9hpBiPRlA-oMPePTQEzJTcbilkpSdggw/edit?usp=sharing
References:
Anabolic Steroids. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2016, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids
Anabolic Steroids: MedlinePlus. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2016, from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anabolicsteroids.html
Steroids: What Pro Bodybuilders Are Really Using. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2016, from https://www.t-nation.com/steroids/steroids-what-pro-bodybuilders-are-really-using
Artist Statement Q3
Angela Yvonne Davis
Angela Yvonne Davis is an African-American female born on January 26, 1944 in the South. Particularly in Birmingham, Alabama. I think being born during this time period and in this particular place it progressed her fight for equal rights. She is well known for her activism under gender equality, civil rights and political issues dating back to the earliest dates of the late 1960s. Her activism sheet would stand as long from being jailed, removed from buildings, joining “radical” organizations and groups to even leading The Black Liberation Movement. The movement, or rather army according to Wikipedia, states that it was a run-off/continuation of the Black Panther Movement.
Ms. Davis is in movies and is also a well-known book writer on the exact issues that she has been though and fought for all her life. Her first book was published in 1974 titled as, Angela Davis: An Autobiography. Over 42 years she has written 11 books and one that was published this year! From titles like The Black Family: The Ties That Bind (By Angela Davis and Fania Davis), Women, Culture and Politics (Angela Davis) and Beyond the Frame: Women of Color and Visual Representation (Angela Davis) it is clear that she talks about topics we have surface leveled discussions about in class. She has a career currently at the University of California: Santa Cruz teaching under the title of Distinguished Professor Emerita in the Feminist Studies Department.
Through my research, I’ve come to learn that Ms. Davis still speaks out about her struggles through the political black movement in the 70s and 60s. As her number one movement sparking debate and a sentence of 18 months in jail for being linked to a murder of a jail guard by an associate, George Lester Jackson. Him and a few others were also later a part of The Black Liberation Movement with Davis. Yet, prior to this correspondence she was apart of the Che-Lumumba Club branch in the Communist Party. So this association to the party progressed her charges in the 18 month sentence.
In conclusion, Angela Yvonne Davis was a prominent figure in the change and advancement of women, race, class and culture all over the spectrum. Beginning in the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Birmingham, to which she lost friends in up to today’s fight for equality. Although she is 72 she still speaks out to the public, writes books and poetry that all talk about the same problems she was addressing 42 years ago to date her first writing. This goes to show that our problems and things that were heavily fought for by many African-Americans, Women and Low/Middle-Class citizens haven’t changed very much. My mother is 46 and in terms of the amount of years Ms. Davis has written proves that many Americans, specifically African-Americans have lived through this fight since we were born. It was sparked before you and I were in this world, it is continuing as we live through it now and it is a chance that it will still be here after you and I perish. The only way to change this is by fighting and voicing our opinion for justice and equal rights just as Angela Davis does still today.
Works Cited
History.com Staff. "Angela Davis." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/angela-davis>.
"Angela Davis." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/angela-davis-9267589#early-life>.
"Angela Y Davis." Feminist Studies. University of California: Santa Cruz, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. <http://feministstudies.ucsc.edu/faculty/singleton.php?singleton=true&cruz_id=aydavis>.
"Angela Davis on Not Endorsing Any Presidential Candidate: "I Think We Need a New Party"" Democracy Now! N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. <http://www.democracynow.org/2016/3/28/angela_davis_on_the_fascist_appeal>.
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Liberation_Army>.
"Angela Davis Resource Guide: Publications by Angela Davis." Publications by Angela Davis. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. <http://guides.library.cornell.edu/davis/publications>.
Timeline
1963: Angela was dearly affected by the Birmingham church bombing. In addition she formed the ideas very young that she wanted to help those who were black and poor, later noted in her book.
1968: Angela joined the Communist party (Che-Lumumba Club) and was also question to being in the Black Panther Party. However, the sources on her association with the group was never documented or proven.
“the only path of liberation for black people is that which leads toward complete and radical overthrow of the capitalist class.”
1969: UCLA of Santa Cruz tried to fire her illegally for her affiliation to the communist party.
1970: Davis is arrested for a connection to the Soledad Brothers and the conspiracy of helping the kidnapping and murder of a guard. Sparking a worldwide protest and political campaign for her freedom.
1981: She is acquitted of her charges about 8 years earlier and writes a book titled “Women, Race and Class.”
1983: Angela seem to be on a streak of presenting the world with books about gender equality. She then drops a book titled “Femmes, race et classe.” Which I have inferred, from her trip to Paris back in the 1960s, she learned and titled the book in French. I question if it is in actual French although.
1985: It begins to seem like every 2 or so years Ms. Davis publishes another beautiful book about her analysis on gender, race and culture in America + the entire world. This time she produces a text called “Violence Against Women And The Ongoing Challenge To Racism.”
1989: Davis continues her flow of writing books by publishing “Women, Culture and Politics.”
2006: Being that Davis has been an activist for gender, race and culture it’s not surprising that she dedicated one book to specifically children of color. To input that it is a girls’ children of color book titled “Prinsetta.” It details how to deal with prejudice, low-self esteem and even teasing, according to Google Books.
2012: Angela Davis speaks in an interview about gender, equality and racism at the Hotel Metropole Brussels on May, 15th 2012.
“The wages that men receive compared to women, if one looks at women of color (black women) or latino women, the education achievement, the job achievements… All the issues that you see there, there is proud inequality.”
Creative Piece
I will do a poster for my creative piece
”Each strand of her curls, stands for every fascinating thing Angela has done!”
