The Making of Embrace

The Making of Embrace A few weeks ago, Ayomide F. 18, better known to longtime blogreaders as our own personal  Riri Williams, sent me a copy of a new video she had helped choreograph, perform, and produce. It was (and is) incredibly arresting and compelling video, and I asked Ayo if shed write up how it came to be so I could post it. She did, and I have reproduced it, unedited, immediately below. I put my first pair of heels on when I was 6. Maybe even younger. I charged into my mother’s shoe closet and beelined for these crimson-colored wonders that I’d been eyeing for a while. I strutted around for a bit before my ankles buckled and I knocked over a jewelry box. The clatter of pearls and gold sent my mom rushing into the room, ready to scold me. But when she saw the mess I made, she only laughed. “So when is the fashion show?” I smiled up at her as I struggled to get back on my feet and cheekily replied, “Tonight! After dinner.” She beamed radiantly at me with her makeup perfectly blended, her business suit impeccably ironed, the first definition of beauty I ever knew. It was not odd that I wanted to look like her, that I wanted to wear heels and put on a fashion show. Hers was an expression of beauty that was well-recognized and well-respected. It would have been odd though, if I had been born male. If a little six year old boy had worn those heels and told themselves that they looked beautiful, the world would not have agreed. I wasn’t thinking about all of this when my friend Chheankgea (aka CK) ‘17 approached me about working on a heels concept video with him. What is a concept video you ask? And what do heels have to do with them? Well, within the dance community, concept videos are this really fun way to tell a story through choreography. (Here’s a cute how-to on them). The heels were involved because well Dancing in heels is fun, It’s hard as hell but the best part about being a dancer is making your body do things that it didn’t know it was capable of, and As 6 year old me already discovered, heels make some of us feel really beautiful. Anyway, I met CK at the very beginning of my freshman year. We were both dancers on Mirchi (MIT’s Bollywood fusion dance team) and both obsessed with being extra. We quickly bonded over complaining about boys, practicing choreography, and embarking on adventures that involved impromptu photoshoots. That same year I met the 3rd star of our video, Shruthi ‘16. She was one of the first dancers to ever truly inspire me. I always joke that I’m her biggest fan because every time I watch her dance, I have a conniption and start screaming uncontrollably. Shruthi was Course 6 (computer science) and danced on both MIrchi and hip-hop team Mocha during her time at MIT. CK was Course 4 (architecture) but he realized late in his junior year that he didn’t want to pursue graduate studies in that field. He wanted to go to film school. He’s been building his portfolio ever since and currently works at MIT’s International Design Center. So when he approached me this past spring about wanting to do a dance video, I knew it couldn’t be just any old video of us shimmying. It would have to be worthy of a film school submission. The initial plan was to dance to Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae. It had just come out at the time and we loved the way it colorfully explored the topic of bisexuality. I really resonated with the image of hiding one’s homosexuality behind heterosexuality, denying a part of yourself because being honest with the world isn’t always something we’re capable of. At the end of the day, we ended up not going with the song (it was too pop funk to really fit any of our dance styles) but we stuck with the theme of hiding. When we finally stumbled on Magnets by Lorde/Disclosure, it felt too good to be true. The song was sultry and full of emotion. It also had pretty sick backbeats and clicks that sent our minds into creative overdrive. We added I Do by Cardi B to the mix because we wanted something with a grimy feel to it, something that screamed bad bitch. Once songs were decided, fully defining the story took a while. Shruthi had already made the music cut so we had to make sure each scene had a specific correlation to each section of music. There was a point when I was stuck on the murderous nature of I Do and wanted a storyline that involved the double homicide of a bisexual woman and her new male lover by her jealous female ex We decided this was a bit too petty and a bit too violent so we scrapped it. At some point, I don’t know when, a line from the Magnets chorus mosied into my brain and refused to leave me alone. I knew that somehow our story’s thesis had to be about “embracing the point of no return.” I wanted to explore shame but also celebrate that amazing moment when we relinquish shame and accept our identities. I must have telepathically communicated this to Shruthi and CK because at our next meetup, we spent a significant amount of time discussing the parts of our identities we had trouble embracing. CK reminded us of the first time he painted his nails and how beautiful he had felt until someone made a discouraging comment. Eventually, I told the story of the day I had to save my best friend from