I recently just got back from Spring Break where I went with my world language class to China! I really enjoyed the food and going to the different cities. It was a very educational experience and overall I had an amazing time!
The Women’s March
A couple weekends ago I went to the Women’s March! Unfortunately we didn’t get to actually march but there was a band of drummers who were keeping everyone excited. There were also a lot of amazing signs. Overall it was a great experience because although we didn’t actually march, so many people were there and that’s what made an impact.
City Hall Interview
Last week my social justice group and I went to City Hall! We interviewed Sara Shoner who is the commissioner of gender equity. When we interviewed her we found that we knew more than she did! She also pointed out that most of the staff in the bullpen were women which was very inspiring. Overall, this was an amazing experience.
Today We Have An Interview!
At 10:00am, my social justice group and I will be interviewing the CEO of Period Piece. Period Piece is a YouTube channel that shows how periods were perceived through periods of time. We are so excited to meet her and learn from her!
Periods Gone Public
Over winter break I read my social justice book Periods Gone Public by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. It was a very educational book and I definitely learned a lot about how different cultures and religions look at menstruation. This book definitely deepened my understanding of the stigma surrounding menstruation and now I can do even more as I continue my project.
Learning Value Post
Recently, we finished up our big science project. Io, Oni, and I made a device that eliminates “trash juice” from the side of the street. During this process I definitely had to problem solve and persevere. I could use these skills later in life which is one of my learning values.
My First Photoshop Project
This is my photoshop project. At first, I started with just Grace and Io on the plane but I added Stella, Piper, and the pug towards the end. I think I definitely used contrast because of how the white shoes contrast with the dark plane and background. I think that I also used proportion because of how Stella and Piper’s heads are smaller than Io and Grace as if they were planets behind them. I think that also created a harmony and balance because of where they are placed. This also gave the piece a sense of motion. I think the background helped with this because of how the colorful part is in the center.
My Period Con Experience
Name: Olivia Bagan
Social Justice Group: Menstrual Health
Date of Fieldwork: November 18, 2017
Name of Organization: Period: The Menstrual Movement
Person (people) with whom I met and their job titles: The entire Period team, Diva Cup representatives, Lunette Representatives, Glad Rags CEO, Thinx representative, Flo Candle CEO, Ingrid Nilsen, Congresswoman Grace Meng, and Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal, (probably some others who I am forgetting at the moment).
Type of Fieldwork: Convention
What I did:
We went to the convention and talked to many people from the different companies and organizations listed above about volunteer and/or interview opportunities and about our project. We also discussed internship/job opportunities with Nadya (Period Founder and Executive Director) and Eudora (Programs Director). We got an interview with Ingrid Nilsen as well!
What I learned:
I learned so much about reusable products. For example, on average, a woman produces up to 300 pounds of waste with menstrual (not feminine hygiene) products alone. By using a menstrual cup, washable pads, or thinx underwear, you can eliminate all this waste that would take 2-3 centuries to decompose. I also learned about how hard it can be to be a menstruating human using he/him or they/them pronouns because of language used to describe these products.
What I learned about Social Justice “work” and/or Civil and Human rights “work” from this fieldwork:
Through this fieldwork I learned how hard it can be to spread awareness about this topic because of the stigma and taboo surrounding periods. I also learned the proper and appropriate language to use when talking about menstruation. I think that not many people feel comfortable talking about this topic and it may take some time to get everyone used to the fact that menstruating is natural and it’s something that 50% of the population has to go through every month. Lots of people are also unaware that this is in fact a human rights topic because of how these products are thought of as a luxury when they are a necessity.
This conference allowed me to build skills that will help me when I am an adult.
Learning Values
Value 1: To me, learning is “meaningful” when it provides opportunities to develop skills that will help me make a positive change in the world.
Value 2: To me, learning is “meaningful” when it provides opportunities to develop skills that will help me be a responsible person in my community and in the world.
Value 3: To me, learning is “meaningful” when I can challenge myself.
Africans in NY: Creative Narrative Assignment Reflection
Above is my creative narrative assignment. This historical fiction piece was an assessment on my knowledge of the time period. Before we began writing our pieces, each student was given a short biography of an African in New York. We then had to integrate facts from the biography and facts that we knew about New York City in the Colonial Era while filling in the blanks with creative writing.
While writing this piece, I learned a lot about the time period. I learned about the similarities and differences between Colonial New York and New York today. My biography had little information so I had to do some research on the side. I also learned about myself as a humanities student. I learned that it is very challenging for me to write historical fiction; especially when I am required to include specific facts. Overall, this was not my favorite assignment but I learned a lot in the process of writing it.