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie a great person in many ways, known mostly for her acting. Yet the way she carries herself and the way she works with herself and her family and the media in her life; she is doing great! She is a person that is admired in many ways for she has great standards and tells things to people the way it is, she uses her platform to advocate for others. She is a great feminist and believes that women should have a strong sense of self for they can do anything and should be treated in that way also; meaning equally. She also pushes back on beauty standards and thinks that women are not needed to be a certain way in order to a women; she thinks all women are beautiful the way they are and there should not be certain standards. She is also a great fan of individuality. She takes her own accomplishments and reflects, telling others that they can be who they are no matter how different you are, for different is good. In a way she seems like a feminist genius for the thoughts and ideas in her are great and full of meaning.
An actress, UN diplomat, and philanthropist. Angelina Jolie has proved herself to be a great person to the public and her family many times. “According to a poll conducted by YouGov, Jolie topped the list of 25,000 people in 23 countries. Many familiar names popped up on the list, and under Jolie, such as Malala Yousafzai, Hillary Clinton, The Queen, Michelle Obama, Celine Dion, Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Angela Merkel” says Bustle.com. Angelina Jolie has a character in which many do not have. She has the heart and soul in order to be honored greatly by many. Inspiring many to be who they are today and do certain actions. Many women have been inspired by her for the great health stance she has brought upon many. Jolie revealed how the health decision empowered her as a women while encouraging others. She empowered women to come forward with their own breast cancer stories and to take better care of their health. Jolie chose to share her double-mastectomy story while most would not have, changing the face of breast cancer awareness in many ways.
While many women and men have come together in many different ways in order to improve and give a positive impact towards gender equality. Many that are similar ways and many different. Jolie creates a positive impact in gender equality for she tells women that they can be free to be who they are. Jolie has many strong cores that she tries to show people in order to create equality. While her strongest and passion to show to women is for women to take control of their health and for no one to make them feel less like a women. Her second most strongest stance is to show women of all ages to not feel like they have to follow society's footsteps but that they can be different. For women to be who they strive to be. “I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.” A quote that comes from Jolie, she wrote a piece about women and cancer titled “My Medical Choice” which then was published on ‘New York Times.’ Jolie has given women a new hope that shines through to get the right needed medical information they need in order to be healthy. While most women at first did not go through their health problems so much for it made them seem like womanly to others, at least that is how society has put it. Yet Jolie has taught that you must take care of yourself and nothing is wrong with that.
Jolie does not have one cause towards improving and help equality and women but she has many. One that is she strong about is female refugee. “Alongside Foreign secretary William Hague, last year Jolie held a global Summit which welcomed over 100 countries and 900 experts which aimed to help find an end to sexual violence in conflict. As well as visiting women affected by sex crimes in war torn countries and listening to their experiences, Jolie recently opened a centre to fight warzone violence against women – the first of its type in Europe.” A quote taken from In Style.co.uk a news blog from the UK. While her endless campaigning to help female refuges in many places, she tries her best to tell girls and women of all types and ages to do their best and not to worry about the society. To do what they feel is right and to get to the goals they want. Jolie has a mission to share with women all over that they deserve equality and justice. She inspires women to stand up for what they need and want, including health needs. For women to do what they need, and not to feel less like a woman, and Jolie shows how women should not live up to a standard but to just be who she wants to be.
Sites Used:
Dreams
Strokes
Benefit of the Doubt
Structure is the arrangement and relations of parts of something complex. Laws are made to keep order and get people to work together efficiently. People will follow the rules if they benefit, otherwise they would not see the need to follow the rules. Breaking laws would influence others to break them in order to achieve what they want. This kind of system is almost impossible to control, as it doesn’t benefit the larger population.
In the first chapter of ‘Lord of The Flies’ by William Golding, Ralph finds a conch shell, and uses it to call attract all of the boys together. This was how the conch became a symbol of power. Whoever had the conch during a meeting could speak aloud. The main antagonist Jack didn’t see the appeal to this system. That is shown in this scene between him and Piggy, ’Jack was up too, unaccountably angry. “Who cares what you believe-Fatty!” “I got the conch!” There was the sound of a brief tussle and the conch moved to and fro.’ (p. 90) Jack was given power to abate his anger of not being the leader. But here he is trying to take control over more that what he was given. The conch halted Jack’s intentions to take control, as it let others share their opinions. He wanted what was best for him, and used the other boys to follow him, not caring what happens to them. Jack did not care for anybody but himself, causing others to stray away from him and being fearful. Hoping that Jack would not get rid of them when he was done with using them for his benefit.
People have rules to keep society running. These systems may differ, but mainly benefit a one group over another. The people who are benefited less, will be more likely to break laws to survive. Other times people just want the benefits without having to qualify. An example of this is how two Rhode Island men lied about their regular income to receive food stamps. These types of people usually feel cheated by their disadvantages, and attempt to get what they believe they deserve. This ties into people wanting power to do what they want. But them taking food stamps from those in need, not caring what will happen to others, makes a character like Jack from Lord Of The Flies. Selfish people who want to be in control only for their own benefit.
The government's point of view of this outrageous case, is quite interesting. They are the ones who make sure people follow laws, and decide punishments if broken. They believe that this scandal was an impure action that could influence more people to steal food stamps. If this happens, people who really need the food stamps will not be available to them. Thus, creating a problem for more people who are starving, and people who have money for food are get away with this. The government wants to charge these criminals to show that everyone has to follow rules in order to help those in need. The poor who need food stamps, will now have food stamps. And the government will prove to society that they are in power to keep order and peace, by not letting others do what they want.