the Baker dining hall. He had borrowed some of my clothes and put together a spectacularly fabulous outfit, only to enter his dorm and be laughed at by the dining staff. And so all of a sudden we had a story, one we all knew far too well. Next, we had to make decisions about costumes and locations. The first decision was easy. We had to dance in heels. And if Shruthi and I were to play diva fairy godmothers, we had to look supremely extra. The first and last place we looked for costumes was my closet. Why do I own two feathered headpieces you ask? why not? I spread every extra piece of clothing I owned on my bed and got to work mixing and matching. There was a point when I wanted desperately for CK to wear a bright green corset that I’d worn as the Joker for Halloween. He was vehemently opposed to that idea. Eventually we settled on looks that were just the right amount of extra. Then we got to work trying to encapsulate the anger felt during the I Do segment of the story. Faux black leather ended up being our saving grace. Glitter was also paramount. We used it every day of filming. Shruthi and CK had to tell me more than a few times to go easy on the glitter, but why listen when you can glow, you know? Me being the definition of grunge in an alleyway at 1am. Looking this good while staying up that late is a special skill. Since embracing one’s identity (~#pride~) was at the core of the video, we wanted each scene to be as colorful as possible. We toyed around with the idea of a nightclub setting, drawn in by the possibility of bright neon lights, but this proved to be logistically unfeasible. So, instead we opted for a “nightclub bathroom” (aka the huge bathroom in the basement of Stata). We bought some really fancy lights and lit the place up with pinks and yellows. Our other filming spots were Walker Memorial and the alleyway behind the MIT Museum. The Stata bathroom always wanted to be pink and I’m glad we helped it discover itself. Rehearsing and filming were very challenging processes for us. At the time I was apprenticing with the Boston Beautease, a local Burlesque troupe, on Wednesday and Sunday evenings while also taking two evening Theater classes. Shruthi was working 9am to 6pm at Google, so scheduling was an absolute nightmare. We spent many nights in the studio past midnight, teaching each other choreo and cleaning until we achieved synchronization. Our film “crew” consisted of us and one other person, our dear friend Faraaz ‘19, a total camera novice. We wanted dynamic shots with crazy closeups and wild angles. Easier said than done. Faraaz stayed with us till 3am some nights, retaking shots where we’d messed up the choreo, or blanked on facials, or accidentally stepped out of the light. His dedication really reminded me of the magic of MIT. It’s the kind of place where people will take time out of their days to help you celebrate your passions. Doing CK’s makeup was one of my favorite parts of the filming process. He has perfect skin and amazing cheekbones, such a good canvas ugh. When the time finally came to release the video, a latent panic set in. The fear of discovery finally manifested and we found ourselves making lists of family members we would have to block on FaceBook and Instagram before releasing. These were people who wanted the best for us but wouldn’t understand why a young architecture major would yearn for a pair of heels. Or why a NIgerian chemical engineer would dance so provocatively in so little clothing for the whole world to see. “Which descent man will marry her now?” “Which company will hire her after seeing this?” I could already hear them huffing and puffing. It took a lot not to feel slightly ashamed of the video. As our most extrinsic emotion, shame stems from the external reactions to the internal decisions we make. We learn what’s “good” from our families. And then some of us spend our lives redefining good until we no longer see ourselves as bad. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family to death. So do Shruthi and CK. But it puts an incredible weight on us to think we are disappointing them by being ourselves. Shruthi was so paranoid about being discovered via a Google name search that we almost resorted to code names for this blog post. I share her trepidation to some extent. I don’t know what my mom will say when she sees this video. I haven’t made efforts to hide it from her but I haven’t gone out of my way to show it to her either. I feel this constant pressure to be wholesome, ladylike, a good woman, respectable. Shrouded by this crowdsourced idea that a respectable life requires working a respectable job while adhering to respectability politics. Why can’t I just be respected? I’ve loved watching as our generation destroys this old paradigm and asks this question of our elders. Why can’t we just be respected. I know drag queens who moonlight as field engineers and amazing twerkers who work on dev teams at tech startups. I watch my friends free themselves, follow their passions, create absolutely brilliant content, and I can’t help but wonder when their families will be just as proud of them as I am. The video is here. Free and open to all who have access to the interwebs. I hope it’s as meaningful to you as it is to me.

