My Scarlet Letter...

Recently, in my AP Literature class, we read a book in which i really enjoyed. So far, it is one of my favorite American literature books that i've ever read. The type of language in which the story was formatted was confusing, but the story itself was amazing. It is the very first book in which i remember everything that happens.

For those who have yet not read, The Scarlet Letter, i suggest you do. To not "spill the beans," i will tell all of you a simple description of the book. The Scarlet Letter takes place in the 19th century in the colony of Boston. The protagonist--Hester Prynne, has committed a sin. As her punishment, Hester shall wear a scarlet letter that would remind her every day of her life of the sin she had committed. This scarlet letter was an "A". Throughout the story, the meaning of the scarlet letter changes. Pearl, who was the product of Hester's sin, is an evil little girl. The father of this child is not able to be with the people whom he loves. It is until the end of the story where he and Hester shall decide to live a real life--hiding no secrets, or continue this fake life and never be together.

Before, our Christmas Break, my English teacher assigned us an extra-credit activity. The assingment was for students--who wanted extra-credit--shall wear their very own scarlet letter that represents their sin. We had to take in consideration the Seven Deadly Sins and the Tenth Commandments. Once we found our sin, we had to think of a positive trait that started with the same letter. After, we had to create a fancy visible letter and wear it "upon our bosom" for one whole straight week.

My Scarlet Letter was the same one as Hester's. And NO...it did not stand for the same sin Hester had committed. My sin was "ANGER", synonym of WRATH--one of the seven deadly sins.
This activity is really awesome. It actually got us into character, people stare at you, ask you what is stands for, why you are wearing it, and it also bothers! Like all the time, i will get bugged. Now imagine, Hester had to wear the letter for the rest of her life, we just had to wear it a week; I would go insane if i was Hester.

Overall the activity and the story itself were awesome. i really thank my AP Lit teacher for itnroducing this story to us.

The City of Angels...

Take a look at this photographs I took of Los Angeles, while I was at my
meeting/seminar for the Young Senators Program.

I was even on the room were Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will usually
nominate someone for a position, or anything related.

I so love this photographs.
(Photos taken by me, on the Mayor Tom Bradley Tower in City Hall)

What ever happen to Broadway?!

I was just on Broadway. And whenever I hear "Broadway", the first thing
that comes to mind is 5-star Theatres, award-winning plays, presitgious
musicians, the *real* place for famous people.

As I was walking with my parents through Broadway, I began to observe
the old theaters that were there. And I began to think to myself: What
Ever Happen To Them?
Many of them are now a plaza for stores, some are locations for churches
now, some are just abandon buildings.

I began to visualize the early years of Broadway,and what really went
down the street. Maybe it was Los Angeles' richest person rather than
today's Los Angeles poorest minority. Or whether it was an Award-Winning
Drama Performer rather than today's Jewerly Owner.

Now, im interested in what happen to all that. Im going to start
researching and begin to learn the history of Broadway.

I just find it really interesting how it could have transition from
theaters and 5-star hotels to shops and abandon buildings.

Now this is a story I will need to uncover myself.
(Reporting from Broadway in Los Angeles,CA)
--stupidblind

The Mayor attend the Day of Peace.

The face of LA County, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, attended Jane
Goodall's Roots&Shoots Day of Peace Festival.

The Roots&Shoots Day of Peace, which took place at the Santa Monica
Pier, was an outstanding festival of promoting peace all over LA County,
the country, and the world.

My highschool Roots&Shoots group--Urban Empowerment--took part of this
great year while both our Roots&Shoots Rep and UE Members volunteered to
make this a great day.

KTLA5, the only media I saw there,was really into it. One of my favorite
reporters, Makeyla, was there and seemed to enjoy it!

It wasn't until Mayor Villaraigosa that catched the County residents'
eyes when he adopted a new dog! [Look at the photo].

Having Media and our Mayor attend this extraordinary event shows how
much people really are interested in promoting peace.

In times like these, seems like Peace deserves a chance.

A Role Model for Womyn...and Men.

Today was the 8th anniversary when our nation faced a tragedy;
witnessing the fall of the Twin Towers--which symbolized our nation's
power.

