Thursday, March 8, 2012

Freewrite

International Women's Day Reflection

"I'm Every Woman" is iconic re: Woman's empowerment. It might be the unofficial anthem (smile).

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/chaka+khan/im+every+woman_20028809.html

Here is Chaka Khan singing with others: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z56l7ZN2w0Q

Party
On the last Thursday of March 29, 2012 we will meet in C-211 for a Women's History Month Celebration. Bring in a favorite song, video, artifact, photo, recorded interview excerpt, poem plus food to share that day.

Any videos need to be on DVD. Any music needs to be on a CD, so we can play it. Technology is not guaranteed.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Marie Heide
08 March 2012
English 1B
Prof. Sabir

I chose the poem Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou because it describes being a woman as mysterious and awe wondering. Being a woman represents something that must be discovered by the male race because they cannot quite figure out what we are made of or why we attract them to us. That is probably the main point in the poem, that men want to figure out why they are attracted to us and what exactly is attracting them to us. The basic message is that we are phenomenal, we shine through the darkest days, we arouse interest in others who are awed by us, and we have that certain lure that attracts others to us for simply being a woman.

The following is the poem is chose:

Phenomenal Woman
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Maya Angelou

Anonymous said...

Sara Nazeer
Prof Wanda Ali Sabir
Free write for Nternational womens day
Today I would like to honor the women of villages that belonged to India and Pakistani desendents. We all knwow hat jewellry is very preety. If we go back in time around 1800 or late 1900 the women in Indian and Pakistani villages were forced to wear a nose ring because it symbolized that they are women. Their nose ring had bells in them. The bells were to inform the villigers if a women tried to run away she would be recongized by the bells noise. Women didn't have any rights they were treated as animals.If oen wishes to see what a big nose ring looks like: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcy/4131150316/

Anonymous said...

Allen Lee
Professor Sabir
English 1B
08 March 2012

In 1979, Mother Teresa received the noble peace prize for her work in humanities. She helped the "poorest among the poor" because she had a calling to do so. She did not only helped the poor, but lived with them to understand the community. Like in the story, Epics of Gilgamesh, a religious person becoming free of the way the community perceived religion and create their own path with god. Mother Teresa began her journey by experiencing life of the poor; She begged for food because of hunger and experienced loneliness and temptation to return to the luxury life. In her diary she wrote, "The poverty of the poor must be so hard for them. While looking for a home I walked and walked till my arms and legs ached. I thought how much they must ache in body and soul, looking for a home, food and health". After the experience she started to create homes for the poor. She started with "Home for the Dying" then noticed that children were also affected by poverty, and so she created the "Children's Home of the Immaculate Heart". This is important to the International Women's Day because she greatly influenced the poor. Not only did she create homes and gave a helping hand but also experienced their life and emotions. She did not stand above the poor and just gave them food, rather she created a close relationship with the poor and felt what they felt.

Anonymous said...

Sherrlyne Apostol
English 1B
Professor Sabir
8 March 2012

In the poem "Celebrating Womans Day" by Mamta Agarwal he begins with the way God made woman. He states, "He gave her empathy love and compassion,
By the time he finished with her. He had no more left for the man". He definetly emphasizes the great qualities about being a woman. He continues then by stating womans roles in history. The way woman were seen to be stay at home mothers who cooked, cleaned and looked after the kids while the men went to work. Then he talks a little about woman in history and their fight to gain rights. In the past people frowned upon woman who didn't fit the "expected" roles of woman. They were expected only to clean, cook, stay at home, and nurture those around her. They werent allowed to think as individuals but depended on the male figures.
"She had made a tough choice,
And finally had a voice
Men tried very hard to keep her in her place
And made sure she got no space."
Before woman didnt have any "say" or any rights period. It was a long battle before woman had the right to vote.
There were many iconic woman this poem reminds me of who said "enough is enough" and changed the face of history and fought for their rights and what they believed in. The author definetly makes the male figure to be the antagonist in this poem. In the end of the poem he speaks about men mistreating their wifes. He ends the poem stating woman should stay strong.

Poem by: Mamta Agarwal
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/celebrating-women-s-day/

Anonymous said...

Billy Russell
Professor Sabir
English 1B
8 March 2012

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/72/8marta.jpg

The image I found for International Women's day is a strange one. The writing on the poster is in Russian, and the poster appears to have been made by the USSR as propoganda. The picture is of a woman being crushed by a pile of dirty dishes and other common household items. Another woman is seen grabbing her arm while waving a huge red flag. The woman holding the flag is rescuing the other woman from the oppression of household labor.

Through a little research, I learned that international womens day was originally a socialist holiday. The first women's day was celebrated in the US in 1909, by the American socialist party. International Women's Day was actually primarily celebrated in Soviet Russia, and was considered a communist holiday 1977 when the UN chose to officially recognize it.

Anonymous said...

Ryan James Gozinsky-Irwin
March 8, 2012
English 1B
Ms. Wanda Sabir
Period 8-8:50

The image that inspired me the most of International Women's day is one that was in the Oakland Tribune a few weeks back. It was of a group of hard working young ladies in East Oakland, who work very hard to master their dance routines for their step team.

