legallydirtyblond

[legallydirtyblond]

During my time in quarantine, I have made it a priority to go outside at least once a day. That is legal here in California. Most days, I bike around my neighborhood using one of the bike rental services from Lyft or Uber. I wear a mask and bring an antibacterial wipe to clean the handle bars and seat before I get on. Other days, I make sure to walk to the beach. 

The other day, my mom and I drove to Napa just to see some of the beautiful vineyards and get out of the city. That said, San Francisco is a great place to be since we are close to the beach, wine country, snow which could be two hours away, desert land, and so much more. During quarantine though, I am doing my best to just stay inside but allow myself about an hour of exercise outdoors.

 One of the main things getting me through this strange time is having my pets. My cat is still a kitten, he is only five months old and he is so cute and playful. On the other hand, I have my 13-year-old dog who is just as small as my kitten. Together they are so silly. 

Another way I have been keeping myself busy is by playing board games in the game Center on my phone. I play darts and pool with my friends all over the country. 

I have also found quarantine to be an important time to support small and local businesses. I ordered my mask online from a family friend who is using recycled fabric to make masks. I love mine because it is slightly tie dye. 

Overall, with the hardships of finishing up school and trying to find a job even though most of hiring is frozen, I have been trying to focus on the positives like my family and self improvement.

[legallydirtyblond]

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were two of the first celebrities to publicly donate $1 million to food banks to help during COVID-19. They will be helping older adults and low-income families during the outbreak with their generous donation. They each posted on Instagram saying saying the money will be split between Feeding America and Food Banks Canada. In her post, Lively wrote, “We can all do something for one another, even if that’s simply staying home.”

[legallydirtyblond]

I am choosing to discuss “13th” (2016) and “I am Not Your Negro” (2016). Both films address race in their own way and I wanted to be able to highlight a few of those examples. 

To begin, “13th” looks at the American Prison System and connects it to the U.S.’s history of racial inequality. I found the film “13th” to be a sort of proposition or argument about modern day slavery being present with the unusually large amount of African American people being held in prison. What we end up understanding is that the prison system, specifically for people of color, is basically just a form of racialized control. 

What I found to be most interesting were the interviews that took place within the film. I found this film to be extremely educational and allow for people to find something new in it whether they are somewhat familiar with the topic or not. Common Sense Media says, “In this fierce call to action, director Ava DuVernay effectively doubles down on both educating her viewers and inspiring them to take a stand against racial injustice in 2016 America.” Rolling Stone says, “DuVernay has molded her doc into a living history of slavery as an institution that won't quit.”

The documentary brought fourth the true facts about the prison system and allowed for it to be a topic of discussion. With that, the topic seemed more accessible due to the nature of presenting the information. The whole story allowed for open discussion and the building of new perspectives with the value of information provided. 

James Baldwin wrote a letter to his literary agent in 1979 in which he discussed his next book which would be a personal reflection on the assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Baldwin passed way in 1987, leaving only 30 pages of the book complete. Filmmaker, Raoul Peck, picked up what was left of the manuscript and added to it, attempting to tell a story he felt Baldwin never had the chance to complete. For the whole film, I knew I recognized the voice of the narrator, only to google it and find out it was Samuel L. Jackson. 

According to The Atlantic, “the documentary demonstrates Baldwin’s unique ability to expose the ways anti-black sentiment constituted not only American social and political life but also its cultural imagination.” I felt this was a great way to sum it up, considering Peck uses the writings of Baldwin to generate an entire story about what went on during this time, through the lens of a black man. The New York Times says, “‘I Am Not Your Negro’ Will Make You Rethink Race.” The WSJ says, “Unsparing as history and enthralling as biography. It’s an evocation of a passionate soul in a tumultuous era.”

Here is a clip from “I Am Not Your Negro” that I found to be extremely powerful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVjZipnb_hc

Each film created an impact and awareness in terms of racial inequalities and the reality of being a person of color. Much of what I watched is completely current and stands true to the experience of a black person today. American history is a huge part of both films though much of both films are able to be connected directly to what happens to many people currently. 

Trailers:

“I am Not Your Negro” (2016)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNUYdgIyaPM

“13th” (2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6IXQbXPO3I

[legallydirtyblond]

March for Our Lives: Teen Leaders of Gun Control

Where do these youth leaders go from here?

The youth leaders we read about will continue to use their voices for good. This is the first generation to really step up since they were basically forced to. I also feel these youth leaders could end up being in politics and really making a difference in our world one day.