Ralph and Piggy benefited from the rules the boys first created. Throughout the book Piggy shown to cling to the idea of the conchshell. The opportunity of speech it provided him was something he could not find in Jack’s. “I got the conch! Just you listen! The first thing we ought to have made was shelters down there by the beach." (Pg. 45) Ralph and Piggy, who represent the Government in this situation, are trying to stick by the rules and show the other boys the benefits. The inexperience in the boys made them choose Jack’s world of no work, and constant hunting. They ended up regretting this decision as it led to death and destruction. In these situations, some choose to stick to the rules and suffer silently, while others blaze through the laws that are made to benefit the society.
In conclusion, the one who did not see the benefit, Jack, was feared and hated. He tried to forge the path that suited him, and did not look for the bigger picture. Those men that lied about the food stamps are hated and will never be trusted again. It is sometimes better to listen to those in charge rather than be persecuted.
Works Cited
Golding, William. Lord Of The Flies. New York: Penguin Group, 2003.
"Examples of General Fraud Investigations - Fiscal Year 2014." Examples of General Fraud Investigations - Fiscal Year 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
- "Has America Become a Nation of Squatters? | TIME.com." Business Money Has America Become a Nation of Squatters Comments. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
Bonnie Thornton Dill
Bonnie Thornton Dill
By: Nyla
Bonnie Thornton Dill is the dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, professor of Women’s Studies, and a scholar who studied and continues to study race, class, and gender intersectionality in the U.S with a focus on African American women, families, and work. Along with her other amazing qualities, she is also an author who has written numerous articles and books.
As a young girl, Bonnie was raised by her mother, an English teacher, father, a pharmacist in Englewood, Chicago. She attended University of Chicago Laboratory School where she called the experience, “I lived in two worlds—a white intellectual world and a black social world.” For college, she attended the University of Rochester where she was among the first African Americans to live in one of their residence halls. Her stay at the university was in the thick of the Civil Rights Movement. She put her leadership skills in action and organized a chapter called Friends of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee which helped to expand voting rights in the south. She ultimately switched her major from pre-med to English where she traveled to England to further her studies.
After she graduated from college, she moved to New York and worked for the Office of Economic Opportunity, an agency that is in charge of programs that work with President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. She said the experience helped her start thinking about the role of social class in America. Her research on domestic workers was completed in 1979 and was published in 1994. The groundbreaking book was entitled”Across the Boundaries of Race and Class: An Exploration of Work and Family Among Black Female Domestic Servants”. It was one of the first books that studied black female household labor that was based on interviews of workers themselves.
Since her book, she has made many other life accomplishments and is now the dean of the University of Maryland’s department College of Arts and Humanities.
Bonnie Thornton Hill Timeline:
1965 - B.A. from New York University
1970 - M.A.
1979 - Ph.D and wrote first book
1994 - “Across the Boundaries of Race and Class: An Exploration of Work and Family Among Black Female Domestic Servants” was published
2009 - Appointed Stanley Kelley, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching in the Department of Sociology at Princeton University Award
2010-2012 - President of National Women’s Studies Association
Present - dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and professor of Women’s Studies.
These other events do not have a specific date but they are very important points in her life
Chairwoman for Women Studies Department at University of Maryland for 8 years
Created two intersectionality research centers
Founding Director for Center of Research on Women at University of Memphis and Founding Director of the Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity at the University of Maryland.
Vice President of the American Sociological Association
Chair of the Advisory Board of Scholars for Ms. Magazine
Creative Piece: http://prezi.com/smhdxltirhdr/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Hillary Clinton: Gender Activist
Emma Watson
I put everything I did on this google doc.
Elton John's Humanity
Elton John is an openly gay singer who is legendary in the music industry. He has sold hundreds of millions of albums, and has recently released an album. He has influenced music greatly, and has albums on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums list. But there was definitely more that he has done to help people. He entertained people, but he did, and still does, much more then that. He is a music legend, but we cannot forgot that he is an LGBT and Humanitarian legend as well.
Elton John used to be with a woman. His first lover was a woman, but he ended up coming out as bisexual in the 1970s. That was such a strong move for that time period because homosexuality was not really accepted back during that time, and same sex marriage was definitelnot legalized. In fact, a gay governor named Milk was killed due to being gay. This was not normal for artists to do at all. So, he did that. Later, he even took it a step further. In the 1980s, after divorcing his wife, he came out as being openlyb gay. He said he liked being gay, and that’s how he wanted to live. That was so brave for the time. Homosexuality was not viewed positively, and others were blaming gays for AIDS. It was not the most loving time for LGBT rights, yet Elton John still came out and lived openly gay.
Elton John also supported the rights of gays and lesbians throughout his career, and not just by being gay, but the actions he took as well. After being with his husband David for 12 years, Elton John had a civil union with him, and was the first to do it in his country, which is the UK. It was a historical moment. Elton John always stayed true to the gay community. When he did not support marriages, he supported civil unions. Then, he eventually said he was for gay marriage, and then actually got married. He has called for the boycott of 2 gay men’s fashion line after they said that gays should not be adopting kids. He is really down for the cause. He also wants to talk to Vladimir Putin about his anti-lgbt laws.
In the 80s, AIDS was a huge deal and very rampant. Elton John slept around a lot at that time, and he felt lucky to not have gotten AIDS. So what he did was create an organization to stop AIDS. He has raised millions upon millions trying to cure this disease. Elton John is clearly a champion for LGBT and human rights.
MLA Sources
John, Elton. "Elton John: The Historic Fight for Equality Must Go On. Let's Get on and Legalise Same-sex Marriage." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 8 Oct. 2012. Web. 31 Mar. 2016. <http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/elton-john-the-historic-fight-for-equality-must-go-on-lets-get-on-and-legalise-same-sex-marriage-8202686.html>.\
Kealey, Helena. "Sir Elton John's Wedding: 11 Things You Might Have Missed." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 22 Dec. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2016. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11309195/Sir-Elton-Johns-wedding-11-things-you-might-have-missed.html>.
