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Sociocultural Predictors of Children’s Papiamento and Dutch Reading Literacy in the Dutch Caribbean
No full textThis study examined how Papiamento and Dutch attitude and home literacy environment of 168 children in fourth grade of the post-colonial Dutch Caribbean, predicted L1 and L2 reading literacy in sixth grade. Overall, children had higher scores for reading literacy in L1 Papiamento as compared with L2 Dutch. They showed more positive attitudes towards their mother tongue, regarding language use, reading, and media use. Furthermore, literacy activities at home were more frequent in L1 than in L2, although they reported having more books at home in L2 than in L1. Finally, L1 home literacy activities were negatively related to L1 reading literacy, while L2 language and reading attitude and the number of books at home in L2, were positively related to L2 reading literacy. However, the relationship between L1 home literacy activities and L1 reading literacy, disappeared after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES). It is concluded that sociocultural predictors are of importance for reading literacy, but that they influence L1 and L2 reading literacy differently
¿Y Ahora Qué? Interest Convergence and Hope Through Provision, Promotion, and Partnerships in Two-Way Dual Language Programs
No full textAs Two-Way Dual Language Programs continue in their nascent stages in the United States, some teachers, administrators, and researchers have reported issues of interest convergence. In this article, two researchers work alongside a bilingual pre-service teacher to highlight three such examples: the business of learning a language, Latin@ Spanish-speaking students used as resources, and the gentrification of bilingual education. Beyond the diagnosis of such dilemmas, we offer a preliminary framework and some promising tenets of hope to overcome any such asymmetries that can exist when interested families from different social locations agree to collaborate in the journey of dual language education for their children
Kazembe Balagun Part 2
No full textAbstract
Interviewer: Mark Naison, Ryan Purcell, Shellae Versey
Interviewee: Kazambe Balagun
In this second part of an interview with Kazembe Balagun, he discusses Co-Op City’s neighborly qualities in depth, specifically in regards to the community it fosters for all ages. Kazambe’s knowledge is direct evidence that defies the stigmatized viewpoints and negative stereotypes on public housing. This viewpoint is transcended through Balagun’s passionate dialogue on the importance of children and the development of the youth in Co-Op City, his engagement with community-based activities, as well as his extensive knowledge on local politics. As Balagun stresses the importance of political involvement and community organizing, his voice is palpable proof of the cultivating Black culture and political life that has become emblematic in Co-Op City’s environment.
Kazembe recounts his cherished memories of Co-Op City and how his experiences with his son, Miles, shape his understanding of its multi-generational dwellings and its neighborly community. Balagun describes the neighborhood\u27s spaciousness and the activities he and his son engaged in, like walking and playing in the Greenway. He even shares a touching story about his mother planting a tree for his son, which still stands as a memorial. Just like the tenacity of this tree and the compassion these memories foster, Balagun stresses the importance of the school environment and the youth to our community. It is what keeps Co-Op City thriving. He also suggests the need for more after-school programs and community centers for young people and the essentialness of the youth in our communities, specifically, the importance of providing them with the resources they need to realize and understand their potential and goals. That is how a community thrives and operates, and that is how Co-Op City maintains its familial image.
As Kazembe highlights the supportive extended family network, the community\u27s senior respect, and the involvement of local schools like Pablo Casals and Truman High School, we can see how Kazembe is directly involved in Co-Op City’s community-oriented development. He is also a key historian in understanding the fruition of these events. Kazembe touches on the community\u27s political landscape, voter disengagement, and the importance of local activism. His extensive knowledge on the local politics of his community allow us to see the importance of activism within one’s vicinity, but also how his intellect on politics is direct proof of how to continue a dialogue that transcends negative viewpoints that are perpetuated through stereotypes. Kazembe contrasts these negative stereotypes of high-rise public housing with the positive community engagement in Co-Op City. As he discusses how this perception is racialized, the importance of expunging this notion becomes apparent through advocates and voices such as Kazembe. Kazembe Balagun demonstrates how the role of community-based businesses and programs, and the sense of stability and safety in Co-Op City, are but one of many instances that display Co-Op City’s ability to cultivate and develop a community that transcends set boundaries and standards
From Trend to Trash: Unraveling the Waste Issue in Fast Fashion and its Impact on Ghana