How to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay - 1250 Words

â€Å"How to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis?† â€Å"How to solve the foreclosure crisis?† This is a very troubling question currently facing our country today. The foreclosure crisis fueled by subprime mortgages, was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Many Americans hold large mortgages with adjustable rates that continue to increase. It was only a matter of time before the market would come tumbling down. From 2008 until now the national unemployment rate has risen from 5-6% to about 10.2% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). With unemployment rates continuing to climb, more and more Americans are stuck in large mortgages with no means to pay them. Many of these debtors are faced with mortgages that are greater than the values of their homes due†¦show more content†¦After the market crashed back in September of 2008 housing prices came crashing down as well. The fair value or market value of these mortgages was well below the purchase price for these homes. This left many debtors stuck with mortgages worth mo re than the value of their homes. Homeowners have no incentive to continue to make large mortgage payments on homes that are valued at less than their current mortgages. This situation has caused many homeowners to default or short-sell their homes in order to get out of these mortgage agreements. In addition, growing unemployment has caused many homeowners with subprime mortgage agreements to default as well. Substantial impairment has resulted throughout the United States due to the decline in market value of homes. In this situation banks and other creditors are faced with suffering a loss no matter what the circumstance. Forcing many homeowners into foreclosure will leave millions homeless. The loss due to the decline in market price of homes will be passed back to the creditors, since homeowners will not have the money to pay back their outstanding mortgages. It is very doubtful that creditors will be able to recover their losses by selling repossessed homes at auction. In my o pinion these creditors and banks best option is to work with American homeowners and offer some sort of debt restructuringShow MoreRelatedHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis1218 Words   |  5 PagesHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis The foreclosure crisis in our country has implemented a domino effect that may take years before we note any positive changes. As the country begins to heal, an effective process and/or program must be implemented that will reduce or eliminate foreclosures. It is important to remember that purchasing and maintaining a home is a part of the â€Å"American Dream,† and when working class families cannot seem to manage without loss of pride and dignity, then the dreamRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis1146 Words   |  5 PagesHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis An important step in solving the foreclosure crisis is to provide assistance to mortgagees in making the monthly loan payments; this assistance should be in place before the first loan payment is due. One solution in providing assistance, which would not require any additional governmental funds to be spent, would be a mandatory mortgage equity accelerator program for every new loan written. A mortgage equity enhancement program allows a thirty year mortgageRead MoreHow To Solve The Foreclosure Crisis1443 Words   |  6 PagesHOW TO SOLVE THE FORECL0SURE CRISIS 2009 was a record breaking year for foreclosures in the United States. The perfect storm of high unemployment, tightening credit, decreasing real estate values and cataclysmic stock market crash resulted in millions of homeowners defaulting on their mortgages. What are the solutions to this problem? Some would argue that the government should intervene and help homeowners. Those with a more â€Å"free market† or laissez faire approach would contend that the governmentRead MoreHOW TO SOLVE THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS1793 Words   |  8 PagesHOW TO SOLVE THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS What do we think when we hear the word â€Å"foreclosure†? Most people realize that it’s definitely something that is not good, some say that it’s when someone fails to do something, but those people don’t really know the meaning of it. But before I present my idea let’s review the meaning of such process: From the website of InvestorWords.com foreclosure Definition The legal process by which an owners right to a property is terminated, usually dueRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis2207 Words   |  9 PagesThe foreclosure crisis has become as confounding as the old, neglected house on the corner of your street. With shattered windows and wild lawn, no one knows what to do with it, how to save it or even get rid of it. Public and private institutions have tried this and that to patch the ongoing economic blight: lowered interest rates, credit counseling, foreclosure workshops, short sales and bailouts. Nevertheless, the number of foreclosures has relentlessly continued its climb. This ascent hasRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis977 Words   |  4 PagesThe economic crisis that has occurred in the recent years and that has