Seib, Christine, and Tania Bryer. "I'll Press Queen and Putin on Anti-gay Laws: Elton John." CNBC. 04 Nov. 2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2016. <http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/04/elton-john-aids-foundation-sets-up-pepfar-fund-focused-on-africa.html>.
Johnson, Ben. "Elton John Urges Boycott after Gay Designers Dolce and Gabbana Come out against Gay ‘marriage,’ Adoption." LifeSiteNews. 16 Mar. 2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2016. <https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/fashion-article>.
Timeline
Elton John Tiimeline
March 25, 1947- Elton John was born
Late 60s to 2016- Makes multiple successful albums and songs, becomes legendary, and get’s millions of album sales
1976- Elton John comes out as bisexual to Rolling Stone. He faced some horrific treatement due to this
1988- Elton John has announced that he is openly gay to rolling stone. He said that he was “more comfortable” living as a homosexual.
1990- Elton John goes to rehab to end his drug use. He has since helped many other artists get sober, such as Lady Gaga, Eminem, and Ed Sheeran.
1992- Elton John starts an orginization to help out AIDS victims
1993- Elton John had met David Furnish, and they became a couple
Elton John hosted an event at the academy awards, and raised more then $200 million for his charity
1994- Elton John is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1995- Wins 3 academy awards for his lion king songs
2005- Elton John and David Furnish were one of the very first UK couples to have a civil union
2008- Elton John speaks in favor of gay couples having Civil Unions
2012- Elton John has become pro same-sex marriage.
2013- Elton John called for the boycott of 2 gay fashion designers who said that gays should not be adopting children
2014- Elton and David get married
2015- Elton John plans to go to Russia in order to discuss the anti-gay laws there
Creative Piece: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fvZe3M2C9lBvO545PTQTo0ZI0-pwD_eYkdd2TKYi5X8/edit#slide=id.g12397ed715_0_19
David Bowie for Gender Expression
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 at the age of 49, Bowie was most widely known for his strange yet talented performances and highly grossing career as a singer, songwriter, and overall famous musician, that being said he was so much more than that. Throughout the earliest years of his musical career he was seen in outrageous and complex costumes both in photoshoots, album covers, and live shows. Given as this was in 1969 when “American morals and values” were the most important facet of day to day life there was a huge culture shock surrounding the man in tights and a full face of makeup.
David Bowie was definitely the pioneer for outwardly queer men and the concept of androgyny in American culture. Given as he would go out into the world appearing to be stereotypically feminine or just not masculine donning his alien alter ego and stage persona Ziggy Stardust, during a time when gender roles and stereotypes were a huge deal. Now thankfully for timing women were at this time around the early 70’s starting to fight for equality and the concept of not being straight and not fitting into the heteronormative boxes laid out at birth based off sex was easy to run with.
“Bowie meant so much to so many, but for a number of people who have fought to subvert gender binaries and resist labels in a world that demands them, he made self-acceptance fashionable.” After the original culture shock of his appearance and persona Bowie’s very presence influenced many people to be comfortable in their skin, regardless of how you express yourself and whatever you decided to wear. Arguably paving the way for modern style icons like Jeffree Star, a makeup and style icon who gained popularity on the internet, openly gay and proud of his androgyny, openly praised Bowie in a tribute, for allowing people to be fearless and be themselves, “...thinking of how many doors this one man had opened for people like me. THANK YOU David Bowie for being the definition of "fearless" and making it OK for people like me to express themselves, and be happy”.
Sources:
Biography.com Editors. "David Bowie." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
http://www.biography.com/people/david-bowie-9222045
Segal, Corrine. "David Bowie Made Androgyny Cool, and It Was about Time." PBS. PBS, 11 Jan. 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/david-bowie-made-androgyny-cool-and-it-was-about-time/
Jeffree, Star. "David Bowie “ZIGGY STARDUST" Makeup Tutorial." YouTube. YouTube, 13 Jan. 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
Timeline of David Bowie’s Life Events
Jan. 8, 1947 Birth. Originally named David Robert Hayward-Jones
1962 David Robert Hayward-Jones starts his musical carrer with his first band, the Konrads.
1966 David Robert Hayward-Jones officially and legally changes his name to David Bowie.
June 1967 Bowie releases his first album. Self titled, David Bowie.
July 1969 Space Oddity Is released, soon to reach the top 5 most played in the United Kingdom.
March 1970, Bowie marries actress and model Angela Barnett, his first wife.
November 1970, The Man Who Sold the World is released, Bowie’s first fully realized album. Also, begin the first appearances of his Androgynous pop/rock persona Ziggy Stardust.
May 30 1971, Bowie’s son Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones is born.
June 1972 The Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is released. This album was known as being a full concept album, leaning more towards a glam rock sound and image (Ziggy Stardust).
May 1974 Release of Diamond Dogs, another concept album based off a George Orwell novel.
March 1975 Young Americans, an album featuring John Lennon on the single, Fame. This single would soon be his first number 1 single in the United States.
May 1976 Bowie stars in a sci-fi movie, The Man who fell to Earth and releases his album Station to Station.
November 1975 Guest star appearance on the television show, Soul Train.
September 1980 Bowie moves into the Broadway scene, working on the production of The Elephant Man.
1981 Bowie collaborates with Freddy Mercury and accompanying band Queen to produce the single, Under Pressure soon to be recognized as number one in the U.K (Bowie’s third recognition on the top charts of the United Kingdom.)
