Girl Afraid—The Smiths

The song “Girl afraid” by the Smiths” is an overlooked gem within The Smiths catalog. Released in 1984 the song contains the trademarks of every song by the band at that time. From the up intricate guitar and moody singing typical of The Smiths. I would have never compared or drawn any parallels to this song and to “The Hands Maid Tale” until I delved deeper into the lyrics. The song details the miscommunication between a boyfriend and girlfriend, delving into their thinking. The lyrics of this song remind me of the relation between Offred and the commander as well as the relationship between Nick and Offred. In the first verse of this song Morrissey sings the words
“Where do his intentions lay? Or does he even have any?” This line reminds me of how Offred felt when the commander first started to take interest in her. After the verse in the first refrain another line sticks out to me. “In the room downstairs he sat and stared, In the room downstairs he sat and stared” This immediately reminds me of the scene in THT in which the commander entered Offred’s room and said nothing (chapter 8 page 49). Another line in the first verse stuck out to me. “He never really looks at me, I give him every opportunity” This line reminds me of Offred’s relation with Nick nearing the end of the book. The lovers’ relationship being strained and filled with miscommunication similarly to the boyfriend and girlfriend in the song. This line of the song especially reminds me of the scene at the end of chapter 36 where Nick refuses to meet eyes with Offred.

Naomi—Neutral Milk Hotel

Written and released in 1996 “Naomi” by Neutral Milk Hotel is a song of obsession. Originally written by Jeff Mangum, the song is about his obsession with Naomi Yang, a bassist of another band. The lyrics focus on the feeling of obsession and many angelic/religious themes remind me heavily of the relationship between the commander and Offred. One particular section of the song that sticks out to me. “I’m watching Naomi, full bloom”… “One billion angels come and hold her down They could hold her down until she cries” This line reminds me of the Commander’s desire for Offred but it being through his puritan view of the world. Not seeing her as a person but an experience. In chapter 129, he even hints as to thinking of Offred and the handmaid as nothing but pets. “If your dog dies get another”-187

While I’m Waiting—Fleeting joys

Released in 2006 “While Im Waiting” by Fleeting Joys is an incredibly emotional and melancholic song. With heavily distorted guitars and somber singing this song creates a deep sense of longing and was the first thing that came to my mind when doing this project. The song reminds me of Offred’s thoughts of Luke and her child.  With the song's one repeating lyric “I think I’ll let it go’’ that is broken up by a few lines. One line that made me think of Offred is. 

“So happy you’ll never come down, While I’m waiting, I want you” This line directly made me think about chapter 18 of The Hand Maid’s tale in which Offred imagines the different scenarios Luke could have been in after they parted ways. Doing this so nothing surprises her if she ever hears from Luke again thus the lyric “So happy you’ll never come down”.

Julie Profumo — Cleaners from Venus

This theme of trying to escape a bad situation no matter what is prevalent in The Handmaid’s Tale and there was only one song I could think of that represents this theme. Released in 1985 “Julie Profumo” by Cleaner from Venus is another melancholic and somber song I’ve added to this playlist. With lyrics that detail the singer leaving his home to go to England due to the changing times. With lyrics like “Time is racing, Shadows waiting” there is a great sense of urgency in this push for change. This song reminds me of Moira. Her being represented through the lyrics in the chorus. “Someday soon I will forget this junkyard”…”It’s a changing world and I can tell you one thing, Time is racing” Moira is constantly pushing for freedom from Gilead. From holding an aunt hostage and stealing the aunt’s clothing to escape to choosing to be a prostitute. Moira refuses to be stuck in the junkyard that is Gilead.

