Hello, everyone! I'm Dr. Sharon D. Johnson, and I welcome you to the Final Project site for AFRS 115 (section 2), one of the Fall 2017 Freshman Writing classes at California State University, Northridge. The students have worked hard all semester to develop the sound writing skills that will benefit them throughout their years in college, and beyond! Our required texts this semester were "The Book of Martha," by Octavia Butler (from Bloodchild and Other Stories), and A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun: The Life & Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks, by Angela Jackson. Students were required to engage these texts via a number of writing exercises, culminating in a final project.
There were three options for the final project: Project Web,Project Space, orProject Text. Every student has some example of their work represented here. Just click on their names to experience their unique voices. Enough from me. I'll let the students speak for themselves through their work! Enjoy!
College writing is not just MLA essays! The class learned screenplay format and wrote two Progression Exercises (The Scene and The Dialogue) as scripts. Check out Team 5's script, "The 'truth' About Meeting God," by clicking on the title below. Then scroll down the page to watch the video, performed and shot by the students!
PROJECT SPACE considers the socioeconomics and politics of space, which can be defined as urban, community, personal, psychological, or institutional. Students explored how space shapes their conception of world, Self, and Other through fieldwork and interviews, and reported on the physical and cultural geographies of a particular area or structure, and the effects of a particular area or structure on their understanding of race, class, and gender.
JAZMIN ANDERSON
You Will Never Really Understand Others Struggles Unless You Are Going Through the Same Things
I had the opportunity to visit a few pieces of art that I was inspired by. They gave me a sense of understanding of what was going on. It also related to Gwendolyn Brooks' vision for her people to unite and form a strong union that allowed the African American community to thrive. She also showed how strong her people are and how they can make it out of any circumstance. I explored many pieces of art that had a lot to do with unity, ethnicity, and culture.
LAUREN BRIBIESCA A Community Landmark
In every community, there is a place that has a strong value to everyone there. It could be a park, a mural, a statue, but there is always something that will tie the its people together. Located in South Side Chicago, there is the Wall of Respect which was founded by the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC). The mural consists of different black heroes. A similar community space located in Venice beach, California is known as “The Graffiti Walls.” These walls remain an attraction to not only the community but to people all over the world just like Chicago’s Wall of Respect.
LUIS CARINO Infinity Space The space of communities specifically plays a huge role to people in South Los Angeles because of the poverty that surrounds us all. Others from different communities that do not have to worry about wealth do not fully understand this. The short story, “The Book of Martha,” by Octavia Butler, touches on (the theme of) coming up from the “bottom-level” of society, how it shapes our character, and (awareness) of how we carry ourselves.
KYLER EBBS
The Bubble
Economic differences form rifts in our society. These differences create walls and barriers which form a bubble of ignorance, stopping those inside from knowing what is truly happening to others who are of a lower economic standing. In the poem “truth” by Gwendolyn Brooks, we read about ignorance. It asks the reader if they really want to know the truth, or remain in a bubble of unawareness. I also spoke with someone who lives both inside and outside of this bubble to gain a unique perspective.
DAMIAN GORDON
Surviving Thriving in Prison
The Africana Studies Department at Cal State Northridge is housed in a prison. Santa Susana Hall was built like a prison and that is where the Africana Studies faculty offices are. Still, the department has survived and thrived since its inception. Much like the Africana Studies Department, Martha Bes from the "Book of Martha," by Octavia Butler, survived in a personal prison. This space is institutional, and its effects should be psychological, but the department does a great job of uplifting the youth.
CASSANDRA HARO University Space: Effects on the World, Self, and the Other
Institutional space is all around us. At California State University, Northridge, we get a variety of people from all over coming to our school. Being in this environment promotes diversity and give us knowledge about other places that are not familiar to us. University space shapes the decisions we will make in the future, whether for better or worse. We also learn how we function within this society, and is also a time for self discovery. We see Angela Jackson show this concept in her book about Gwendolyn Brooks’ life.
JAMES HUERTA-DIAZ
Similarities between Fiction and Reality Society has thrived against adversity with virtues of hope, fueled by the belief [in] a higher power. In "The Book of Martha," by Octavia Butler, the protagonist, Martha, seeks a solution to end humanity’s greed, which will eventually lead to their demise. For centuries, religion has had an impact in the way societies view ethical and moral issues. Human kindness has always been at the core of each act behind religious beliefs. An interview with Father, Jesus de la Tapia, from The Parish of Santa Rosa, highlighted the social impact that these acts of kindness can bring to our community. Although Martha’s actions are those set in a fictional story, her belief in God and ability to bring humanity together, are actions which can be seen in our community, making it a better place.