1984, David Bowie receives his first ever Grammy for his short film Jazzin for Blue Jean, which is actually a music video, not a film.
June 1986 Bowie stars in a leading role in the movie Labyrinth.
1996 Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
February 2006, Awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
January 8 2013, The release of Bowie’s first studio decade in years, The Next Day.
January 8 2016, Bowie releases Blackstar, his 25th album.
January 10 2016, Death.
Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2016/01/11/timeline-david-bowie-career-highlights/78617968/
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03550/bowie1_3550765b.jpg
http://img.cdandlp.com/2013/03/imgL/115908378.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81GaOhfPyFL._SL1300_.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/610V%2B0qBQrL.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/08/08/article-1205175-05E5BD2C000005DC-672_468x308.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/ZiggyStardust.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1f/Diamond_dogs.jpg
http://beforeitsnews.com/contributor/upload/30080/images/famedavid.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71AMEK3oV1L._SL1500_.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OehLJcjFrAk/maxresdefault.jpg
http://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2016/01/RIP-david-bowie-4.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/David_Bowie_-_The_Next_Day.png
https://bumshaketherum.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/blackstar.jpg
Mary Church Terrell
Informational Article
The person I will be observing during this project is Mary Church Terrell. She was a charter member of the NAACP and an early advocate for civil rights and the suffrage movement. Born on September 23, 1863, in Memphis, Tennessee, Mary was the daughter of small-business owners who were former slaves. Terrell was a suffragist and the first president of the National Association of Colored Women. Terrell and her brother were raised and taught to be hardworking and ambitious. In 1884, she became one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree from Oberlin College in Ohio. She earned her master’s degree in education four years later, which was very rare during this time period. In 1891, Mary married Robert Heberton Terrell who would eventually become Washington D.C’s first black municipal judge.
With Terrell having a new life in D.C., she was very involved in different movements, but the women’s rights movement in particular caught the majority of her attention. Her main focus, though, was the right to vote. Although the goal was to have equal rights and opportunities for all women, African-American women were often excluded from different plans that were executed. So, this lead to the creation of, with the help of fellow activist, The National Association of Colored Women in 1896. She was instantly named the organization's first president, and used this position to advance educational reform. Years later, she became a charter member of the NAACP, and combined her women’s right activism with her civil rights activism. Mary died on July 24, 1954.
Timeline
Reflection
In conclusion, Mary Church Terrell has made a huge impact in the world and specifically the women’s right movement. She was the first president of the National Association of Colored Women, which was a movement that fought for women’s rights. During the time period of women fighting for their rights, blacks were often excluded because it was still during a time of segregation and oppression against blacks. The fact that black women were excluded from the different organizations, this led to the creation of the National Association of Colored Women.
The main reason I decided to research Mary Church Terrell was because I learned that she was one of the first African-American women to earn a bachelor’s degree in education. I am very big on education, especially within the black community because of how oppressed we were during the segregated times. So, to be able to research a black woman who achieved something that I feel is amazing seemed like a good idea to me. Also, I love my culture and am always interested in knowing what my people had to go through, so my target was an African-American woman who was involved in the gender equality movement.
The process of this project went pretty smoothly. I turned everything in on time, and each portion of the project helped me further my understanding of the gender equality movement. The research portion that I felt was most effective was the timeline, simply because it helped me learn the chronological events that happened in Terrell’s life.
Sources
Biography.com Editors. "Mary Church Terrell." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/mary-church-terrell-9504299#an-activists-life>.
Steptoe, Tyina. "Terrell, Mary Church (1863-1954) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed." Terrell, Mary Church (1863-1954) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. National Endowment for the Humanities. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. <http://www.blackpast.org/aah/terrell-mary-church-1863-1954>.
"Progress of a People: Mary Church Terrell." Progress of a People: Mary Church Terrell. United States Government, 19 Oct. 1998. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. <http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aap/terrell.html>.
Beyonce for Gender Equality
The person, activists I’ve choose that made an impact of gender equity is Beyonce. Many people may share different views, but I personally think she is the perfect spokesperson for gender equality. For those who don’t know Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter is a singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, mom and a wife. She hole many titles as you can see. She was born in raised in Houston, Texas and worked her way up to the top of the charts.
As a young girl Beyonce experienced depression. After all the struggles of switching companies and her parents getting a divorce. Her breaking point was when a friend and also member of the group, LeToya Luckett decided to leave the group because she was unhappy. Beyonce was devastated and fell into depression which led to her boyfriends leaving her. She stayed for days at a time. Beyonce spoke that it was her mother that helped her through it. Having a strong figure, especially that figure being your mother can make someone be an even better woman and mother. She saw woman as strong creatures and wanted to let them know that.
She addressed gender inequality by calling herself a “modern day feminist”. Many people threw salt on her for that saying she shouldn’t call herself that when she exposes her body in her performances and in her videos. How can one say that when she creates song that are for girl empowerment. She literally have a song titles “Run the World.” It’s sending a message about females that have their own life. That are independent and how we should be more confident in ourselves. Now it wasn’t to put males down or make them feel less about their self. It’s just that people are always coming at females. I know males that also love the song.
Beyonce know the true meaning of being a feminist. And it means believing in equal rights for men and woman. She understands that telling your daughter to be vulnerable and not your son is problem. She understand that a woman making 75 cents to a dollar is a problem.
TIMELINE
2015 Beyonce and Michelle Obama calls for Gender Equality
2015 The conversation is popular – and yes, mostly thanks to Beyonce.
2014 From dancing in front of bright “FEMINIST” lights at the Superbowl (reaching an audience of approximately 140 million), to featuring the very definition of feminism read by novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie smack in the middle of a hit single, Beyonce has put her starpower to use for gender equality.