Is the reign of the NRA reaching its twilight moment? Is the tide is turning on gun violence in the US?

The reign of the NRA is nothing new. If anything, these past movements have brought more light to the situation but as more gun violence is happening, people have been turning to the excuse that they need guns to protect themselves from guns. I really do not feel that I can answer if the tide is turning on gun violence. With the Trump Administration, I feel almost helpless. I went to the March For Our Lives event a while ago in NYC and I had so much hope but really not much came from it. I do not know how to answer that question other than more people are choosing to educate themselves on the matter instead of look beyond it. 

Have you become more active on gun violence issues since March for Our Lives?

I would say I have. I am part of a few newsletters that deal with gun violence. Of course, sometimes I post about it on social media which is really only slacktivism. But I would like to somehow use my career in a way to educate others about it because in the end, I am not sure how else to go about it. 

Have you Registered to VOTE?

YES! I get mad at any of my friends who have not registered. If anyone says “I am not very political” I get so mad. Time to use your privilege to help others instead of being passive!

https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote

[legallydirtyblond]

#MeToo

1. Why do you think the #MeToo movement has been so effective? Why now?

The United States Bureau of Justice Statistics stated that only 15.8 to 35 percent of sexual assault cases are reported to the police. Not all victims of sexual abuse find it necessary to report their attack in order to move on. If fact, some people find it less treacherous to try to move on if they just let it go. When people do come forward, the process tends to force them to relive the fear and vulnerability again due to the process of completing a rape kit. There are so many reasons why someone may not feel comfortable coming forward as a victim and I am tired of people saying, “why did she/he take so long to tell someone?” “Why doesn’t she/he remember all the details?” There should no longer be a debate about this. The #MeToo movement has allowed for people to be heard and seen with support from others alike. According to USA Today, within the last two years, research shows that there has been in increase in the amount of people coming forward with assault claims due to what they think could be the result of actually being listened to and taken seriously.

2. What other impacts have you observed of the #MeToo movement? How has it affected you?

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women will experience or have experienced some sort of sexual assault in their lifetime. The ramifications that sexual assault victims deal with when they decide to come forward is something we have seen too many times. I have been able to see people come together and create safe spaces for those who have dealt with sexual assault. 

3. What is the celebrity lens here? What did celebrities risk in joining #MeToo? What have they gained?

The celebrity lens started with Harvey Weinstein. Individual people began coming forward sharing their stories. In another section, journalist Moira Donegan started this Google spreadsheet called the “Shitty Media Men List” that created a  list allegations of sexual misconduct, much of it violent, by men in magazines and publishing. I have attached part of it in here. These celebrities have used their platforms to create awareness about sexual assault. 

[legallydirtyblond]

Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken

Drawdown, by Paul Hawken, is a prime example of offering ideas and approaches to tackling climate change and proposing ways to save the planet. The book discusses how, with a group of politicians running the country who do not believe in climate change, approaching the topic can be quite difficult. Drawdown offers a path and various ways that the United States could deal with the current climate of the Earth while providing a sense of optimism in the process. The story deals with providing a lasting solution to climate change by including paths such as bettering education, improving farming and rice cultivation, eating plant based, encouraging reducing and recycling, making cities more walkable and so many more. Paul Hawken founded Project Drawdown in 2014. As an environmentalist, Hawken was obviously passionate about the mission of researching and promoting a change in our climate. The website states their vision as, “Stopping global warming is possible, with solutions that exist today. In order to do this, we must work together to achieve Drawdown, the point when greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere start to decline.”

When turning to social media, I found a tweet saying that Andrew Yang had read the book and it was what helped him build a lot of his views on climate change. There seem to be a lot of scholars who have used the book as an outline for building their own viewpoints. In terms of celebrity, Paul Hawken would be considered one in my eyes, on a smaller scale of educators and environmentalists. Since the book, he has worked with other environmental figures such as Leonardo DiCaprio that would be listed as a celebrity and he has also been in numerous interviews.

Here is a talk by Paul Hawken at the National Bioneers Conference from 2013. I found it interesting because he really provided a new viewpoint on life and the world and somewhat used the strange qualities of individuals to promote coming together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q52WJjeara0

[legallydirtyblond]

Young Visionaries with Solutions and Gizmos

1. How do these stories help people locate not just hope but solutions?

These stores help locate not just hope but solutions in terms of taking actions and getting something specific done. Each story proposes different approaches and ways of taking action. So many times, we read about how bad climate change is but we lack ideas of what to do now and how to go about it so I found it quite refreshing to get some sort of direction.