consistently worsened over past year or so has led to many other problems, one of which is the foreclosure crisis. More and more people are losing their homes due to job loss or simply poor financial choices. The number of unemployed and homeless is increasing at an alarming rate. Many feel like there is nothing that can be done to remedy the situation, especially when the enormous debt that the United States has already accumulatedRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1297 Words   |  6 PagesHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Imagine a young couple was married and bought a house together. They were happy they made an investment together that they would never regret. A few years later, the company the husband worked for suffered critically by the recession and he was one of the hundreds of people who got their job cut. They now have two babies to feed and have to choose between food and the mortgage. They soon began to miss their monthly payments. They waited until things becameRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay2252 Words   |  10 Pagesdollars funded by investments and home purchases were lost within a few months (Wikipedia.org: United States housing bubble). Millions of home owners were found to be unable to pay their mortgages, leading to hundreds of thousands of foreclosures. These foreclosures not only led to the decrease in value of the foreclosed homes, but also decreased the value of the homes in the neighborhoods, complexes and cul-de-sacs around them (zillow.com). The billion d ollar industry created by the fruitful housingRead MoreHow to Solve the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1086 Words   |  5 PagesThe solution to the Foreclosure Crisis is the implementation of continual, mandatory education classes that must be attended and passed, or penalties will be applied to the homeowners. A little tough love from the lender and the government is necessary. Just as our parents follow through and continue to teach us throughout our lives, so must the lenders and the government take the time to â€Å"sit† every homeowner down to make them learn and realize that being a homeowner comes with big responsibilitiesRead MoreHow to Solve The Foreclosure Crisis Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pageshaving to deal with a major foreclosure crisis. According to studies by the Mortgage Bankers Association, one out of every 200 homes will eventually be foreclosed, and 250,000 families enter into foreclosure every three months. Although the worst times are still in our future, w ith help from the United States government, we as citizens will eventually overcome the horrendous situation of America’s current real estate market. To combat our nation’s foreclosure crisis, I believe it is necessary to

My Life And Vocational Experience - 1961 Words

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate my life and vocational experiences to achieve credit toward my Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration at Aurora University. As an adult student I have a variety of experiences stemming from my 17 years of experience at Caterpillar as a design engineer and project lead for new product introduction. I have held a variety of jobs and volunteer positions during my lifetime, which showcase my diverse skills and experience that round out my personality. It is my desire to achieve the six semester hours required to complete my degree using my life experiences and vocational skills and knowledge. I began my career at Caterpillar in 1998 as a contract design engineer. I was hired as a fulltime†¦show more content†¦It is my belief that I have enough life and vocational skills which include leadership and management experience to successfully perform the five management functions required to be a high performance business manager. Project Management During my career at Caterpillar I have had numerous opportunities to lead multimillion dollar projects. One of which involved the development of a system to improve the safety of operators as the accessed and egressed machinery. The project entailed the collaboration of multiple design teams as well as a team of Australian mining companies and Australian Ministry of Mines, as well as machine compliance control organizations. As the team lead it was my responsibility to write a business case that aligned with our company’s goal to develop the best products and services and also demonstrate our social responsibility. Planning. It was my role as the project lead to ensure that we met the goals of both our customer and our company. Goals for zero harm to operators is prominent in many regions of the world. Increasingly customers are demanding this same approach from suppliers, and are willing to reward those suppliers who comply with a greater share of the business as well as greater price realization. Conversely, failing to comply means elimination from sales consideration. As the team lead I needed to ensure that we could meetShow MoreRelatedThe West Virginia Division Of Rehabilitation Services969 Words   |  4 Pagesserve on a regular basis. However, the practicum experience provided me with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the rehabilitation process and what it means to work as a team with individuals to achieve goals. The practicum experience also gave me insight on