Now, popularizing the conversation doesn’t mean that feminism itself is popular. We certainly have a ways to go on that front. But I am encouraged by the frequency with which the topic appears in the mainstream media and everyday conversation.
Men and women are uniting behind gender equality
Speaking at Georgetown University’s Own It Summit this past weekend, I couldn’t help but notice the men who had been involved in not only attending the summit, but actually organizing and staffing it.
Women are supporting women
Tearing down other women in the workplace is about as en vogue as shoulder pads. In today’s socially-networked workplace especially, we recognize that the success of our fellow ladies is only good for us.
Intersectionality is everything
As the conversation around gender equality becomes more popular, so too have voices fighting for equality along racial, social, sexual, and economic lines as well. We still have a long ways to go in solving feminism’s white woman problem, but I see more feminists working together across what used to be boundaries.
It’s no longer acceptable to have a conversation about gender inequality without discussing other forms of discrimination as well. And that’s damn encouraging.
Corporate America has bought in
Love her or hate her, the 1%-er perspective of Sheryl Sandberg was exactly what the 1%-er leaders across corporate America needed to hear to get on board with gender equality. Lean In absolutely made the business case for unleashing women’s full potential in the workplace, and since then we’ve seen many of the largest American companies – led by Facebook – instituting policies designed to attract, retain, and develop women leaders.
For all these reasons and more I’m optimistic about the direction we’re heading, though it’s clear huge challenges remain. For starters, it’s time for our government institutions to catch up with these new realities and provide for sane parental leave policies that help women (and men!) lead full lives at home and work.
2014 Beyonce and Hillary “Race is everybody's issue”
2014 Gender Equality is a myth
2014 Flawless song release
2011 Run the World song release
2009 Single Ladies song release
2008 Diva release
1998 She found her real power when she became her own songwriter and she became successful even after her own company didn’t believe in her.
1996 Overcame depression
The Wonderful Life Of The Great Maya Angelou
When discussing the arts and where they stand in the world, one cannot deny how much of an impact they have made throughout the history of humanity. It can has helped to bring about the change that needs to happen in the world. There are many figures that stand out in this field of work. One of them being the late poet and activist Maya Angelou. She has become one of the most famous women of this time period. Maya Angelou obtained about over 50 honorary doctorate degrees. She was also respected as an memoirist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, and filmmaker, actually becoming one of the first African American female directors. Her beautiful, elegant pieces of work, and her views on fighting for the rights of equality for all races, and gender has touched the hearts of so many, and she has become an inspirational icon for the world, and still is today.
Maya Angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson April 4th, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. She would later be raised in a small in Arkansas called Stamp along with her brother by their grandmother, Annie Henderson, after their parents split. Maya was born during the time period where the rights of African Americans were not given, and Jim Crow was very much alive. So, throughout her time in Stamp, Maya faced many forms of discrimination, and racial prejudice. However, despite these challenges, Maya still grew up in a family that nurtured her with the strong values that would later inform her through her life as well as her career later on.
Maya struggles would continue however, throughout her childhood, where it was during that time she became a victim of rape at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend. After her uncle murdered him for doing this to her, Maya thought that it was her words that caused his death. As a result, she became silent for about 5 years. When she was around 13 years old, Maya started to speak again. Her love for words, and language by then had only grown. She had started to read books from very well known black authors like Langston Hughes, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Paul Lawrence Dunbar, as well as classical works from Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Edgar Allen Poe. Mrs. Flowers, an intellectual African American woman who was also responsible for helping Maya to start speaking again, had been one of the most influential figures in Maya’s life that taught her how vital education was, and was one of the reason Maya came to truly love poetry.
Maya and her brother would go to San Francisco to go and live their mother. There, she attended high school where she also received a scholarship to study dance and drama. Maya would later drop out of high school and would become the first African American female car conductor for San Francisco. She would later go back and finish, and give birth to her son Guy. She later on married a Greek sailor named Tosh Angelos, in 1950, but they would later separate. She would continue her work as a performer by touring Europe with a production of the opera Porgy and Bess in 1954 and 1955. Maya also decided to study modern dance with Martha Graham, she then started dancing with Alvin Ailey on television variety shows, and recorded her first record album, Calypso Lady in 1957.
Maya Angelou then started singing in the West Coast and Hawaiian nightclubs during the late 1950s. After that, Angelou would go to New York to continue her stage career. It was also during this time that Maya joined the Harlem Writer’s Guild while under the guidance of her close friend James Baldwin. Here, Maya had the opportunity to hear Martin Luther King speak which prompted her to join the civil rights movement. From there, She was then offered a position to be the northern coordinator for Dr. King's SCLC. After that, Maya would then move to Cairo with her son, and, later on, to Ghana in West Africa in 1962. She pursued the career of a freelance writer and had even become a feature editor at the African Review. During the mid-60s Maya had returned to the U.S. She was then pushed by her friend James Baldwin, as well as Robert Loomis, to write her own autobiography. Although she had declined multiple times at first, it was in 1970 where Maya angelou published her critically acclaimed novel I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, was one of the six autobiographies produced by Angelou. It became an immediate success, and was nominated for the a National Book award. Her later works included Gather Together in My Name (1974), The Heart of a Woman (1981), All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986), and her final volume, A Song Flung up to Heaven (2002). Which took about 15 years to make. She also became a very well known poet as well. In the early 1990s, President Bill Clinton invited her to write and read the first ever inaugural poem. Americans all across the country listened to her speak and call for peace, racial and religious harmony, and social justice for people of different origins, incomes, genders, and sexual orientations.