No full textFast fashion, with its rapid production cycles and low-cost clothing, is significantly worsening the global waste crisis by driving overconsumption and excessive garment disposal. This thesis examines how fast fashion\u27s business model contributes to the escalating problems of textile waste, microplastics, and chemical pollution, with a specific focus on Ghana. Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the industry\u27s impact on Ghana’s ecosystem services, supported by both quantitative and qualitative data. Chapter 2 offers a historical analysis of fast fashion, highlighting the evolution of consumer culture and the increasing emphasis on overconsumption driven by marketing strategies and the constant demand for new trends. Chapter 3 delves into the economic dimensions of fast fashion, exploring the financial challenges posed by waste management, the inefficiencies in current recycling practices, and how economic incentives continue to drive unsustainable consumption patterns. In Chapter 4, the thesis addresses the environmental and social justice issues related to fast fashion waste in Ghana, focusing on how marginalized communities are disproportionately affected. This chapter raises critical questions about equity and policy, analyzing the effectiveness and gaps in current regulations. The concluding chapter synthesizes insights from previous chapters to propose a set of policy recommendations tailored to Ghanaian contexts. These recommendations include advancing recycling technologies, promoting longer-lasting clothing designs, and fostering circular economy practices that encourage sustainable consumer habits and equitable waste management
NYC in Crisis: How the Tiny but Mighty Atlantic Oyster Could Fix NYC’s Aquatic Problems
No full textThis paper addresses how modern policy and an extensive history of unsustainable environmental practices in New York have led to the destruction of the Oyster Reef of New York Harbor and the extreme flooding and pollution in the water system that came from it. The Oyster Reef was seen as a valuable food source going back to the Lenape tribe. Over time, this has served to the detriment of the reef as its resources have been overestimated and depleted. Chapters 1 and 2 use mainly quantitative data to connect the reef\u27s decline to the decline in the quality of seawater and the increase in flooding. Some examples of the quantitative data used in the paper include the Atlantic Oyster population numbers, the amount of oysters consumed per year within the century, and annual flooding rates. Qualitative data is also used in Chapters 1 and 2 to analyze why people viewed the reef as such a valuable and limitless resource and to prove how that led to the exploitation of the reef and its resources. Some examples of the qualitative data used in these chapters include historical sources explaining the cultural importance of the oysters and modern views of the animal. Chapter 2 discusses the problem from a historical angle. It looks at the history of fishing and polluting practices in New York and how that caused the inevitable downfall of the reef. Chapter 3 examines the economic policies currently in place and how they are affecting the state of the reef. Chapter 4 analyzes the political layout of New York. Politics is looked at in this chapter because it is a complicated field that affects the well-being of the city and the city\u27s aquatic environmental health in both beneficial and harmful ways. Chapter 5 discusses solutions to this problem. Many of the solutions relate to the point that replacing the reef is a necessity. Some ways to achieve that include reducing pollution and rebuilding the reef with human intervention. Chapter 5 also discussed how those solutions are the most effective based on the above-mentioned data.
Key Words:
reef , pollution, policy, flooding, estuaries, oyster, climate, water, ba
Breaking Down Black Beauty: Deconstructing Unsustainable Racist Practices in the Beauty Industry
No full textThe glitter of the beauty industry creates an undeniably attractive fantasy. Cosmetics and dermatology allow for finding a new sense of self through beauty. However, is beauty\u27s fantasy world accessible to everyone, specifically the Black dance community? The beauty industry, historically and presently, has disproportionate effects on people of color communities like the Black dance community. The unsustainable practices and toxic products in the beauty industry hinder the health of Black individuals at different rates than other racial counterparts. There is still work to be done in deconstructing the racist practices of the beauty industry and in facilitating environmentally sustainable practices that do not negatively affect Black people, particularly Black dancers, physically or economically. This paper uncovers the racist and unsustainable dispositions of beauty and how it negatively impacts Black bodies, like dancers’ bodies. Chapter 1 examines the data on contemporary, environmentally unsustainable, and unhealthy disparities in the beauty space for Black bodies. Chapter 2 analyzes the historical socio-economic and health discrimination Black bodies, like Black dancers, face when encountering the beauty industry. Chapter 3 discusses the community movement for environmental justice education on beauty consumer advocacy and spotting racially harmful ingredients. Chapter 4 explores the effectiveness of acts like the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act and current state laws in the United States concerning toxic beauty products. Chapter 5 pulls on initiatives in the beauty industry\u27s fight for sustainability and racial equity to develop policy recommendations concerning the implications of toxic beauty products on Black bodies
Breaking Down Black Beauty: Deconstructing Unsustainable Racist Practices Within the Beauty Industry