the processes involved in providing individuals information and assistance in finding solutions to help overcome or wo rk through challenges encountered on a daily basis. During my practicum I provided coverage for the Deaf andRead MoreA Comparison of the Views of Mike Rose and Richard Rodriguez on Education764 Words   |  3 Pageseducational experiences after he is inadvertently placed in vocational education when the results from his placement tests are confused with another student named Rose. Vocational education is a euphemism for the bottom level. Rose went to school at a time when tracking, or sorting students by the results of placement tests was common in public education. Rose recounts his experiences in vocational education in order to elaborate on the problems of such system. The author calls the vocational track aRead MoreLiberal Education806 Words   |  4 Pageseducation be a liberal education or should it be more focused on vocational issues? A liberal education is a system in which education is acceptable for a free human being. It’s based on the medieval concept of liberalism of the Age of Enlightenment. It was once descri bed as a philosophy of education that empowers individuals with more knowledge and transferable skills, and a stronger sense of values, ethics and civic unity. A vocational education is an education that refers to a system or course ofRead MoreThe Career Of A Nursing Profession876 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent jobs. The passion I have for nursing has flourished because of this life changing opportunity that is being given to me. Through the Vocational Nursing Program, I will be able to receive the education to be able to provide care for my community and fulfill my calling. All my life nurses have surrounded me. My mother was diagnosed with Hodgkin Disease while I was in the womb. She spent most of her early motherhood life in a Galveston, TX hospital. I also, in 2006 was diagnosed with cervical cancerRead MoreWork Experience Essay1120 Words   |  5 PagesWork Experience Between June 30th to July 14th, I had the most nervous and prominent moment of my life, I went to work for the first time of my 15 years life. I felt exciting fervent and passionate, after a scrutinisingRead MoreAnalysis Of I Just Wanna Be Average1039 Words   |  5 Pageshard and struggle through life trying to be the very best at every single thing they do; this is a good trait to have but, sadly not everyone has this type of work ethic or motivation. Some people just try to get by and go through the motions, often not getting the education they they are rightfully entitled to. This is the type of mentality that Mike Rose discusses in his narrative â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average.† Throughout the narrative, Rose shares personal experiences of mistakenly being set onRead MoreAn Article On Theories Of Career Development1090 Words   |  5 Pagestheories of career development. By applying the theories to my career developments, evaluating the strength and weakness of those theories, then I took my parents’ working experience as examples, finally came up with my theory that should be used when making a voca tional choice. Applying Theories to My Career Development There are two career development theories which is quite coinciding with my career development. The first one is the vocational choice theory of Holland (1997), it teaches me how to chooseRead MoreThe Benefits of Vocational Education1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe Benefits of Vocational Education Most high schools offer some form of vocational education program. Vocational education is training for a specific career or trade, excluding the professions. Vocational education focuses on practical applications of skills learned, and is generally unconcerned with theory or traditional academic skills. Students at vocational educational typically receive more hands-on, career-minded education than students at traditional schools. Individuals are given the opportunityRead MoreThe Importance Of Non-Paid Work Experience862 Words   |  4 Pagesparticipating directly in a Vocational Rehabilitation Training under the provision of Non-Paid Work Experience (NPWE) program. During the month of December 2010 through April 2016 I began working at the Veterans Affairs office at 6437 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC 29209. The first five years was as a Federal Work-Study, while pursing my Bachelor of Business Administration degree. After graduating I was immediately accepted into the Veterans Affairs Non-Paid-Work-Experience (NPWE) training programRead MoreEssay on Education in Thomas Friedmans The World is Flat1164 Words   |  5 Pages Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world (Nelson Mandela). Although college may not be for everyone more people should look into getting a college degree. It is true that vocational and technical schools are good, although it limits people from exploring other areas of study that can lead to other career interests or opportunities. People should pursue going to college because most employers look to hire people with a two year degree or four year degree. According

What You Pawn I Will Redeem Free Essays

