I am... (Blog Post #4)

Christian Martin Ramos. Martin Ramos is my father's name. I feel as though my name is a reminder that everything I do will represent my family. I love my family and want nothing more than to make them proud. They are my motivation. 
My future goals are to be the first one of my immediate family to graduate from college and attain a Bachelor’s Degree. I also aspire to work in a career, not a job, where I will be happy and enjoying what I do. I want to look forward to work every hour at work and I want my talents and skills to be appreciated and challenged.
Once I accomplish my first few goals I will be prepared to complete another and give back to communities and organizations that made me who I am. I plan on contributing to The Boys & Girls club of the Peninsula and to Year Up because they played a vital role in the success I have achieved, and I want to make sure I can help do the same for someone else.

Rise of the Fallen (Blog Post #3)

On September 21, 2011, Troy Davis, a prisoner convicted of murdering an off duty police officer, was told for the fourth time since he was imprisoned that he was going to die that day. Many legal decisions as well as protestors have helped stop the previous three execution dates from occurring. Sadly, Troy Davis’ fourth attempt at appealing his case and postponing his execution yet again would be his last. He was pronounced dead by means of lethal injection by the state of Georgia at 11:08 P.M.

What makes Troy Davis’s situation standout among other similar situations is that the public was very aware of the evidence, or lack thereof, that was being used against him in the court of law.  Like many convicted for murder, Davis professed his innocence until his last breath. His final words to the family of the man he was convicted of killing were, “All I ask…is that you look deeper into the case so you really can finally see the truth.” ¹ What truly makes the case of Troy Davis stand out is the significance of his protesters and supporters.

The petitions signed to stop the execution were in the hundreds of thousands which included former president Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI, the NCAA, and countless celebrities.  A crowd chanted outside the white house so their message was heard. More than 700 demonstrators rallied outside the prison to do the same.

With so many supporters fighting for the cause of Troy Davis, one cannot help but to ask, “Did our justice system fail us?” It’s on the minds of many but we must not point fingers and only talk about it. We should focus on how we can change it. As Troy Davis instructed his friends and family, "Continue to fight this fight.”²

Bused Over (Blog Post #2)

At one point there were no high schools in our city due to political and geographical circumstances. All high school students had to attend a school in a neighboring district because our city didn't have one.
Many of us “impoverished” students were sent on buses to schools in cities that were considered upscale. I myself was bused over to Woodside high school located in a suburb, or the “rich” side of town. I can't say I always felt welcomed there but I will say that I understood the power of diversity.
Fusing students from opposite backgrounds and neighborhoods was a potential catastrophe. I, however, couldn’t have found it more fulfilling. Because we had more ethnic students we had more cultural festivities that we all benefited from, especially our culturally-challenged classmates.
Despite my lack of effort in academics, I was still educated with experiences enriched with life lessons. Had I gone to a school in my city, I know for a fact that my education would’ve also reflected my character, poor. Even though my environment is grim, it is because of this that I was blessed with a better education in another, and for that I am eternally grateful.

"I Beg Your Pardon" (Blog Post #1)

     I didn't speak a word of English until I entered kindergarten. After a lot of ridicule from other English speaking students I became determined to not only speak their tongue but to master their language. Throughout elementary I worked diligently to perfect my English. I thank my teachers and my mother for the support they provided in order to help me develop my "proper" English.
     While I was becoming a linguistics master in class, it was outside of my class that I started to learn there was more to English than what textbooks and teachers had to offer. My schoolmates would communicate with me using words and terms I never heard before. I began to get comfortable with the new lingo and I adapted quite nicely. Soon we would start showing off new words and phrases we had picked up from movies, television and music. We would use it proudly in hopes to start new trends and gain more acceptance. It worked.
     I truly believe that the way I speak reflects who I am. I do not regret learning "accepted" English from school nor do I regret learning "improper" English from my environment. I feel that the true skill of being a master of both dialects is to know when to use them. We must consider these dialects as tools because like regular tools we must know which one to use for the right job.