Jordon's English blog

Family and Community, Family ties and strong community bonds are often central to Black African American identity. History of Struggle and Resilience, The legacy of slavery, civil rights struggles, and ongoing battles against systemic racism shape much of the identity for Black African Americans. Music genres like jazz, blues, hip-hop, gospel, and other art forms, are often viewed as vital expressions of identity. Today in class we had to read a poem called I, Too by Langston Hughes. This short poem talks about Langston Hughes in a white family, and he is being treated bad, but he doesn't care. When reading this poem, it teaches me that you can do or be anything in life. After reading it, we had to create a mask about ourselves.

If my privacy were invaded online or on my phone, I’d likely feel violated, anxious, and vulnerable . Privacy is essential for feeling safe and secure, and when it's compromised, it can lead to a loss of trust and a sense of powerlessness. It’s a deeply personal matter, especially in today’s world, where our digital presence is a significant part of our lives. As for whether privacy is a basic civil liberty , it is. Today we read a poem in class called Refugee In America by Langston Hughes. In this poem, it actually taught me a lot of things. About freedom and liberty, in the poem he talks about how he loves freedom. But when he talks about liberty he knows he's not free. 

 Nothing really happened i went back to my hometown Milledgeville. I had went down there to get my licenses. My license was really imperative. When I was doing the test I hit a impediment. I didn't know if I was impalpable and I knew I couldn't immutable. I thought I had failed and I was impair but she said I had two tries after that and I did it right. But after the test I was happy and passed. I told my mom that I had failed when me and my dad was going back home. She felt ignoble at the DMV and when I got home she was finna go up there and go crazy like she was a imminent. But I told her and she was happy. Before I had took the test my dad had a bet if I pass I can get a tattoo. I been wanting one for the longest and I already know it was going to hurt and the needle would be impale. But that's all that really happened. Today in class we had to use all 15 of the vocabulary words in a comic strip. It took me two days but I got it done. 

If I had to imagine my "American Dream," I think it would center around the idea of endless potential for growth, innovation, and freedom. America, in many ways, has represented the idea that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve great things with hard work and determination. I’d say my dream would be about encouraging that spirit of progress and opportunity, where everyone has access to the resources and support they need to chase their passions. Today we read a book called Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes. We had read it and did a project. We had to choose one of the characters from the story and make them time travel to 2025. This really taught me how we blacks would be if it was still like their timeline. Getting mistreated, beaten, accused, and people being racist to our kind.

There was a time when someone made a joke about my abilities in front of a group, claiming I wasn’t as good as I thought I was at a particular activity. The way they said it was dismissive and undermining like they didn’t take my efforts seriously. It wasn’t just a casual remark either—it was said in a way that seemed to challenge my self-worth. Today we read a poem called Incident by Cuntee Cullen. We had to answer questions, talk to the class, and write 10 sentences about when he was called a negro. 

In high school, I learned several life skills that will help me live independently after graduation. One of the most important skills is time management. Balancing classes, extracurricular activities, and social life taught me how to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines. This will definitely be crucial when I’m managing work, college, or any other responsibilities after high school. Today Mrs.Rease wasn't here and we had to do a NEWELA. It was easy, we had to answer questions and write a paragraph about it.

 My favorite part of the  Super Bowl weekend is such a fun time because there's so much to enjoy beyond just the game! If I had to pick a favorite part, I'd probably go with the commercials. They're such a big deal and often creative, funny, or heartwarming. Plus, they give companies a chance to do something bold and unexpected, which makes it exciting to see what they've come up with each year. It’s like a mini entertainment show in the middle of the game. Today we had to take a test that everybody had to take in the 11th grade. But I think I passed it.

My biggest strengths as a speaker are my ability to communicate ideas clearly and in a way that's easy for people to understand. I feel confident breaking down complex topics, which helps keep the audience engaged. But, when it comes to challenges, I definitely struggle with managing my nerves before speaking in front of a large audience. It can be tough to maintain the right level of engagement and make sure I’m reading the room effectively. But today in class we had to present our projects in front of the class. I didn't do it because I did not have the songs on the page or my character introduction. But Mr. Rease told us that if you don't get a lot of your project done just do it, put some effort into it.

 If I had to write a poem about my life right now, I would say that my life is going good but some rumors are popping up out of nowhere. My life is going great. I made it to the 11th grade, I had all my classes and I moved out of my hometown where I was born and raised. I got my driving license and I had a job but it closed down because of winter but it has come back. I have found friends at my old school and now I live in Atlanta trying to change my life. At the same time in my hometown, some people are telling my mom lies. Like saying that I'm in a gang, I tried to press a gang member. It's just all crazy but I just live my life so I can have a better future. But right now my life is great. but today in class we had to do a poem about a lesson before dying, using jefferson words in the poem to make out own poem.

 A time that I had to speak was when I won a medal about drugs and how they interfere with your body. I feared the whole gym was packed and I was scared to speak. I was just calm and was just looking at my mom and talking to her. Advice I would give somebody is don't be afraid walk on the stage with your chest out and speak with confidence. Today we wrote some notes down about presenting to the class about our project. The notes talked about not being scared and being more presentable. The notes tell us some key ideas when talking in front of a big crowd.