Gentrification has been the cause of painful conflict in many American cities, often along racial and economic fault lines. Neighborhood change is often viewed as a miscarriage of social justice, in which wealthy, usually white, newcomers are congratulated for "improving" a neighborhood whose poor, minority residents are displaced by skyrocketing rents and economic change.
Next, look at all three of the videos I've put links to below to get a glimpse of what happens when people ban together:
Then, I want you to deconstruct each video by either talking aloud with friends and family, taking mental notes or talking out loud to yourself. To deconstruct, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the people in each video saying?
- Why is what they are doing important?
- What do you think about what they are saying?
- What is the one thing the people in each video have in common?
- There is a difference between being awake and being woke. What is it?
Consider this: Are you part of the Walking Dead? That means, you are a participant in the victimization of people when you don't do anything to help.
Now, click on the image above and look at the videos, read the articles, listen to the audio by clicking the three lines on the right. This is what's happening right here in your city, in the community of west Dallas. You can turn your radios to 90.1 and listen or download the KERA app to tune in as you ride, walk, relax, work, etc.
Then know this: THIS IS EXACT SAME THING CAN HAPPEN TO YOU. What WILL you do, to not only save your community, but help your neighbors in West Dallas?
Challenge: Use this link and send me an E-MAIL explaining how you can help your neighbors in West Dallas fight back. Include what you can do to wake up someone's consciousness and change a negative situation that can benefit everyone.
SUBJECT LINE: Mixed Ink: First initial AND last name AND class period.
Note to IB Year 1 & Year 2: This will be your final project. We will consider all of the ideas I receive, then choose and make plans to make the best one happen for a CAS project next year. Any money made from that project will be donated to the TOP listed on the site.
CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.
Due: Fri., May 19, 2017 11:59 p.m. CST