I Can See It (But I Can’t Feel It) — My Bloody Valentine

The last song in my playlist “I Can See It (But I Can’t Feel It)” By My Bloody Valentine has to be one of the most depressing songs I have on here. Released in 1988 this song is thought to be about someone who leaves their relationship with someone because they thought they were dragging the other person down. With very somber and sad singing with the jangly despondent guitars this song explores some very deep emotions. This song as a whole reminds me of the relationship between Offred and Luke. with the line “Don’t know when I will leave you again, Grab a reason, And I’m dragging you down” in the verse reminding me how before the present events of THT Luke and Offred were willing to make sacrifices for each other and their daughter. With the part of the song with the other part of the verse with the lyrics “Shot in the head I can see I can see it But I can’t feel it” Reminding me of Offred’s thought process on thinking of Luke (chapter 18). imagining him dead or imprisoned or making it to freedom so if she hears any bad news about him, she will feel nothing.

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” written by Margaret Atwood, has drawn from many historical sources to flush out the events and world of Gilead. This is because Margaret Atwood herself was born on November 18, 1939. She has seen drastic changes in society and put some historical parallels into “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Atwood said, “ When I wrote The Handmaid’s Tale, nothing went into it that had not happened in real life somewhere at some time. Some key events that would inspire Atwood in her life are World War II, the beliefs of Nazi Germany, and the rise of the conservative Christian right in the 1980s. In this essay, I will be focusing on the two influences that helped shape the world of Gilead.

Margaret Atwood was born three months after the start of World War II. Her early childhood was filled with memories of seeing her neighbors being sent off to war. World War II, more specifically, Nazi Germany, inspired the world of Gilead in major ways. The most direct parallel between Nazi Germany and the world of Gilead are the handmaids and the extra wives of SS men. Heinrich Himmler was an avid supporter of polygamy. The Nazis claimed that monogamy was satanic and created by the Catholic Church. Many high-ranking Nazi officials would claim these extra wives or mistresses. This was called the Lebensborn program. These women would be used to birth children of “racial purity”. You can draw clear parallels between the SS men, the commanders, the handmaids, and the extra wives. During the creation of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a movement raged through America that sought to return America to “traditional” values. This movement was known as the conservative Christian movement. The Conservative Christian Right is a movement dating back to the 1940s and is the second major inspiration for the society of Gilead. Gilead is hinted at to be America throughout the story.

“We had flannelette sheets, like children’s, and army-issue blankets, old ones that still said U.S.”- page 4

“The Handmaid’s Tale” takes place in a theocratic nation where belief in Christianity is compulsory, and gender roles are rigid and driven to their extremes. In Gilead those who go against its norms will be either banished, killed, or beaten ruthlessly.

“What they are hanging from is hooks. The hooks have been set into the brickwork of the Wall, for this purpose.”… “Each has a placard hung around his neck to show why he has been executed: a drawing of a human fetus. They were doctors, then, in the time before, when such things were legal.” – Page 32

Gilead is the ideal American future for Christian conservative movement. In the book, there are characters directly based on key figures of the conservative Christian movement. For example, you have Serena Joy, who was based on Phyllis Schlafly, an anti-feminist. You can see this in the book.

“She was good at it. Her speeches were about the sanctity of the home and about how women should stay home. Serena Joy didn’t do this herself. She made speeches instead, but she presented this failure of hers as a sacrifice she was limiting for the good of all.” Page 45

This is a direct parallel to the real woman. Phyllis Schlafly was a woman who preached the same beliefs and was a key figure in the conservative Christian right.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is a cautionary tale in addition to being a brilliant work of fiction. “The Handmaid’s Tale,” written by Atwood, presents a society in which social emancipation has only regressed while time has advanced. Atwood draws these stark similarities to actual historical occurrences. From Nazi Germany to the conservative Christian movement, Atwood was warning the reader against allowing these regressive and conservative ideas to corrupt and swallow them. Hopefully after reading “The Handmaid’s Tale” you will take this message to the real world.

In my last slate post, I had discussed the topic of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the homeless population of the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed new light on the struggles of homeless individuals. When many Americans were told to “Stay Home and Stay Safe” many of our fellow citizens were unable to stay home or safe. Social distancing and self-care was not an option for the United States homeless population. Whether through economic hardship, drug abuse, mental health, or other factors, many Americans met the unfortunate fate of homelessness.