English 102 MWF 11-11:50 I really enjoyed the story What You Pawn I will Redeem. It was very well written and kept my attention throughout the story. It is amazing that he walked by a pawnshop and immediately recognized his grandmother’s regalia without ever seeing it other than in pictures. We will write a custom essay sample on What You Pawn I Will Redeem or any similar topic only for you Order Now I enjoy reading about Native American cultures and beliefs. There was a lot of humor in this story and Jackson definitely did not take himself too seriously. I think the 1st person narrator was very important in telling this story. I do not feel that Jackson was an unreliable narrator because he seemed to tell it like it is. He had no reason to try to make himself look better. He seems to accept himself for who he is. He is an honest man who seems to be well liked by everybody he deals with on a regular basis, from the cop to the guy with the newspapers. He shows his struggles with alcohol and also his giving nature. All the money he came across he spent not just on himself getting drunk but on others as well. I believe that the theme of the story is that no matter where you go in your life you never forget or really give up where you come from. Jackson Jackson has been homeless for six years away from his family in Spokane yet as soon as he saw his grandmother’s regalia in the window he knew it was hers even before they find the yellow bead. It then becomes his mission to gather the money to get it back. The regalia is a piece of him and the life he left behind. Even though he does not come up with the money to buy it back he still ends up with it in the end. How to cite What You Pawn I Will Redeem, Essay examples

Kenny Ramirez Mr.Casey Essays (611 words) - Africa, Mining

Kenny Ramirez Mr.Casey Persu Ess 2 It is 1999 and Sierra Leone is ravaged by major political unrest. Rebel factions such as the Revolutionary United Front frequently terrorize the countryside, intimidating Mende locals and enslaving many to harvest diamonds, which fund their increasingly successful war effort. One such unfortunate local is fisherman Solomon Vandy ( Djimon Hounsou ) from Shenge , who is separated from his family and assigned to a workforce overseen by Captain Poison (David Harewood ), a ruthless warlord. One morning, Vandy discovers an enormous pink diamond in the riverbank. Captain Poison tries to take the stone, but the area is suddenly raided by government troops. Vandy buries the stone before being captured. Both Vandy and Poison are incarcerated in Freetown, along with Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a white Rhodesian gunrunner jailed while trying to smuggle diamonds into Liberia. They were intended for Rudolph van de Kaap (Marius Weyers), a corrupt South African mining executive. Hearing of the pink diamond in prison, Archer arranges for himself and Vandy to be freed from detention. He travels to Cape Town to meet his employer: Colonel Coetzee (Arnold Vosloo ), an Afrikaner formerly with the apartheid-era South African Defence Force, who now commands a private military company. Archer wants the diamond so he can sell it and leave the continent forever, but Coetzee wants it as compensation for Archer's botched smuggling mission. Archer returns to Sierra Leone, locates Vandy , and offers to help him find his family if he will help recover the diamond. Meanwhile, RUF insurgents escalate hostilities; Freetown falls to their advance while Vandy's son Dia is among those rounded up to serve as a child soldier under a liberated Captain Poison. Archer and Vandy narrowly escape to Lungi, where they plan to reach Kono with an American journalist, Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly); in exchange, Archer will provide her evidence of the illicit diamond trade. The trio arrive in Kono after a harrowing journey, where Coetzee and his private armycontracted by the Sierra Leone governmentprepares to repulse the rebel offensive. While Maddy gets out with her story, the two men set out for Captain Poison's encampment. Dia , stationed with the RUF garrison there, is confronted by Vandy , but having been brainwashed he refuses to acknowledge his father. Archer radios the site's coordinates to Coetzee, who directs a combined air and ground assault on the camp; Vandy finds Captain Poison and beats him to death with a shovel as the mercenaries overwhelm the RUF defenders. Coetzee then forces Vandy to produce the diamond, but is killed by Archer, who realizes Coetzee would eventually kill them both. Dia holds the pair briefly at gunpoint, but Vandy confronts him again and renews their bond. Pursued by vengeful mercenaries, Archer discloses he has been mortally wounded and entrusts the stone to Vandy , telling him to take it for his family. Vandy and his son rendezvous with Archer's pilot, who flies them to safety while Archer makes a final phone call to Maddy ; they sh are final farewells as he asks her to assist Vandy , and gives her permission to finish her article. Archer finally takes in the beautiful African landscape before dying. Vandy arrives in London and meets with a van de Kaap representative; he exchanges the pink diamond for a large sum of money and being reunited with his entire family. Maddy takes photographs of the deal to publish in her article on the diamond trade, exposing van de Kaap's criminal actions. Vandy appears as a guest speaker at a conference on "blood diamonds" in Kimberley, and is met with a standing ovation.

