Introduction to Contemporary Literacy 1/24/2021

  As I reflect upon the thought, “ are we products of our environment?”  I believe that we are products of our environment. I strongly believe that if our environment isn’t a strong environment then we won’t succeed. Some people do push through different obstacles that they face in their environment but a lot of people don’t and they suffer greatly for it. In "The other Wes Moore", Wes and Wes grew up blocks away from each other but were raised by two different families with two different principles. From what I see in the video, the author of this book was raised in a family where they didn’t harm each other or anybody else and he made sure to take that with him as he got older, he did mention getting in trouble at 11 and ending up in handcuffs but he says with intervention, he was able to change his direction. The other Wes More might have learned that when he was younger but he didn’t take that into consideration when him, his brother and two others shot and killed som...

  Most people feel that music is an essential part of their lives. I always wonder how different the world would be without the joy and creativity of music, the different sounds of music and the different cultures that come behind music. Music affects how we feel and how we react in certain situations. In the book, The Other Wes Moore, hip-hop music is an interest of the other Wes Moore. He explains how hip-hop music is a necessity to his everyday life, and it is necessary for him to maintain himself. In my everyday life, music helps me stay focused, stay positive and it helps me keep myself together for the day, whether I am happy or sad. Even as a baby, my parents expressed themselves through music and I guess that is where I got it from. Growing up, no matter what we were doing or where we were going, there was music playing and it was always upbeat happy music. Music has the power to leave a different feeling in me, if I hear a good song that song will stay with me all day and ...

  We can never be to sure what life has in store for us. Life is a journey and we go to different things every day that makes us who we are. In some cases for some people, different life challenges can be too stressful and they may need a break or even give up. Some challenges make people stronger and make them equipped to handle other situations. I have faced a lot of different life altering situations but I always try to do what I think is the best for me at the time. For example, in high school I really liked this boy but he was a “bad” boy, he didn’t get good grades and did drugs and everything I thought was “edgy” and “fun” in high school, he was popular. Fast forward three years later and that popular boy that I had a crush on in high school has now passed away from a drug overdose and I can’t help but to think what if I wasn’t so shy in high school and I would’ve tried to date him, would he have changed my life for the worse? Where would I be in life right now? Would I have...

   As I reflect upon the thought, “ are we products of our environment or products of our expectations?”  I believe that we are products of our environment. I strongly believe that if our environment isn’t a strong environment then we won’t succeed. Some people do push through different obstacles that they face in their environment but a lot of people don’t and they suffer greatly for it. For example, my mother went to college and has her bachelor's degree and is pursuing her masters degree right now and I feel like that is a strong push for me to do the same thing. For someone that didn’t grow up in the environment that I grew up in where education is mandatory, a lot wouldn’t think it’s mandatory, they would just live life without higher education if they felt it wasn’t a necessity. On the other hand, a lot of people also overcome their environments but they have to really push themselves to overcome what is around them. For example I didn’t grow up in the best neighbor...