In my research I have found that many people have been donating to many organizations, drives, and services dedicated to helping the homeless. I interviewed my neighbor, Ms. Melanie Dupree, who attends Tindley Temple united Methodist church organized a feeding program for the homeless. Tindley Temple has had a soup ministry since the early 1930s. Tindley served meals three to four times a week, however, as a result of the pandemic they had to shut down. My neighbor would walk by the homeless in the city, and she felt compelled to help out. This led her to start her ministry which is called CornerStone Feeding Ministry. She packs 50 lunches and distributes them near the Reading Terminal. She also distributes them at twelve and locust underground tent city. Meal distribution is done once a month. She obtains the help of the elderly shut ins at the Church to help prepare and pack the bags. These elderly individuals would have been isolated at home due to the pandemic, however her ministry provides them with a safe space to socialize. She distributes her meals with the help of her grandkids as well.

As my agent of change I created an Instagram page that is still up today meant to spread awareness about the struggle and conditions many homeless individuals face during the COVID-19 pandemic. This account has had a lot of traffic coming in, mostly composed of my fellow peers from SLA.

Separate from my agent of change project, as a result of living in the city I encounter many homeless individuals. I feel compelled to help them in any way, usually in the form of buying them masks and water due to the current weather.

If I had to reflect on my agent of change it would be very frustrating, confusing, and emotional. Overall, I am unsatisfied with my agent of change project I’ve done. Although I did spread awareness about the struggles many homeless people have faced during the pandemic, I did not do anything to help the homeless. After completing my project I felt as if I could do better if I had more resources as well as a greater time between deadlines. Hopefully my Instagram account could have spread enough awareness for someone to make a real change.

Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11CwTEXEKnChcW2FiM5xoa_Q1UCkBNoJR2YTW0fnXN-4/edit?usp=sharing

Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/shenk_miles/

Slate post 1: https://scienceleadership.org/blog/the_devastating_effect_covid-19_has_on_the_united_states_homeless_population_and_what_we_can_do_to_help

When the pandemic first started, witnessing the world I once knew faded away, it opened my eyes to those who were the real victims of COVID-19, the homeless. So when I was given the chance to bring awareness to the struggles that much lower class and homeless people face due to the COVID-19 virus. Although COVID-19 is a threat to all of us it poses a unique danger to America’s homeless population due to a lack of social services as well as the economic aftermath of the pandemic more Americans are at risk of entering homelessness.

Infographics and statistics are supplied by United Way

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development noted in its 2019 annual report that in America’s 50 most populated cities, African-Americans make up the majority of the homeless population. Of the top 10 cities with the most eviction filings, numbers one through eight all qualify for that top 50 designation, meaning that the added stress these evictions are placing on resources dedicated to assisting those experiencing homelessness may be producing outsized negative impacts on homeless populations that are primarily composed of minorities.

There was no clear region in the country where COVID-19 led to the largest jump in unemployment. Nevertheless, it is clear from the data that statewide unemployment has been closely tied to local industries and their pandemic-related losses. For instance, the top two states for unemployment as of October 2020 were Hawaii and Nevada, both of which depend on tourism to fuel their local economies. In these states, people face unique challenges in moving away from homelessness as a lack of income severely limits their housing options, cited by the National Coalition for the Homeless. People experiencing homelessness in the United States are among the highest risks for infection, complication, and death from COVID-19. Many of the issues of white homeless Americans are amplified in black and native communities due to the systemic oppression they have faced prior to COVID-19. To halt the rapid growth of homelessness and thus the spreading of COVID-19 we must connect all people on the streets with safe accommodation and all those in temporary accommodations must be moved into permanent homes. There are many ways to avoid COVID-19 if you are homeless. You can do this by obviously taking part in social distancing mandates, traveling on social transportation at less busy times, and avoiding other crowded public settings. If you are not homeless there are many ways you are able to help the homeless population in the United States. You can do this by partaking in helping, and working with food drives, homeless shelters, and COVID-19 screening at homeless shelters. Hopefully my writing will open your eyes to the struggle of the homeless and lower class face during these already hard times because of COVID-19. With this information as a society we can go forth and better the lives of our fellow Americans.

