Rose Jacobs Gibson

     Rose Jacobs Gibson is a strong woman who wants the best for society. She strongly believes in starting out locally in our own communities to make change. She is motivated to find new solutions and proactive approaches to build a more vibrant San Mateo County. Gibson has been mayor twice and has served on as a member of council numerous times. She is the president and CEO of Hagar Services Coalition which implements programs to "restore, rebuild, and renew" communities. She has begun a new project called ILEAD which stands for the Initiative for Leadership Engagement And Development. It's a program that trains the new generation on politics and government. Preparing students like us so we can someday fix what has been broken. She is also the co-founder of HEART (the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo county) which meet the housing needs of those who are struggling.
     Whether it's helping families with their home, drug prevention, or obesity awareness in children...Rose Jacobs Gibson is on it. She wants the world to be a better place, and where better to start then in our own neighborhoods. "Think globally, act locally" is a motto I'm sure Gibson follows. She works and she also travels and speaks to people about how to get involved and make a difference. That is exactly why she came to talk to us at NDNU!

Voices from the Storm

     Dan Bright was another one of those stories about being put in jail by mistake. Except this time, Dan was trapped in jail when Hurricane Katrina hit. Luckily, he was on the higher stories of the jail so the flood couldn't reach him. Most of the inmates on the first floor drowned because all the guards fled outside. Nobody bothered to let the prisoners out as they saw them as no help to society anyways. Dan and other prisoners were able to escape but had nowhere to go since 80% of New Orleans was underwater. They were taken by the police to a bridge were they sat for 3ish days without food and water. The prisoners weren't even allowed to move to relieve themselves...they had to pee where they sat. The city then ordered those who needed safety to the Superdome. Although it provided safety, the conditions were inhumane and miserable. The Superdome was worse than the bridge. It got better after Dan was able to stay with Red Cross and eat a hot meal and a warm shower in a hotel room.

Palestine

     We read two stories on individuals in Palestine and learned of their hardships. The first, Ibtisam, was diagnosed with Polio at the age of two and has always felt different. It wasn't until grade school where she was praised for her paper; from then on she loved to learn. She went to college and eventually worked in a cultural center where she helped kids. These kids had a safe place to play and learn about Palestinian culture since it wasn't taught in school's. However, going back and forth from her home and work, Ibtisam, had to pass through checkpoints. Checkpoints are awful as they stop and examine each person before letting them through; the Israelis are especially mean to the Palestinians. One particular soldier verbally harassed Ibtisam every time she passed a checkpoint. The next story is about Jamal, who came from a long line of fisherman. The Israelis limited the ocean bounds in which the Palestinian fisherman could fish. However, there is barely any fish within the boundary and most fisherman are now left super poor. The Israelis will sometimes harass the fisherman and blow up their boats. Jamal never knows if he will make it home alive each day.
     It was interesting to read about the Palestinians because I have no idea on what is going on over there. Actually, I have no idea what goes on anywhere! Stories like these, make me realize how lucky we are to live in a free country! Our hardships seem so little compared to their everyday life. I mean, imagine if we had checkpoints that took hours on end to pass through!

Human Trafficking Speakers

     I didn't know what to expect walking into the panel of 3 guest speakers who were going to teach me about human trafficking. The first speaker explained the importance of sports in bringing those of every kind of background together. She explained that for a moment, all of one's past troubles are forgotten when involved with a team. She included the fact that being a bystander is just as destructive...just like we learned in the Holocaust. We all have a voice and starts with one person making a difference. She encouraged us to find something we are passionate about and to make change for the better! The next presenter taught us all the statistical stuff about human trafficking. I learned that 1/3 of slaves are children. I also learned that human trafficking is 80% sexual and the other 20% forced labor. After she hit us with reality, she gave us tips on what we can do to help and spread the word. We finally finished up with a speech from a local detective on human trafficking. He explained the importance of training people so we can actually make a change. He gave our little group of 21 importance, and is hopeful that we will spread the news. All in all, it was a true eye opener and I can't wait for the movie!
     I knew that human trafficking was a business that basically involved forced sexual interactions. As they included examples, it made me think of my trip to Utah for volleyball last month. My team was in line at a Subway when a lady came up and taped a "missing person" sign on the door. My assistant coach said that the man in the fancy car looked like a pimp and the missing college student probably ran away. This made my mind turn as I have always been oblivious to these things. I learned tonight that being vulnerable is what human traffickers look for which is really scary knowing all kids fall under that category. It makes my heart hurt because of how messed up our world is. Why is there a demand for sex with minors? I don't understand how an individual can be okay with raping another person, yet here we are; human trafficking is more prevalent than ever! It's disgusting, and this is why we need to get the word out!!!