PETER LEVITAN A Manifestation or an Elaborate Fantasy?Isaiah saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple (Isaiah. 6:1)
Since the dawn of man, God has manifested Himself to people in various ways. One short story, in particular, has spoken to me, allowing me to dive deeper into understanding how God presents Himself in today's world. In Octavia Butler's "The Book of Martha," Martha's vision of God can be interpreted as an actual encounter with the Lord, or simply a figment of her imagination. Many interactions with God have been recorded, reportedly containing some kind proof that there is something otherworldly taking place. However, are these manifestations actually occurring, or is each of them an elaborate fantasy?
MAYRA LOPEZ
A Mural that Changed a Latin Community
I grew up in the city of Boyle Heights and this past summer a new mural was revealed on the left side of a convenience store between 4th and Camulos Streets. The mural, “Empowerment,” was painted by Isabel Pienado, a 15-year-old Mexican American artist (and) pays tribute to sixteen powerful women who advocated change in America’s history such as, Susan B. Anthony and Rosa Parks, (and) celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and deceased Texan singer, Selena Quintanilla. . . . Surprisingly, “Empowerment” is like the Wall of Respect. The Wall of Respect was painted in 1967 by the Visual Arts Workshop of the Organization of Black American Culture. The mural contains important figures of African American history such a, boxer Muhammad Ali, militant leader Malcom X, actress Ruby Dee, and novelist Gwendolyn Brooks. The purpose of the “Wall of Respect” is to express black pride in a community. One way both murals are alike is that they appreciate famous people who are influential and depict an important message to everyone.
RACHEL PILLADO
Project Space
Racism, social and economic standpoints, and education have been institutionalized in society. California State University Northridge, established in 1958, holds thousands of diverse students, professors, and classes (and) buildings that are over 50 years old. I think about this as I walk by Santa Susana Hall. Everyone walking in or out of that building seemed marginalized because of the prison-like feel to the hall. Knowing this hall held many of the African American studies professor’s offices, it felt almost demeaning towards the African American community. Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about the hardships African American people faced, and, as a female, African American poet, she faced challenges in her everyday life. Angela Johnson in, A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun, demonstrates how Gwendolyn Brooks voiced the adversities her community faced and how they were collectively oppressed in society.
Synchronicity is always a welcome occurrence, and it's not coincidence that two Project Space students, RACHEL PILLADO and DAMIAN GORDON, both chose to explore the space that is Santa Susanna Hall, on CSUN's campus. Listen to their conversation about why they chose this space:
Individual and class photos by our class photographer, Cassandra Haro.
PROJECT TEXT requires students to interpret the course texts -- A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun: The Life and Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks,by Angela Jackson; and “The Book of Martha,” by Octavia Butler -- through close reading and research from a variety of critical sources, classroom discussions and activities, and group projects.
DESIREE BROOME The Strength of the Black Woman
Both Gwendolyn Brooks and Octavia Butler were very well-respected authors. Throughout the semester, the primary texts that we read were "The Book of Martha," a short story written by Octavia Butler; and A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun: The Life and Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks which is written by Angela Jackson, but discusses the life of Brooks and features many of her poems and other literary works. Many of Brooks’ poems that are featured and even those not included in the novel are about the Black woman and her experiences which is very similar to "The Book of Martha," which also deals with the Black woman and her perspective and experiences.
PERLA DOMINGUEZ-ARZATE
The Reality of Positivism
“The Book of Martha” was one of my favorite [stories] because of the confidence that is lost and the way she finds it [in] the end. Being confident is the best kind of trait you can have; you make better choices and there is also a higher chance you will aim at things you never thought you would because you were so negative. Martha’s confidence throughout this story has a big impact with God, the way God changes and why he changes throughout the story.
GELETA SAMETO
Butler’s Tool of Relevance
Some people may see the world as a happy place where everything happens for a reason. Others may view the world as a dystopia. This was the case in Martha’s world. Martha was granted God-like powers to change the world for the better. She was selected by God himself to make a change that would provide humankind with “less destructive, more peaceful, sustainable ways to live” (Butler 192). I found that I can relate her story to songs from some of my favorite artists. Rappers like Nas, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West have songs that share similar themes [with] "The Book of Martha." Through their music, they delve into topics of what they will do with absolute power, how they might use power wrong, or how the world needs saving from itself. This connection shows that Butler’s work, no matter how long ago, still has presence in modern day media and provides a way to complement today’s art.
Individual and class photos by our class photographer, Cassandra Haro.