On this day these young ladies were preforming in front of a group of their peers during the 1st Jump 4 Your Heart Day put on by the American Heart Association, WELO, and Double "O" G. When it was their time, these ladies stepped up on the stage and rocked out. Stepping left and right, front and back, bouncing up and down, snapping their fingers, singing, and doing their step. What these represented was a lot of hard work and discipline to choreograph and perform a routine with such elegance and poise.

The picture can be found on the second page in section B of the Oakland Tribune from March 1st

ethel said...

The new Kim must be happier now haaving more. More understandng of where she is, a greater understanding of where she has come from and mere accomplishment of how far she has come.Self evaluation is a relative thing especially counting losses. If one considers himself/herself blessed even losses are building blocks. The bottom line considers all a gain.

ethel said...

The new Kim must be happier now haaving more. More understandng of where she is, a greater understanding of where she has come from and mere accomplishment of how far she has come.Self evaluation is a relative thing especially counting losses. If one considers himself/herself blessed even losses are building blocks. The bottom line considers all a gain.

ethel said...

The new Kim must be happier now haaving more. More understandng of where she is, a greater understanding of where she has come from and mere accomplishment of how far she has come.Self evaluation is a relative thing especially counting losses. If one considers himself/herself blessed even losses are building blocks. The bottom line considers all a gain.

Anonymous said...

Brit B
19 March 2012
English 1B
Prof. Sabir

This is a song by India Arie. She is a woman that inspires me to be myself and to not worry about the material things. This song has always been my anthem because I was diagnosed with androgen alopecia which means my hair falls out because of chemicals in my body. I'm trying to reach that pillar in my life where I don't care about what my hair looks like but I am only human and I am going to have self-concious issues. I feel less like a woman because of this disabilitating disease. It kills me emotionally. So when this song came out I felt it was written just for me! It made me feel so beautiful and it took me a while to find that beauty inside. It took me a while to decide wether or not I should post this but it is what it is and this is the first step. It's hard being a woman and it's hard being a woman in a world where being thin is in and long hair is exotic! Every woman is beautiful in my eyes and ugliness is not established by what you wear or what is on your head but what comes out of your mouth and what is in your heart!!! THANKS !!




INDIA.ARIE LYRICS

I Am Not My Hair




Send "I Am Not My Hair" Ringtone to your Cell

[Talking:]
Is that India.Arie? What happened to her hair? Ha ha ha ha ha
Dat dad a dat da [4x] Dad a ooh

[Verse 1]
Little girl with the press and curl
Age eight I got a Jheri curl
Thirteen I got a relaxer
I was a source of so much laughter
At fifteen when it all broke off
Eighteen and went all natural
February two thousand and two
I went and did
What I had to do
Because it was time to change my life
To become the women that I am inside
Ninety-seven dreadlock all gone
I looked in the mirror
For the first time and saw that HEY....

[Chorus]
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations no no
I am not my hair
I ma not this skin
I am a soul that lives within

[Talking:]
What'd she do to her hair? I don't know it look crazy
I like it. I might do that.
Umm I wouldn't go that far. I know .. ha ha ha ha

[Verse 2]
Good hair means curls and waves
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
Its time for us to redefine who we be
You can shave it off
Like a South African beauty
Or get in on lock
Like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight
Like Oprah Winfrey
If its not what's on your head
Its what's underneath and say HEY....

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oooh
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
I am expressing my creativity..
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)

[Verse 3]
Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy
Took away her crown and glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy everyday of her life ooh
On national television
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Bald headed like a full moon shining
Singing out to the whole wide world like HEY...

[Chorus 2x]

[Ad lib]
If I wanna shave it close
Or if I wanna rock locks
That don't take a bit away
From the soul that I got
Dat da da dat da [4x]
If I wanna where it braided
All down my back
I don't see what wrong with that
Dat da da dat da [4x]

[Talking:]
Is that India.Arie?
Ooh look she cut her hair!
I like that, its kinda PHAT
I don't know if I could do it.
But it looks sharp, it looks nice on her
She got a nice shaped head
She got an apple head
I know right?
It's perfect.

Anonymous said...

Vanessa Dilworth
Professor Sabir
English 1B
16 May 2012
International Women’s Day Reflection
Phenomenal Woman
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Maya Angelou


I choose this poem, Phenomenal Woman, by Maya Angelou because to me it sums up women’s beauty and inward mystery. It states that outwardly appearance does not make a woman phenomenal, neither does any tangible thing. Maya stresses that just the “arch of her back” or the “fire in her eyes” encompasses her beauty and power. Nothing spectacular, as if just existing is cause enough to be a majestic thing. I also like Maya’s poem because it celebrates women and encourages them to just be. I really appreciate us having a day such as this, because I feel women in our society, and all around the world are not acknowledged for the things they do which help to nourish and sustain the human race. Too often than not women’s creative power and output are suppressed and not adequately compensated for.


In response to Brit B, I really like your post because we live in a very superficial world which equates beauty with looks and phoniness. I also really like India Arie’s song and it was kind of my theme song a while back. I shaved off all my hair almost two years ago in order to get a fresh start a new lease on life. Hair truly is overrated and your lack of having it doesn’t make you less attracted. It is what’s on the inside that matters. We all grow and change and if we place our worth on impermanent things we are sure to suffer. It is better to develop our beauty and worth on the inside.