Annotated Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14Cz8Zi6ptOD9Xphm_QVfjb39uwmyGOXDqCbOEl6jM58/edit?usp=sharing

Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XKD-6C6vbQ9l5cxmF5J8u4iDjyZcaFV7r4FKX1Nal-w/edit?usp=sharing

E1 U3 Proyecto del Ensayo Mi Familia y Yo

Hola me llamo miles Tengo una gran familia. Tengo muchos tías, tíos y primos en ambos lados de mi familia. Vivo en una casa con mi mamá, papá, hermano y perro.

Mi mamá es morena. Ella es de Ghana. Ella es de baja estatura con el pelo rizado negro. Ella tiene ojos negros. Ella es veterinaria persistente y ruidosa. A Ella le gusta cocinar. Mi hermano se llama Otis. Él es bajo y delgado con cabello castaño rizado con ojos marrones. Otis es muy ruidoso y deportista. A Otis le gusta jugar al baloncesto.

Mi papá es alto, blanco con cabello castaño corto y liso con ojos verdes. Mi padre es muy callado y reservado. El nombre de mi perro es Charlie. Charlie es bajo y gordo. Tiene cabello blanco con ojos negros. Él es muy estúpido.

Soy alto y delgado. Tengo el pelo negro muy rizado. Tengo ojos marrones. Soy tranquilo y trabajador. Me gusta andar en patineta y hacer música.

Aunque mi familia está cerca, todos tenemos nuestras diferencias. Por ejemplo, soy alto y mi hermano Otis es bajo. Otis es competitivo y soy más relajado. Soy organizado, pero mi hermano es desordenado.

Artist Statement

When writing my memoir Vignette I chose to write about my 6th-grade experience because it was a key event in my life that made me the person I am today, similar to how Trever Noah wrote about his education and how that also affected his life in Born a Crime. Some examples of this are in Chapter 10: A Young Man’s Long, Awkward, Occasionally Tragic, and Frequently, Humiliating Education in Affairs of the Heart, Part I: Valentine’s Day, Chapter 11: Outsider, Chapter 12: A Young Man’s Long, Awkward, Occasionally Tragic, and Frequently, Humiliating Education in Affairs of the Heart, Part II: The Crush, Chapter 13: Colorblind, Chapter 14: A Young Man’s Long, Awkward, Occasionally Tragic, and Frequently, and Humiliating Education in Affairs of the Heart, Part III: The Dance. The Sixth Grade experience, though painful, molded me to be the person I am today. I discovered that I am a pretty cool person regardless of what others think about me. I developed compassion for the downtrodden and rejected in society because isolation and rejection is an unpleasant experience. Not only that, but I realized that in life, shallow people exist and there is nothing you can do to impress them that will cause them to change their attitudes and impressions about you. They are self-conscious people and are consumed tremendously by how others view them. This experience prepared me for the Science Leadership Academy. I learned to be bold in new environments and to not try to adapt to who I was to fit in the environment. As Winston Churchill stated, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” I had a lot of failures that 6th-grade year, however, my failures were not fatal. In fact, my courage to continue made me a stronger person, therefore, leading me to future successes.

For my coming of age in 2020 The New York Times submission, I wrote a seven-page six-part ten paragraph essay chronicling the events that affected my life during the COVID nineteen pandemic. This project took me a month to make with breaks in between. In my essay, I implemented many multiple media aspects into my essay with news headlines from websites such as NBC Philadelphia, inquirer.com, and philasd.org, and some photos of my day to day life. I wrote an essay about my time during the COVID nineteen pandemic to share my experiences, emotions, opinions, and struggles that many other people my age have faced during this tumultuous year.