Personal Narrative (Summative Assignment)

Due Wednesday, October 7^th

What is my relationship to NYC?  How is my identity shaped by where I am from and where I live?

Summative Assessment:  Personal Narrative writing piece and photo illustration

How do writers communicate their experiences of being a New Yorker?  After reading and analyzing personal essays by several New Yorkers describing their perceptions and relationships to where they live, write a narrative from your own perspective of living in New York that addresses your relationship to the city, and how living here shapes your identity.   Use imagery and sensory language to develop a narrative effect in your work.   Include personal anecdotes, reflection and details to support your ideas about what it means to live in the city.

Remember: You are writing for an audience.  This audience will be visiting our class exhibition in January and will be school and community members and will be meeting you through your pieces.

You will choose from 3 possible formats to craft your piece:

1.     Sensory Descriptions – for this you will talk about the sights, sounds, people and places that make up your NYC/Brooklyn. You must use details to bring these places to life for your reader. Also, make clear why these places are so important to you, how have they shaped you?

2.     Pivotal Moment(s) – A deeper look at a select few NYC/Brooklyn moment(s) that had a big impact on you

3.     Compare and Contrast to other places you have lived or spent time in – which feels more like you?

Anchor Texts:  One in 8 Million website, Colossus of New York, Colson Whitehead; The Bronx Remembered slideshow, David Gonzalez; + 1 from the immigrant experience

Guidelines:

• The assignment should be 2 pages minimum and 4 pages maximum.
• Typed, 12pt font and double spaced
• Make sure to give your piece a title.
• Essays should be submitted via google docs giving Salak edit privileges
• Be Sure to proofread your essay

HW Due Monday 9.21.2015

Look through our class flickr site, comment on at least 3 photos. Be sure to put your first name at the end of the comment. Ways to comment:

1.Use photo terms

2.How is photo similar or different to your BK/NYC?

3.Pick most interesting photos and explain why?

One in 8 Million

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There are approximately 8 million people who live in NYC.  Meet 13 of them.

Joshua Febres: The Uncertain Gang Member

On probation for robbery and assault, Joshua, 17, is a senior at the Bronx Lab School and a member of the Crips.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/joshua_febres

John Keegan: The Ladies’ Man

A vegan and an actor fascinated by human behavior, Mr. Keegan, 35, hires himself out as a coach for men who want help meeting women.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/john_keegan

David Vega: The Doorman-Boxer

A lobby attendant on the Upper West Side, Mr. Vega, 52, retired from boxing in 1986 but still earns extra money sparring.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/david_vega

Jesse Villanueva: The Sneaker Connoisseur

Since high school, Mr. Villanueva, 32, has obsessively collected sneakers; he now serves "sneaker heads" at Alife Rivington Club, a store on the Lower East Side.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/jesse_villanueva

May Wong Lee: The Adoptive Mother

With three biological sons, Ms. Wong Lee and her husband adopted a girl, Mebrat, from Ethiopia, who they thought was 3, but she was a malnourished 6-year-old.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/may_wong_lee

Rivka Karasik: The Religious Runaway

At 21, the age at which she was expected to marry, Ms. Karasik left the Lubavitch community of Hasidic Jews in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/rivka_karasik

Elizabeth Cousins: The Teenage Mother

A junior in high school, Ms. Cousins, 16, lives with her mother and her 19-month-old daughter, Mahniya, in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/elizabeth_cousins

Nancy Bunche: The Mayoral Maid

As housekeeper of Gracie Mansion since 1983, Ms. Bunche, 69, has been a witness to history.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/nancy_bunche

Ra Ruiz: The Pier Kid

Harassed by schoolmates, Ms. Ruiz, now 22, took refuge among the gay youth hanging out at the Christopher Street pier.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/ra_ruiz

Marc Tremitiere: The Baby Deliverer

When his wife went into labor last summer, Mr. Tremitiere, 40, could not wait for the ambulance.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/marc_tremitiere

Omika Jikaria: The Type A Teenager

A sophomore at Stuyvesant High School, Omika, 15, has been competing in beauty pageants for 10 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/omika_jikaria

Melissa Dixson: The Urban Taxidermist

A former painter, Ms. Dixson, 30, taught herself taxidermy, starting with a pair of deer feet.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/melissa_dixson

Joel Karp: The Corner Druggist

Forty-five years after opening Columbia Drugs on the Lower East Side, Mr. Karp, 71, is still the general manager.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/#/joel_karp

Personal Narrative Photo Essay Assignment - Due Wednesday 9/16

Task: take pictures of the character of your Brooklyn/NYC.

“Character is what is defining and memorable about a room, street, building, neighborhood or city.”

-        Steven W. Semes

Identify and photograph the people, places and things that make up your Brooklyn/NY.

You can take as many photos as you want, on Wednesday when we return to school you will need to select 5-10 photos that best show what defines your Brooklyn/NY and/or what is most memorable about your Brooklyn/NY to upload to your Flickr photo portfolio