It's time for a change

Yesterday at zeum, a few of us had a chance to express our views on the various political issues going on around us.  We talked about the presidential election, which is a first in many ways.  

We talked about the government fundings and most of us agreed that education is what's most important.  We looked at images of political art (like the one to the right) and graffiti.  Recently, the government funding for education was reduced and many teachers lost their jobs.  Teenagers like us, we want a change.  We want to have a say in what we think is most important for us. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtgul, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has," says Margaret Mead an anthropologist.  We should never underestimate the power of teens, nor shall we ever neglect their opinions. thus, teens will be the next generation to make a change in this world.

Many of us depend on those who already have power to help us solve our problems, yet, we dont participate nor believe in politics. "Unlike the older public, halfheartedly involved in democracy, we dont realize the purpose in any involvement at all and this may destroy everything we wish for," says Camila Domonoske. Domonoske is so right, the new generation of teens do not pay attention to politics. thus, we should not complain about the reduction of school funding, the war in Iraq, or the people without healthcares if we are not going to believe and participate in politics. 

At zeum, we are given the opportunity to make a change in this world, to change our reputation in others' eyes that we dont engage in politics.  We're working in mentor groups now and my mentor group with ari and christian will create our own political statements in photoshop and stop-motion animation, to present to people that us, teens, have the ability to cause change in this world.

Josh on Media Movement

What I think about BAYCAT (Bayview Hunters Point Center for Arts and Technology) Presenting: Media Movement - the new exhibit up in the spiral gallery. (the photo is of me, Joshua.)

This morning, the ZeumMasters looked at the new show in the spiral gallery, which was mostly made up of videos. The video I watched the most was about transforming the negative. I picked this video because youth that start off young, influenced by the negativity don't help anyone at all. Living this way not only makes their life difficult, but the community they're living in also.

I know this because it took me till I was fifteen to realize that I wanted to make a difference. That was the turning point in my life because something bad would always happen to me when I was disobediant. I wasn't going to school, I was hanging with youth who were selling drugs, and I would be involved in turf issues just because I was with the wrong crowd. I didn't want that in my life anymore. Pretending to be someone you are not is very hard because everyone wants to be and feel apart of a group.

If I were to run a workshop with other teens on how to use media to make a difference, first, I would give it a name. It will be called, "Love looking for trouble". The video would be a discussion with different youth from different turfs (neighborhoods) but not about the negativity anymore, with another group of youth who are influenced by the negativity from different turfs and have a small conversation on why youth today, love looking for trouble!

I say and pick this name because in the past, my friends and I would be so confused about what's life about. We would get up in the morning and say lets go look for trouble. We would go in the streets looking in cars to see if there was bags in the front or back seat. That mean't that either lab tops were in the bag/s or something useful was in the bag/s because then people would put bags over things. That's why people don't leave important things in their car unless it was some books. You don't get that everyday...a person breaking in your car for a book which is quite funny to say.

However, my friends and I were so confused that we loved looking for trouble until one day we ran into trouble. That was the day where my friends and I knew what we were doing had to stop and change our lives around into something that could influence others to start being positive. For example, instead of stealing and hanging out, finding a job was a better choice. Instead of hanging out on the streets getting into more trouble, playing basketball was a better choice. And finally, instead of waking up bored and lazy, going to school getting educated became the number one thing in our lives.

Of course, other youth in our neighborhoods and people my friends and I knew called us names and thought we were "soft" (doing the right thing makes you soft), but we were told by an older adult, that you only get one life, so be the best that you could be and make things better in life not worser than it already is. This older person was a random senior citizen who knew what we were getting ourselves in just by looking at us. That was surprising!