No full textThe glitter of the beauty industry creates an undeniably attractive fantasy. Cosmetics and dermatology allow for finding a new sense of self through beauty. However, is beauty\u27s fantasy world accessible to everyone, specifically the Black dance community? The beauty industry, historically and presently, has disproportionate effects on people of color communities like the Black dance community. The unsustainable practices and toxic products in the beauty industry hinder the health of Black individuals at different rates than other racial counterparts. There is still work to be done in deconstructing the racist practices of the beauty industry and in facilitating environmentally sustainable practices that do not negatively affect Black people, particularly Black dancers, physically or economically. This paper uncovers the racist and unsustainable dispositions of beauty and how it negatively impacts Black bodies, like dancers’ bodies. Chapter 1 examines the data on contemporary, environmentally unsustainable, and unhealthy disparities in the beauty space for Black bodies. Chapter 2 analyzes the historical socio-economic and health discrimination Black bodies, like Black dancers, face when encountering the beauty industry. Chapter 3 discusses the community movement for environmental justice education on beauty consumer advocacy and spotting racially harmful ingredients. Chapter 4 explores the effectiveness of acts like the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act and current state laws in the United States concerning toxic beauty products. Chapter 5 pulls on initiatives in the beauty industry\u27s fight for sustainability and racial equity to develop policy recommendations concerning the implications of toxic beauty products on Black bodies
Gregory Delts
No full textGrowing up and living in the Bronx up until recently, Gregory Delts detailed the institutions and communities that greatly impacted his life and how he has given back. The apartment building in which Greg was raised showcased the diversity of the Bronx and the strong community that they shared among residents. Friends and family alike cared for him and the other kids in the neighborhood by sharing their homes and food with one another. Although he attended the public schools in the Bronx until high school, he was sent to the rigorous Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts for his teenage years. When Gregory graduated, he took with him lessons of discipline and routine, and as the only Black student. After these formative years away from the Bronx, Greg returned, joining Fordham University’s freshman undergraduate class of 1985, coming back to his original community in hopes of finding a group he could identify with.
After trying wrestling and other sports groups in an attempt to find a communal space, Greg found brotherhood while pledging to the Greek fraternity Kappa. The bonds created during pledging completely transformed how Greg formatted his life. Even during his years serving in the military after graduating from Fordham, his Kappa brotherhood followed him along his journey, providing friends and community throughout his adulthood. Without the experience of being a Kappa, Greg notes how his life would have been less rewarding and expansive. His participation in this fraternity provided the most profound connection, even more so than Masonry, in which he was a four-year patron. In 2012, Greg was contacted by a fellow Kappa, asking him to join the Bronx alumni chapter, to which Greg agreed. Missing his close connection to his chapter since college, Greg dove headfirst into the alum group, helping out with numerous community service opportunities. Through much hard work and planning, he eventually became the chairman of community service and then the Polemarch in 2018. Under Greg’s leadership, the Bronx Alumni Chapter of Kappa has joined other Greek life organizations to boost a sense of community internally and externally. Service for the Bronx is essential to the chapter, and many projects are done yearly based on the needs of Bronx locals. Although he has since moved from the Bronx, Greg notes the importance of the community it provided for him as he strives to give back under the Kappa name.
Link to Video Recording: https://cdm17265.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/baahp/id/60/rec/1
Rachel Cheeks-Givan
No full textAs a Bronx native and long-time resident, Rachel Cheeks-Givan embodies the community service she preaches throughout her work in different organizations, namely Jack and Jill of America, Inc., which focuses on providing a community for families of color. Growing up in Underhill, she had a strong sense of unity amongst other families in her neighborhood and their children. Each house on the block became her house, and each family was a surrogate for her own. Her mother, who immigrated from Puerto Rico, made their home a community pillar, fostering an area full of welcoming energy. Her father and his parents, who ventured to the Bronx via Harlem, added to the communal atmosphere. Although her years at Baruch College kept her close to home, Cheeks-Givan was sent abroad through her accounting job almost immediately after graduation, eventually taking her back to the States, to Dallas, Texas.
After eight years, Rachel returned to the Bronx, where she met her husband and settled down to have children. Organizations and community still remained a central part of Rachel’s life as she joined the sorority 8 Omega Omega and the Greater Bronx Linx, in which she helped to charter. Both Omega Omega and the Linx organization fostered in Rachel a great gratitude for communal solidarity and sisterhood. She started the Links with Cheryl Simmons-Oliver who is most recently the President of Jack and Jill in the Bronx. This organization focuses on impacting every child by giving them a sense of gratitude, an education on their black culture, and a level of fun engagement among members. Joining with her daughter when she was about three years old, Rachel quickly moved up the club ranks, now serving as the ninth president. Throughout COVID-19 and beyond, Cheeks-Givan and members were able to continue to inspire the youth of tomorrow through mentorship and give back financially to the Bronx neighborhood around them. As she continues to do her work within the organization, she maintains its importance in helping continue the legacy of Jack and Jill starting from the children and beyond.
Link to Video Recording: https://cdm17265.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/baahp/id/69/rec/