It was in 2013, that Maya Angelou was given the Literarian Award, which is an honorary National Book Award given to people who make contributions to the literary community. She later died in 2014 at the age of 86. But her teachings, and words still reside with us to this day
Maya Angelou Timeline:
Sources:
06." Caged Bird Legacy. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
"Maya Angelou." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
"Maya Angelou Biography." -- Academy of Achievement. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
"Maya Angelou Biography." -- Academy of Achievement. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.Marie Curie
Marie Curie was born in 1867 as Maria Salomea Sklodowska, in a Russian-controlled Warsaw. After her mother’s death, she went to a boarding school, and then left the boarding school for a prestigious, selective school, where she graduated as a top student. As there was no higher education for girls in Poland and no money in Curie’s family, Curie worked as a tutor and attended illegal, underground university lectures until she could afford schooling in Paris. She had to learn French very quickly in order to keep up with the classes at the Sorbonne, which was Paris’ top school. Eventually, she graduated top of her class in master's degree physics. After receiving research funding, she got a second master’s degree, this time in chemistry. When she tried to become a teacher in Poland, she learned that there were still no spaces for women at universities there, and so she returned to Paris. She married another famous scientist in her field, Pierre Curie, and her initial scientific discoveries were all completed with him.
In her work, she discovered that rays of energy cast from uranium allow air to conduct electricity, and that compounds like pitchblende, which make the air even more conductive than uranium, does must contain an element that was, at this point, undiscovered. Through this, she discovered Polonium and Radium. Through observations of the elements she had unearthed, she also discovered radioactivity, the reasons that these elements gave off heat. For the discovery of radioactivity, she shared a Nobel Prize in Physics with her partners, one of which was her husband. This made her the first woman to ever win a Nobel Prize, and she won it only six months after acquiring her Ph.D, in 1903.
When her husband was later killed in a vehicular accident, she was promoted to fill his position, as their Chair of Physics. Naturally, she was the first woman to fill this role. When she finally managed to isolate a sample of radium, she was awarded her second Nobel Prize, this time in Chemistry. In total, she became:
The first woman to be a professor at the University of Paris
The first woman to win a Nobel Prize
The first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics
The first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Chemistry
One of six people/organizations to have won multiple Nobel Prizes
The only person to have a Nobel Prize for both Chemistry and Physics
Her death, by aplastic anemia, in 1934, was almost certainly caused by the radioactivity she had exposed herself to in her studies. She was not only impressive for doing all this while being a woman, she is impressive because her scientific achievements have been bested by none. Because she was able to do this in an era where science was hardly open to women only accentuates her greatness. She opened the door for female scientists in the global community and remains one of the most recognized scientists in the world.
Listen to my music-thing, "Marie Curie," at https://www.soundtrap.com/play/3mjLmOfrRQuppItOf3eEig/marie-curie/.
Sources:
"Marie Curie." Famous Scientists. famousscientists.org. 8 Sep. 2014. Web. 4/11/2016
<http://www.famousscientists.org/marie-curie/>.
"Marie Curie." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 11 Apr. 2016 ,http://www.biography.com/people/marie-curie-9263538>.
"Marie Curie - Biographical". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. 11 Apr 2016. <http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1903/marie-curie-bio.html>Gender Equity Museum:
Amandla Stenberg
Ameena Atif - March 20, 2016 Introduction
The name Amanda means power. That alone should tell who Amandla Sternberg is.
She was born in Los Angeles, California, on October 23, 1998, to Karen Brailsford and Tom Stenberg. Amanda is an American actress and social activist. She landed the first of her Disney catalog modeling shoots when she was four years old. Amandla has shot numerous commercials and films. In April 2011, Lionsgate announced that Amandla had landed the role of Rue in the screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' popular series, The Hunger Games. The highly anticipated film opened in theaters on March 23, 2012. The Los Angeles Times noted "the presence of young actress Amandla Stenberg, who makes a powerful impression as 12-year-old Rue.” Amandla earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. She also won (with Jennifer Lawrence) a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Chemistry.
Amandla is making her mark in the social media world. The teen social activist helped catapult the topic of cultural appropriation into the public when she posted her school project video, "Don't Cash Crop My Cornrows" on her Tumblr. She has been name one of The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2015 by Time Magazine.
The teen dishes on feminism, #blacklivesmatter, and films in several interviews. In an interview for her cover story for ASOS magazine she said, “I’m not saying it’s unexpected to hear a 17-year-old speak with eloquent authority. It’s just in a world where appearance-obsessed Kardashian culture is inescapable, talking to a girl who takes pride in the power of her own voice, and understands its reach [and the possibility that by using it properly she can change the world], is incredibly inspiring.” She has inspired girls all over the world to have confidence and follow their dreams.
Sources:
"Amandla Stenberg Tackles." World News. Accessed March 21, 2016. http://article.wn.com/view/2015/07/13/amandla_stenberg_tackles_x22double_standard_x22_of_beauty_fo/.
Link to the Timeline and Creative Piece here
Pope Francis: a Pope for the People
Leadership
What is a leader? Well this question can be answered many different ways. Leadership can change with whatever situation a person finds themself in. Leaders can differ from an explorer leading his/her men/women through the jungle, or the captain of a sports team leading their teammates to a championship. Every leader has a vision and it is that leader’s job to inspire people to make them see that vision as well so they can gain followers. People expect and rely on certain leaders to take charge and accept success and failure personally.