Prostitution in Seventeenth Century Europe

Prostitution in Seventeenth Century Europe Prostitution, from its earliest inceptions, has carried a rather unflattering connotation. A majority of the population attaches pejorative labels such as "slut" or "whore" to its practitioners, and deem the institution in general as a taboo subject not mentioned in polite conversation. Regardless of its negative stereotypes, prostitution has become an omnipresent reality even in today's modern world. This essay looks at prostitution in three European countries- Italy, The Netherlands, and England. It will examine how most people viewed such an establishment, the various methods of regulation (if such means existed), and the resulting consequences on seventeenth century society.Most of Europe viewed prostitution in the seventeenth century as a degrading and disreputable means of making a living. This was especially true in Italy, particularly in the city of Florence, which had been transformed by the Renaissance into the cultural and artistic center of the country. As a result, many prostitutes flocked to Florence due to the potential for lavish financial gains.The Procuress, oil on canvasMost of these women of ill repute migrated from the northern countries of Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium. Only around fifteen percent of Florentine prostitutes came from Italian origins.As John Brackett describes in his article "The Florentine Onesta and the Control of Prostitution, 1403-1680", several of the citizens of Florence regarded prostitution as immoral and viewed it with suspicion. The prevailing thought was that women should not flaunt their libidinous intentions even in the most clandestine settings, and certainly not advertise themselves in public. However, many also realized that lasciviousness was, at the time, a necessity which would be difficult to eradicate altogether. Therefore, the Italian government created the Onesta (Office of Decency) to regulate the practice of prostitution.Instead, the Onesta became a device of exploitation and completely ostac ized prostitutes from tyhe rest of...

10 Fun 5th Grade Math Games to Help You Learn

10 Fun 5th Grade Math Games to Help You Learn SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for a fun and effective way to reinforce the math skills learned in 5th grade? Try playing a game! Games are a great way to solidify the key lessons fifth graders learn in the classroom while also having fun. In this article, we'll talk about the key skills students learn in fifth grade, why games are so important for mastering those skills, and give you a list of 10 games you can start playing right now. Key Math Skills Learned in 5th Grade Fifth graders put together the skills they've learned throughout elementary school to solve complex problems using complex numbers. While they work on building their fluency for these skills, they also learn how to apply them to real-world problems about time, measurement, and money. Most states in the United States have their own unique educational standards, but the basic fifth grade math curriculum and the skills fifth graders learn are fairly standard. Fifth graders learn: How to divide whole numbers with and without remainders How to make connections between decimals, fractions, and percentages How to multiply and divide fractions How to compute the area and volume of basic geometric shapes like rectangles and squares Fifth graders will also start to investigate basic algebraic equations, as well as the relationship between circumference and diameter. Each of these skills can be reinforced with games to help students master them. How 5th Grade Math Games Can Help Master Key Skills Games are a great way to help students learn key skills. There has been tons of research about how effective games are in helping students not only learn how to master a concept, but also have a safe space to explore and fail. Here are a few reasons why 5th grade math games should be an important part of your student's practice: Games are a fun way to practice. Fun math games for 5th grade students help them practice needed skills in a way that feels fun, not frustrating. Students won't feel like they're wasting their time learning, they'll feel engaged and excited about their practice. Games teach important skills. Games are a great way to introduce new skills to students. A 5th grade math game about basketball, for instance, can be a good way to get students to think about diameter or circumference before actually teaching them the skill. Likewise, once students have learned about a skill in the classroom, games can help them apply the skill in a real world setting. Aside from the educational skills students learn, games also teach students how to deal with failure, work together, and overcome obstacles. Games form positive memories of learning. Learning math can be frustrating for a lot of kids. If they experience failure or frustration learning in the classroom, games are a great way to reclaim their sense of worth and help them actually have while learning. 