Our Places English II

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter then; a black dog suffered on a summer’s day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men’s stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o-clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum. To Kill a Mockingbird, p. 5

Your Assignment Choose one image that inspires you. Write a short poem that describes the way you feel while viewing this picture. As you write, be sure to imagine a speaker (the narrator of the poem) and an audience (the person the speaker intends to address).

What is Photovoice? Photovoice is a process in which people – usually those with limited power due to poverty, language barriers, race, class, ethnicity, gender, culture, or other circumstances – use video and/or photo images capture aspects of their environment and experiences and share them with others.

What is Photovoice? The pictures can then be used, usually with captions composed by the photographers, to bring the realities of the photographers’ lives home to the public and policy makers and to spur change.

 To help those who are often unheard gain a voice, enabling them to record and reflect on their experiences and their communities’ conditions, both positive and negative. Photovoice has three main goals:

 To encourage critical consciousness. Through choosing, discussing, and reflecting on the subjects of their photographs, the photographers can come to a clearer understanding of their circumstances and the economic, social, psychological, and political forces that shape them. Being in Poverty Hurts! Genevieve Jones*, 2006 The pain and stress affect all areas of one’s life. It is often acted out in destructive ways including: inability to trust and build support—friends or community programs, etc.—through addictions, child abuse of all kinds, and/or spouse abuse.

To bring about change that will improve conditions and enhance lives by reaching and influencing policy makers. The Empty Shopping Cart Butterfly Russell*, 2006 To me the empty shopping cart is symbolic. A shopping cart should be full of groceries and have a little kid bouncing up and down in the seat. But for many, every time they look at a grocery cart they feel guilty because they don’t have enough money to fill it up with groceries. And the other thing I think when I look at a grocery cart is, ‘Thank God I’m not the one who’s got all my worldly possessions in it.’ Or I could be wandering up and down back alleys picking up pop bottles. So the shopping cart has a lot of meanings.

This picture is important to me because it reminds me of how much fun my family and I had in Hawaii. It makes me remember all the fun activities we did and all the good food we ate while we were there. The picture can also symbolize me trying new things since that was my first time going to Hawaii and being on an airplane. I had such a good time there and I definitely want to go again.

This is a lovely park with cute ducks and tiny streams running through paths but that is not why I chose it as my picture. I run here at least three times a week because of cross country and track, and I hate every bit of it. The rocks hurt my feet, Memorial hill is the absolute worst to run up and I'm just quite tired of running there every week, however this is the place where I met my many of my friends who eventually became my family. This park holds a place in my heart, I both love and hate it. I've never made so many friends in one place and learned so much anywhere else. I may not love running there but my life would not be the same without Newhall, it's my home. This is a picture of Newhall Park here in Concord

This is the swing set from my kindergarten class. I remember my mom staying before school started, pushing me on the swing and telling me to swing my legs. I eventually taught other kids who didn't know how and I loved this swing set. I will never forget it. I learned how to swing here.

This photo is memorable to me because this is where I grew up most of my life. I moved here when I was about 2 years old and until recently, I learned that my grandpa built this house and lived in it along with my dad. This house is unique to me because its not very big, but it isn't small and also, the house seems like a very comforting place for anyone who walks in or visits.

This is a picture of Mt. Diablo. It's important to me because I enjoy nature and often go for hikes. Mt. Diablo is also meaningful to me because it represents the idea of a a daunting yet worthwhile challenge.

The one place and picture that reminds me of home would be Manhattan Beach. The picture shows a place where I grew up, a place where I went every weekend from 2 years old to 15 years old, and a place that gives me a sense of comfort. The ocean plays a big part of my life considering it’s the only type of nature I grew up with. The picture/place depicts familiarity and excitement for me because it was always a fun place I would go to with my family or friends. Even though I no longer get to see this often, I still have pictures that remind me of my hometown. Growing up with and getting accustomed to a view like this and a place like this for my whole life has been an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.

The playground means a lot to me because I have really good memories of it. I would go there every day after school in elementary school. We would hang out and have fun until our parents made us go home. If we were hungry or thirsty, we could just go to the market and by whatever we wanted. My friends and I spent so much time there and we always had the best time.

The reason why I picked this is because I love to dirt bike around my house and love coming home to my house it’s amazing. I live in the countryside. But for me ridding is a hobby and the best hobby I can share with my father and my friends that can keep up with us. We usually go riding whenever we can. I Honda way better than any other. I got a CFR 250r, My dad recently got this bike for me. As soon as I got on the bike I knew I was ready for this. This is the best bike I owned.

This picture is of a cabin on Bay Lake in Minnesota. This is a special place to me because this cabin houses a lot of memories and childhood. To this day I still go there with my friends Maddie, Jack, and Jenna. This is my friend Jenna's, dad's cabin that is right on the shore of the lake. These memories have stuck with me forever. I still remember long car rides to the cabin. Memories of racing to the steps to get the key hidden under the them. I still remember making camp fires and playing games with Jack, Maddie, Jenna and myself. As the years went on how we have bow practice in the woods. Taking the finishing boat out with me Jack, Maddie, and Jenna. Memories of jumping off the docks into the water during summer and ruthless snowball fits in the winter. The Bay Lake Cabin This cabin was like my second home were we went to frequently. This cabin is one of the few things that through my life has stayed the same. This cabin and my friends who I go there with. This is a place of sanctuary and spur of the moment trips. This place is has had a strong impact on my life since in was a toddler.

This is a very important place to me because it is a big part of my childhood. I would beg my mom to take me to this park to play on the play structures and a hot wheels track that I always made friends there. Even today I go there to hang out with my friends. The park has defiantly changed over the years but it plays a huge role in my childhood.

This is New Plymouth, Idaho and it is one of the towns I grew up in, in my life. It had rodeos and cowboy-themed festivals that I always went to and there was a lot of mini- games I liked. There was a lot of great places to relax like a football field where there was no one but me. There were a lot of farms and some people rode their horse to places. I rode my bike to everywhere and I knew the whole place because it wasn't very big.

My pets are the important in Clayton. I have a dog and a cat; their names are Sally and Clara. Clara is a fat and old calico and I’ve had her for 10 years. She is basically the queen of the house; she goes and does whatever she wants, especially when I’m doing homework. My dog, Sally, is a Doberman shar-pei mix. She is about 4 years old. Sally is really fast and very agile. While Clara sits in front of her food bowl for most of the day. Whenever one of my family members or I get home there they are just waiting to greet us. At night time Sally gets to sleep with me in my bed, she usually hogs it, but I don’t really care. Clara sometimes comes in my room and sleeps with me too. That’s why they are really important in my life.

This is a picture of the street sign that my house is on. I chose this picture because this is where I have lived all my life and its full of good memories. This is where I come home to after school everyday.

This gate symbolizes memory because every time I see it or pass it I can instantly remember when I was younger.