In the book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding there seems to be a battle of who is going to become head honcho between the characters Ralph and Jack. When another character named Piggy finds a conch shell on the island they were stranded on, Ralph blows into the shell and the sound attracts other kids on the island. “But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch.”(22) In this scene of the novel, the conch is giving Ralph power and authority. It also develops a the thought that the best thing for them right now to have is a leader. In the boys’ heads the conch is setting Ralph apart from everyone else, and this is the reason why Ralph becomes the leader over Jack.
This same kind of situation can relate to any sports team in a way. On sports teams there can be one one leader, or several leaders that play different parts on the team. The role of a locker room leader would be to get everybody pumped and hyped to play the game and make sure everybody is ready. Where a performance leader would take control during the game and most of the the they want the game to be in their hands. Or there could just be one leader. This role brings the most pressure and all depends on how you deal with it.
In the novel, situations start to come up that test Ralph’s leadership. A dead pilot has fallen from the sky and as the boys see the body but don’t know what it is. The minds of the paranoid kids disguise the body to be “the beast.” The tension of what it could be was eating away at the group, so they all decided to go hunt the so called beast. The boys were hunting the beast and they decided to stop and reevaluate their decision. But Ralph took the responsibility of being a leader and told the group that he would go after the beast himself. When Ralph made the decision to go himself, that really stuck with the group and it showed them that he was being a true leader and taking on that responsibility that comes with taking charge.
The same concept applies to sports. No matter what sport it is no matter if it is basketball, baseball, soccer, etc the star player or captain of the team wants to be in the win or lose situation. They are willing to go into either success or failure situations head on and deal with the outcome no matter what it is.
A true leader takes charge and they know what they want. They have a goal that they have to accomplish and they inspire people to have that goal as well. A real leader doesn’t work for him/herself, they always think for the team. Kobe Bryant once said “The topic of leadership is a touchy one. A lot of leaders fail because they don’t have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord. Throughout my years, I haven’t had that fear.” You can’t be afraid to take charge and be a leader. You have to be able to face the consequences that come with being a leader. If you don’t have what it takes to deal with failure you don’t have what it takes to be a leader.Geena Davis Institute Gender in the Media
Geena Davis was born on January 21, 1956, in Wareham, Massachusetts. She had worked as a model before becoming an actress, starting out with a small role in 1982 film Tootsie. She had also won an oscar and was a well known actress for what she starred in. Overtime Geena realized that movies can have huge impact on people after fans coming up to her stating things such as, “That movie changed my life. My friend and I call each other Thelma and Louise now.”
It was not long until her acting career was slowly gone. In, 2004, Geena Davis founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. It started off as doing research that then turned into extensive research into how women are portrayed in family films. A discovery was made that on average, there is only one female to every 2 male characters. Due to this discovery, Geena Davis and the organization are working on creating a balance in the content for children.
Geena Davis address this matter of women’s right or gender inequality from what she realize of what it’s like for women in films, and how films can affect people’s perspective on things. One of the thing being what women are like in the society. Even for someone famous, this gender inequality still follows that lives on in the society. Geena Davis is still acting in roles, but still continues to work on behalf of the institute’s belief and speaking out on the issue of how women are depicted in the media, and what are the ways or key concept in reducing that.
FIRST MAN AS UN WOMEN AMBASSADOR
The man known as Farhan Akhtar (born 9 January 1974) is a renowned Indian film actor, film director, screenwriter, producer, playback singer, lyricist and also a television host. Farhan was born in Mumbai in the arm of Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, whom are famous for screenwriting as well. Since he was raised under the influence of Hindi film industry, sensibly, he stepped he took his first step in his career by working as an assistant director in Lamhe (1991) and Himalay Putra (1997).
Not only Farhan is well accomplished by the work he has done, he is well respected as well as an actor-filmmaker-singer. Not only did Farhan had made his presence in the Indian film industry with his all-around roles, he had also represented the voice of thousands of distressed men and women in the important issue of gender equality and violence against women and girls in India.
In order to stop violence against women, Farhan started a campaign known as Men Against Rape and Discrimination (MARD). The campaign was launched in 2013 and its aim was to raise social awareness against rape and discrimination of women. There were two critical incidents that took place in India which ignited this campaign to be formed. One of the incident was when a 23 year old, Jyoti Singh was gang raped by six men, beaten and tortured in a private bus in which she was travelling with one of her friend. Her friend only had to suffer through the torment. Secondly, the incident in August 2012 when Pallavi Purkayastha, known as a Mumbai Lawyer, viciously murdered by her watchmen just because she tried to protect herself from getting raped by her watchmen. These two incidents jointly ignited Farhan Akhtar, which resulted him to launch a campaign in the hope of stopping such incidents and give the women the respect they deserve.
Fortunately, Farhan Akhtar didn’t have to overcome adversity and challenges because there were men and women that certainly needed some changes in the city and believed Farhan was the right person to take the action. According to the Times of India, “MARD has been asking men to rethink their value system. To think about what are the various characteristics and traits that makes one a man.” As soon the campaign was launched, it alerted individuals and became a well-known trending topic on different social networking sites such as: Twitter and Facebook. Such initiative turned around to be positive reactions from world known Bollywood stars such as: Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan and etc. This kind of support gave the campaign respect and prospered it to flourish and to make a change.
Since Farhan's campaign was now known worldwide, the United Nations has reached out and invited Farhan to join their campaign as to be the Goodwill Ambassador of South Asia. Farhan was chosen to be the first man as the Goodwill Ambassador in the United Nation’s history. The campaign, “HeForShe” calls for men and boys to raise awareness and stand up against the inequalities which are constantly being faced by women.
SOURCES:
"Farhan Akhtar Announced as UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia." Headquarters. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.
"Farhan Akhtar Becomes the Goodwill Brand Ambassador for UN's Initiative HeForShe." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/. Times of India, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.
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