But, today was also Lisa Leslie's Farewell Game, in Los Angeles Sparks
vs. Minnesota Lynx.

Lisa Leslie, #9, stands at 6-5 feet,and played 12 seasons as the leader
of the LA Sparks. Sadly, tonight it was Lisa's last season game, and is
set to retire of the WNBA at age 37.
Lisa entered the WNBA in 1997. She was the first to hi 3,ooo, 4,ooo,
5,ooo points. She is the only player to ever get 6,ooo career points.

Lisa Leslie is 3-time MVP, 8-time All Star, and 3-Time All Star MVP,
2-time WNBA Champions, 2-time Finals MVP, 2-time Defensive Player of the
Year, and is a member of the WNBA All-Decade Team.
She is also a 4-Olmypic gold medalist.

While Leslie being in the 12 seasons, the Sparks have had 9 playoffs and
have brought 2 championship trophies.

Lisa has become a role model for both womyn,and men.

Witnessing her Farewell Ceremony at the beginning of the game was
amazing! She got an album of photographs of her best WNBA Moments, and
Golden BBall Shoes given by Nike. Along with other gifts.

Also,the one of the best moments of her ceremony was having Magic
Johnson tell her some words. I enjoyed when he told her that he had told
some people at the airport that he wasn't in Springfield celebrating his
friends be in the Hall of Fame, because he decided to be in Los Angeles
and celebrating "someone who WILL BE in the HALL OF FAME."

At the end, Leslie led his teammates--like Candice Michelle, Tina
Thompson, Shannon Bobbitt, and the rest--to victory by beating the
Lynzx, 90-61.

(*Source: The "Off the Bench", Special Commemorative Issue of Lisa
Leslie's Farewell Game*)

My City...

Here are recent photographs that ive taken.
Some of them interpret things that are recently going on, others just interpret things i like.

Empowering Young Lives

The month of August 2oo9, will be remembered both by teens and children
who participated in the first MacArthur Park Teen Club.

Today, was the end of the "first chapter of the book [we the volunteers]
are writing",as my awesome trainer Faye Estrada said. This project,which
was led entirely by youth in the community, gave young elementary and a
few high school students the opportunity to learn new subjects as well
as a space to meet other people and have fun.
The workshops in which the students participated on were: Theatre &
Music, Arts & Crafts, Arts & Comedy, Environmental Awareness,and Spoken
Word/Poetry.

Many volunteers saw this experience as a learning tool, a "quarter of
their" goals and dreams for the future, an opportunity to meet others
who seek change in the community too, a accomplishment in their lives,
and also an "opportunity to help the community."

This enrichment program was very successful at the end. We were all glad
& appreciated that volunteers took some of their summer to help make a
difference in the children's lives. It takes only one day to change a
person's life. This program could have changed a students or a
volunteers life.

This program not only allowed us to empower young lives,but also mentor
and be there for young students. "[A few volunteers could] tell
something about each student", their connection with this students gave
the volunteers the opportunity to get to know them better.

Some of the students touched the hearts of few volunteers. There was a
specific student whom really touched lives of both the volunteers and
the trainers. Their trust to the volunteers showed us the struggles both
their and their family faced.

When we heard such things, we automatically knew that this enrichment
program did make a change in the students life, it gave them a space to
forget what was out there: gangs, violence,domestic violence, sexual
harrasment, vandalism, and any struggles one can think the people of
McArthur Park face.

We just hope that this students will reach for their goals and dreams,
without having to fall into the misfortunes many other yout fall into.
It is programs like this that give youngsters that hope.

The end of the Summer program of the Teen Club is not the complete end.
We hope that we will be able to continue this program in order to have
contact with the students and parents, as well as continuing empowering
young lives.

How Dare He?!?!

So...I was reading the article in MSNBC, of the registered sex-offender,
Phillip Garrido, who is the suspect of kidnapping Jaycee Dugard 18 years
ago.

So according to the article, Garrido told the judge that he was ashamed
of what he had done to Dugard,and he also admitted that he kidnapped and
raped her.

Garrido also said that he even exposed to 7 year old girls!!!! WHAT!?!
How Dare He?!?! Eww...a big Eww.

Garrido stated that his sex fantasies drove him to do such things.