Capital Punishment

     Capital punishment is a controversial subject and will continue to be tricky for more generations to come. It seems like it should be simple; death or life in prison. However, it is far from simple because it involves taking the life of a civilian. I understand that it can be expensive to kill someone, but it is also expensive to keep one in jail for the rest of their life. In our VOW readings, we learned of 2 cases so far: two individuals being wrongly accused of murder. It would be terrible for one to attain the death sentence and then realize after that they were innocent. I've tried to place myself in the shoes of the family members who's relative is sentenced to death. Would they agree on killing that individual? Or would they fight to save the life of their relative? It's hard to imagine, but this thought process has helped me come up with a conclusion. 

     I don't think anyone deserves to die; however, enough is enough. If one murders an individual, I believe they should get sentenced to life in prison. Their consequence fits their action, unless of course they were wrongfully accused. I think the only people who should be sentenced to death are serial killers. They are psychopaths who are way too dangerous to be let loose among society. Serial killers are individuals who kill more than one person. But, if we are able to catch them after their first murder, there would be no need for the death sentence. In that case, we would only use the death sentence for those who haven't been caught after their first murder. 

     I realize this isn't a yes or no answer. I've never really given this subject any thought, so I should probably think about it more. As for now, this is what currently feeling.  

Voice of Witness

     Voice of Witness is a nonprofit that writes down stories of the unjust and the untold. They have "amplified hundreds of seldom-heard voices, including those of wrongfully convicted Americans, undocumented immigrants, and people in Burma, Zimbabwe, and Columbia." On the Book tab, I recognized our class book as the first one listed. I'm guessing this book is their main one since it has documents collected over the span of ten years. It's going to be really interesting to read about a different kind of unjust other than the Holocaust. Especially since the Voice of Witness doesn't focus on one group of people. Displaced in Columbia was hard to watch as I learned that Rodrigo Mejía and 4 million Columbians have been forced to flee from their homes. The para, guerrilla, and Columbia's own government are trying to be the top dog. Families have a hard time sleeping at night because they are so worried for what can happen. Not only in Columbia, but all over the world. Their non-profit organization is so powerful because they are stories coming from real people and their real situations. 

     I'm excited yet nervous to read our Voice of Witness book because I know it's going to be an eye opener. People around the world struggle every single day to make ends meet and I'm fortunate enough to go to college. It's not fair that fathers can't sleep at night because they are afraid for their loved one's. I have a cozy dorm room and a cafeteria right outside to fulfill my needs. But who is fulfilling there's? Their own country won't take care of them; so what are they supposed to do? Not to say that the U.S. doesn't have problems, because there are plenty of stories in the book. VOW opens the eyes to many, and I can't wait for it to open mine!

Amateurs

     I had no idea what Amateurs was about when a friend asked me to join them last week. All I knew was that it was a show and it was free. As we walked into the theater, I noticed the stage was used not only for the set but for the audience as well. It made me very excited as we took our seat on stage. The set included the open living room of a couple who were hosting the cast from the Timberly Troupers musical. It took me a while to understand that the couple that lived there were actually a couple and not a man and his caretaker. The first scene consisted of getting the house ready for the party like putting out chairs (which the husband did all night), bringing food out, and cleaning. The second half of the first scene is where all the party guests arrived. This is where we met Jacob Rosen (playing the role of Nathan Miller) and later his puppet Horace who's face is the cover of Amateurs. The group talked about their play and eventually brought up stories about past relationships and careers. At the end of the first act, the critic finally arrives. Everybody pesters her about giving them a glimpse of her review. She never gave in of course, but had a heart attack before she could really begin to enjoy the party. After intermission, the critic is gone (in the hospital) and the rest of the party seems to gone as usual. Awkward relationships form between a girl and Horace; relationships also break with Mona and this older man. After all the chairs were brought out, someone finds the critic's review. One guy in particular goes absolutely berserk and nobody can calm him down! It was annoying because he wouldn't listen to anybody and calm down. The play came to an end with Horace forgotten and alone on the couch.
     Amateurs has to be one of the weirdest shows I've ever seen. There was so much going on it was hard to follow. I have to admit: at some points during the show, I was really confused. It was either a sexual joke or random topic (like infected gums) that would throw me off. Everybody in the cast did a good job acting, but it the couples in the play didn't seem believable. With one set for the entire play, I don't know how they all memorized their lines! I spoke with Jacob Rosen the day after and congratulated him on that exact point about memorization. He said it was particularly difficult since he had to memorize his own characters lines as well as Horace's (the puppet). From the cover, and going in to the play with no background, I presumed it would be about a creepy puppet. This was not the case at all! Overall, I didn't like the play as much as I would of hoped. However, I loved the guest star (the one who was constantly grabbing chairs) and Jacob Rosen as his character seemed the most real.