2. Which of these individuals had to overcome the most obstacles to realize their project? 

I feel that Ann Makosinski had to overcome the most obstacles to realize her project. She created a tool that uses the heat of a human hand to create light. Since she is so young, is was difficult for her to gain credibility and trust to convince others to save resources such as batteries and try to use something sustainable like this. 

3. Which of these stories has the most resonance for you in terms of solution-making?

Personally, I felt that Miranda Wang’s story resonated with me the most. The reason I felt this is because it is hard to make choices on a daily basis considering that each item we purchase, or action we do, results in a lot of negativity for our planet. But with Miranda’s system of using large amounts of trash bags and turning it into sustainable materials, it gives me hope. 

4. Is there a key environmental problem are you inspired to solve? How would you execute it?

Building off the idea of not being able to purchase normal day-to-day goods without damaging the planet, I would try to build something that is a different material than plastic but that is cheaper. I know that there are already lots of alternatives like reusable products but they are expensive and inconvenient. 

5. How would you message a movement for your solution?

I would definitely highlight prices differences and how an alternative material could largely impact the planet. I feel that many people would be more willing to switch over to sustainable materials instead of plastic if they were cheaper and proven to be helpful.

6. Locate a similar example in Project Drawdown by Paul Hawken

In Project Drawdown by Paul Hawken, he talked a lot about recycling in the home. While I promote this idea, I still wonder how much is actually recycled. Do people wash off what they use? I am not sure what could actually be used if it’s dirty when recycled. He also talked about how slow the recycling process is. It almost seems like a cover up. As if people are telling us that it’s helping but really, a lot more can be done. 

[legallydirtyblond]

Melati Wijsen: Super Girl

Melati Wijsen is a 19 year environmental advocate who founded “Bye Bye Plastic Bags” with her younger sister. Together, they organize petitions, create awareness-raising campaigns and organize beach clean-ups. 

1. What solutions are they offering for global warming, plastic pollution or overall climate change issues?

Due to some of Melati’s efforts, Bali has announced a law banning single-use plastic. Within only 5 years of this project, Melati and her sister have already managed to make such an impact! One project that she is currently working on is called the Pilot Village Project. This project consists of raining awareness in nearby villages and encouraging the shop-owners to stop handing out plastic bags to their customers. To make this work, they provide alternative and re-useable bags.

2. How did they organize their work? How have they been recognized?

Melati and her sister organize their work using the support of their awesome team. The website states that “BBPB Teams have launched in over 25 locations across the globe and the Founders continue to share their message on stages around the world in front of global leaders.” In my research I also found that they have been honored by TedX. 

3. How did they get the word out about their projects? What has been their impact so far?

Word gets out about their projects by building teams around the world. They have impacted Indonesian youth with education, local stores with non-plastic bags, and provided alternative materials for other companies.

4. What obstacles did they overcome?

The girls dealt with being only two of them, which is a roadblock due to the power in numbers. As things grew and word got out, it became easier for the girls to publicize and broaden their reach.

5. Imagine what they might be doing five years from now. 

In 5 years from now, I assume the girls will still be working on their projects in a larger scale. I also feel that they will possibly broaden their reach to other countries. The foundation is still fairly new so in 5 years a lot could change.

6. Why do you think young people are rising up and taking to the streets for #ClimateStrike #Fridays4Future and other protests? 

I think young people are rising up and taking to the streets for #ClimateStrike #Fridays4Future and other protests because they want a future and they care about their home. Young people, such as us in this course, have to pick up the mess, literally and metaphorically of others. At this point, if we want this planet to be our home, we all have to do our part.

Here is a quick video and article about Melati. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/30/indonesia-is-a-big-plastic-polluter-melati-wijsen-wants-change.html

[legallydirtyblond]

My favorite celebrity is the one and only, Leonardo DiCaprio. My reason for this is his charity work. Leo has raised a large sum of money for environmental projects within his own charity foundation called The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Here is a quote from the website: “The Foundation has gradually built a significant grantmaking operation, awarding over $80 million in grants since 2010, funding 200+ high-impact projects in 50 countries across Asia, the Americas, Africa, the Arctic, Antarctica, and all five oceans.” He is also a wonderful actor and a legend of our time. The fact that he uses his platform to encourage people to help the Earth is truly something to look up to. I am excited to see what Leo does next and how his passion for the environment influences others!