Gosh. I cannot believe there is people like these out there...but this
is reality. Not everyone in the world is good.

I just find it disgusting exposing yourself to really young girls,all
because your sex fantasies drive you to do them. Like..control
yourself..get a girl of your own age!!!! Ah.

Of what I know,he was in jail for a while in Nevada, but then got free.
I just hope they don't let him out again,and he stays in there for
good!!

People like these should be behind bars,but it just seems that nowadays
it is really hard to capture this..BASTARDS [yes.think that's the proper
name for such people].

(Leave a comment,if you want to :] )

...And the Fires Continue.

The LA-area wildfires don't seem to end.

This fires have " burned 164 square miles of brush and trees in the
Angeles National Forest by early Monday, up from 71 square miles on
Sunday evening",according to MSN.com article.

While I was at the NHEC CA Environmental Institute,they told us that
fires are sometimes healthy for the plant species in the mountains--if
they are natural-made fires. If these LA Wildfires were not
human-made,then I believe its healthy,but seems like its destroying
homes and lots of acres of land.

While watching the news in the morning I heard that firefighters
expected the fires to end by Sept.8th...but now since ithe fire seemed
to double, they now are guessing that it will end by Septembr
15th....meaning might be 2 more weeks till this fires end.
¦shorts™¦

What the Community is All About...

This two photographs are of the many photographs that can show what

the McArthur Park/Westlake Community is all about.

This two photos were taken by me, i have a bit more photos of McArthur Park that i will

post later on. [Lets just say there was a small litto problem hehe].

Photo Taken by: Erik Aguilar/McArthur Park/August 2oo9

Photo Taken by: Erik Aguilar/McArthur Park/August 2oo9

Tribute to Sen. Ted Kennedy

Today, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, a three-hour tribute took place for the Honorable Senator Ted Kennedy, who is now in a much better place.

Ted Kennedy, of Massachussetts, has had a record of fighting for great legislations that brought improvements to the nation. One of his main concerns was health coverage for ALL Americans.

At the Democratic National Convention, Ted Kennedy stated that health coverage should be given to "every American, north, south, east, west, young, [and] old", not as a "privilage", but as a "fundamental right!"

To what I have seen on TV, and read in LA Times, many congressional leaders believe that Congress should give health care as a right for every American, in honor of Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Some of the guests who attended this tribute where among: Sen. John McCain, Sen. Orrin Hatch, Sen. Christopher Dodd, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (JFK's Duaghter), Vice President Joe Biden, his nephew Representative Joseph Kennedy (Son of RFK), as well as Sen. John Kerry, and the living former presidents,except George H.W. Bush, that were in office while Kennedy was in the Senate.

I personally met his Senior Education Advisor, from the HELP Committee, hopefuly i will get to contact him, and maybe get to interview him and get to know a little more about Sen.Ted Kennedy.

A Helping Hand

In an economic crisis, low-income families face many struggles. Many have very little money to pay rent, gasoline, bus fare or even school supplies for children. In a bad economy, families cannot spend money on much of anything. They have to save up what they got. In hard times like these, people need a hand where they can ask for help.

On Friday, August 21, 2009, the World Vision Storehouse, in Commerce, CA, gave a helping hand to more than 1,000 low-income families. Families from across Southern California came to "The Children's Store", where children were given a backpack full of school supplies such as folders, notebooks, reading books, pencils, pens, crayons and coloring books. They even gave away clothes, digital cameras and scooters for the kids.

Many parents were already worrying about sending their kids with old to very few school supplies. This giveaway not only brought a relief to their budget,but happiness to children who are now confident to go back to school ready to learn!

While I was there, I observed many children getting out of the storehouse with a gigantic smile. Many of them said, "Wow,look what I got!" and "Mommy,look!". Many of them exited the storehouse already using their brand new scooter.

i personally know that these kids, as well as parents, thank World Vision very much, knowing that during these tough times, they didn't have the sufficient money to spend money on expensive items like digital cameras and scooters.

Just like many families witnessed that day, we all need a helping hand at some point of our lives. Whether it is advice on personal problems, or money loans, or a shelter, everyone needs that hand.

