Problemas y Soluciónes en Nuestra Communidad de Baltimore - Problems and Solutions in Our Baltimore Community

In tying social justice issues in Latin America and Spain to social justice issues in Baltimore, we turn our attention to social justice issues in our own city, the ramifications of these issues and their potential solutions. In IB Spanish 2, as the final project for Unit 4: Problemas y Soluciónes en Nuestra Communidad de Baltimore (Problems and Solutions in Our Baltimore Community), students were assigned the task of writing a five-paragraph essay/editorial in Spanish with an introduction, three main body paragraphs and a conclusion. The editorial must identify a systemic issue in Baltimore City and three student-created solutions to this issue. The original unit was created by Franca Muller and collaborated on and modified by Katherine Tomscha.

First, students surveyed five people who lived in their community and asked them to identify the most difficult issue facing Baltimore City today. Students then translated these issues into Spanish, and I compiled a class list so that we could learn the vocabulary associated with systemic issues in our community.

Next, students were assigned to a group of three, in which they were to write their editorial as a group project. Each student contributed to the introduction, conclusion and final editing, and each student in the group wrote a paragraph describing a solution to the systemic issue in Baltimore.

Students were required to format their final essay in an editorial or newspaper article format, on a large piece of poster paper. The final products were then presented in class, and you can see an example of a group presentation proposing solutions to the problem of “mala salud” or “bad health” by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i9tIaTnQVY .

Below I have attached photos of final student posters, and I will translate excerpts from these essays below.

Title: Poverty In Baltimore

“25% of people in Baltimore live in poverty. If we work together, we can end poverty in Baltimore. To do this, we need the help of various institutions. To begin to help the problem of people who live in poverty, my community needs the participation of recreation centers, homeless shelters, and the government.”

- Anthony, Charlotte, Tom (Period 1)

Title: “How to stop sexual abuse?”

“Every two minutes, someone is sexually assaulted in the United States. Between 2006 and 2012, sexual abuse has increased by 44%, almost double. Also 48% of women that have been assaulted will be victims of sexual abuse again. To start to solve the problem of sexual abuse, our community needs better schools, police and women’s centers.” “Don’t violate, appreciate!”

- Trenae, Taaj, Leah (Period 1)

Title: “Problems in our community: How to stop the growth of crime?”

“In the United States, the city of Baltimore is number five for the number of homicides. Every day, many people suffer because there are many crimes. There are property crimes, robbery, assaults and drug related crimes in our community. To begin to solve the problem of crime, my community needs more hospitals, police and better education.”

- Jessica, Carly, Deairra (Period 11)

“Health In Baltimore City”

“How Health Affects Our Lives”

“If there is one thing that everyone in the world should have, it is good health. Unfortunately, 44% of Americans have a chronic condition, like heart disease and cancer. This percentage is increasing by 2.2% every five years. To start to solve the problem of bad health, our community needs more health departments, supermarkets, and more repaired houses (less vacant houses).

- Jaylen, Dennis, Yoav  (Period 11)

Student Reflections on "The Advocacy Project"

Advocacy Project Student Reflections

To reflect on "The Advocacy Project" for Quarters 1 and 2, students in IB Spanish 2 were required to write a 400-word, typed reflection in Spanish describing their Quarter 1 and 2 Advocacy Projects and a future volunteer endeavor for Quarter 3 or 4. This project was due January 26th, 2015. I received some exemplar final student essays, and I will translate excerpts from these essays below.

The essay prompt was stated as follows:

¿Qué significa “piensa globalmente : actúa localmente” en tu vida y en tu communidad? ¿Qué son tres maneras que puedes “pensar globalmente y actuar localmente” en Baltimore y en la clase de español? Usa dos ejemplos de Quarter 1 y Quarter 2, y un ejemplo de tu servicio del futuro en Quarter 3 o 4.

What does “think globally : act locally” mean in your life and in your community? What are three ways that you can “think globally and act locally” in Baltimore, using your knowledge from Spanish class? Use two examples of your volunteer service from Quarter 1 and 2, and an example of your future volunteer service in Quarter 3 or 4.

I have included the following excerpts from student Advocacy Project essay reflections. They are translated from Spanish to English from the original essays, with no correction for grammatical errors.

“In my school, Baltimore City College, we think globally and act locally. We are learning about the Hispanic community. Have we done enough for Spanish-speaking people? What can we do to help more? If we think globally, and if we act locally, we will have the answer for every question we have.”

-       Rayden, Spanish 2 Period 1 (pictured below with Creative Alliance, Feria de Salud, in the far left corner)

“I thought globally and acted locally when I went to the “Feria de Salud” (Health Fair) with my class of Spanish 2... Many people at the fair didn’t speak English. Spanish is necessary for my days with Centro Sol. This experience helped me to realize that Spanish is important. I cannot be able to speak with people of different cultures and languages if I don’t speak two languages.”

“To be a part of the Spanish-speaking community is very fun. It is fun because now I am a part of two communities. In my future, I want to continue volunteering with Creative Alliance”.

-       Afiya, Spanish 2 Period 11 (pictured in the center, face painting with Creative Alliance, and in the front center, with a white shirt)

 “In the United States there are 54 million Latinos. Maryland has 337, 341 Latinos. The city of Baltimore has 15,000 Latinos. Although there are many Latinos in our community and country, sometimes we (think) we are different. But, this is incorrect, and this is a big problem. I thought globally and acted locally when I helped Latinos in my community to feel equal and help them to feel that they are a part of our community.”

“In the past half year, I have achieved a lot more. I did volunteer work in the Lantern Festival and in the Feria de Salud. Also, I have lots of plans for the future. There are many Latinos in every part of the city of Baltimore. Although we may be different, we can learn their language, their culture, and their lifestyle. They will feel equal and they will be a part of the community. This is why thinking globally and acting locally is so important.

- Jasmine, Spanish 2 Period 1 (pictured in the front center with a black sweatshirt, volunteering with Creative Alliance)

                                

“Latinos in Baltimore don’t have the same opportunities as other races in Baltimore. I can think globally and act locally when I am a volunteer at the Kaleidoscope Festival, when I help at Creative Alliance, and when I will be a volunteer for Embajadores de Salud. I hope that in helping these families, I can give children a better future”.

-       Diego, Spanish 2 Period 11 (Diego pictured volunteering with Johns Hopkins School of Medicine “Embajadores de Salud”, in the red sweatshirt)

 “Although less than 5% of the population of the city of Baltimore is composed of Hispanics, they are citizens that should live with the same rights and opportunities like everyone who lives here. I think globally and act locally in the city of Baltimore when I am a volunteer for Creative Alliance, when I am a volunteer for the Feria de Salud, and when I will be a volunteer for the classes of English Education.”

“I thought globally and acted locally when I was a volunteer for the “Health Fair”. When I was there, I helped many people to receive health exams to live a better life. Those exams gave precise information to better the health of Hispanics who did not speak English very well. I learned in Spanish class that immigrants who immigrate here to the United States have many problems receiving help. When I helped immigrants in Baltimore City, (helped to) change the hope of some people”.

-Jaylen, Spanish 2 Period 11 (pictured below, far left corner in plaid, and in the center in the second picture)