5 Fun Math Games for 5th Grade You Can Play in the Classroom There are tons of fun math games for 5th grade students that you can play in the classroom. Here are ten of the best. #1: Multiplication/Division War Students will build fluency with multiplication and division problems by working to figure out which student has the highest sum or product quickly. This is a great way to reinforce the basic skills students need for other 5th grade math problems. All you need for this game is a few sets of math fact flash cards. For fifth graders, use multiplication or division cards. Link to detailed instructions: here #2: The Amazing Equation Game This game helps students become more familiar with basic algebraic in a fun, competitive way. Students will learn to get comfortable with variables like letters standing in for numbers, as well as figuring out how to manipulate equations. For this game, you'll need scrap paper and pencils for your students and white paper (or index cards) and markers to prepare the game. Link to detailed instructions: here #3: Percent Flash Students will learn how to easily calculate percentages. They'll pull a card and add a "0" to the end. For instance, if they pull a "2" card, they'll be working with 20%. Then, they'll roll the dice and calculate the percentage of the numbers they rolled. This game will help students become more excited about percents. For this game, you'll need a deck of cards, dice, one calculator per player, paper, and pencils. Link to detailed instructions: here #4: Graph Puzzles Geometric shapes can make many students uneasy. This 5th grade math game can help students become more confident with their graphing skills. Students will learn to draw shapes using positive and negative numbers and ordered pairs to create fun shapes- just like solving a puzzle. For this game, you'll need graph paper, pencils, and rulers. Link to detailed instructions: here #5: Lego Area and Perimeter This skill teaches students the basics of figuring out area and perimeter for rectangular shapes. You'll have students to figure out area and perimeter by placing the legos on the graph paper and counting the squares. For this game, you'll need small legos, graph paper, a pencil, and paper. Link to detailed instructions: here 5 5th Grade Math Games Online There are tons of 5th grade math games online that your student can play. Here are five 5th grade math games online that cover a wide variety of 5th grade math skills. #1: Multiplying Fractions Soccer Game This game has student solve fraction problems in order to have the chance to score a goal for their soccer team. The game has students interpret the products of different fraction multiplication problems. The game is great because it can be played on computers and tablets without installation and can be played alone or in teams. It's fun for students to kick the soccer goals, but the game is more about the math than the soccer. #2: Papa's CupCakeria This game helps students persevere in the face of problems, as well as manipulate fractions. The student has to fulfill cupcake orders and work quickly to staunch the flow of customers in a shop. This game is fun, with brightly colored graphics and a fun soundtrack. It can only be played on a computer, which limits the number of students that can interact with it, and it's focused more on real-world problem solving than fractions, with students spending more energy balancing fulfilling order than actually figuring out the fractions. #3: Math Games This online math game database has tons of different practice problems built into an online platform. You can practice basically every skill your fifth grader will need to master during the year, broken down into standards. This database is great because it has hundreds of problems for every single 5th grade math skill. Unfortunately, the skills are more drills than games - they're really just straight practice. Still, this is a great way to get lots of practice on lots of skills in quickly. #4: Boat Coordinates This fun and simple online math game has you help navigate a boat down a river full of obstacles by selecting the proper coordinates to steer to in four quadrants. This game is great because it can be customized to a single quadrant or four quadrants to help students master the skills at different levels. This is a solid game for many students, with the one caveat that it has to be played on a desktop, not an app. #5: Algebra Meltdown The game starts simple but gets increasingly difficult as it progresses. Unfortunately, the game isn't responsive to student progress, so it gets more difficult whether or not your student is ready for it. However, a student who does well at linear equations will find this game fun and challenging. Go Play! There are thousands of 5th grade math games that you can use to reinforce math skills for your student. You can play games online or in-person- either way, the games will help them learn while having fun. What's Next? Before you play some of these games, you'll need to know some basics about graphing. Learn about the four graph quadrants (and where numbers are positive/negative) here! Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa). Are you learning about logarithms and natural logs in math class? We have a guide on all the natural log rules you need to know. Did you know that water has a very special density? Check out our guide to learn what the density of water is and how the density can change.