World Vision's generosity once again fulfilled their vision, helping families strive for a better life, helping families that face many obstacles and struggles in their lives.

World Vision, Thank you, for being there when families need you the most.

Youth Advocates Visit Their Congressional Leaders

Youth are not only the future leaders, but we are also the leaders of today. In order for youth to become great leaders, they don't only need support, but commitment to strive and advocate for change.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2009, World Vision's Youth Empowerment Project delegations from twelve sites around the nation met with their Congressional representatives and presented to them a policy recommendation.The Los Angeles delegation representing the Westlake/MacArthur Park community met with Congressman Xavier Becerra, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, and Senator Barbara Boxer's office. Sadly, we were not able to meet with Senator Dianne Feinstein. Our meeting was not "on their schedule." Our policy recommendation was on Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

About 11:00 p.m., the night before the visit to Capitol Hill, we held special meetings. We worked for about an hour and a half to rehearse, determine speaking order, and review our policy recommendations. Later, around 3:00 a.m., one of our fellow delegates with epilepsy woke up with what looked like a seizure. She was gasping for air and had a hard time breathing and talking. We were shocked and extremely concerned about her. She was rushed to the hospital.

The next morning she was out of the hospital recovering. Everyone thought that our congressional meetings were screwed because we weren't going to have her with us. Her story was powerful. It was her story, along with other great stories, that made our policy recommendations strong.

On our way to Capitol Hill that morning as I was standing on the train, I felt uncomfortable. I told one of my colleagues that I did not want to go to Capitol Hill anymore. I felt bad leaving my recovering colleague behind. Minutes later I realized that she wanted each of us to go to the Congressional meetings not only represent our community but her, her struggles, and her obstacles in life.

We first met with Congressman Xavier Becerra who represents California's 31st Congressional District [Echo Park,Silverlake, South Los Angeles,and more]. I really liked this meeting. I liked that he was actually listening to what we had to say. At the same time he was responding to us, not only vocally but visually. My colleagues and I observed that Congressman Becerra was more of a listener than a talker. He seemed to pay close attention and showed interest in what we had to say. Becerra's staff members were also very kind. They seemed like they were happy to have us there. Then again, politicians need more votes. We need to follow up, keep talking to their field office, and work together to accomplish change in our community.

We met next with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard who represents California's 34th Congressional District [Downtowm Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, and more]. This meeting was pretty awesome, too. I liked that she took the time to speak to us for a long time (almost an hour) at the end of the meeting! Because of what happened the night before, I did get sleepy, but what she had to say was great. She understood the issues we faced, but she also wanted us to understand the other side.

She gave us some examples. One of them was to imagine being an immigrant with three children who had a decent home and a decent job. Imagine a neighbor also with 3 children, a good paying job, and a degree in college. Your neighbor loses his or her job,but you keep yours. He or she is frustrated that they have a college degree and lost their job, when you do not and you still have your job. Wouldn't you be frustrated? Think about it.

When she told us this scenario, I put myself in the shoes of someone else and actually understood better what those who did not like immigrants might feel in the scenario. She shared that we need to understand all sides in order to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. One of my favorite things she said to us was that we, the constituents, were the Congressional Representatives' bosses. We decided if they were elected or not. This is true. If they want another term, they have towork for what the constituents want or else they won't be getting their vote.

Our third congressional meeting was scheduled with Senator Dianne Feinstein. As we waited outside her office some of us were excited. At least I was excited. I knew something about Senator Feinstein's record on the issue of immigration. I wanted her to listen to our stories,maybe we could influence her.

As we waited, most people faced one direction. As I was facing the opposite direction and saw a tall woman heading our way. I noticed it was Dianne Feinstein, and then whispered, "Dianne Feinstein! Shhh! It's Dianne Feinstein". Some of my fellow delegates did not even realize it was her!! Minutes after she walked into the office along with other people dressed in really nice suits they told us that our schedule was not on their schedule. I was disappointed. We were not able to go inside. I told a couple of staff members that I wanted to barge into her office and say something like "If you don't receive us for a couple of minutes, those in our group who will be eligible to vote soon, will not vote for you!!" I didn't do this. Maybe it was common sense for me not to be disrespectful. Maybe it was me not having the courage to speak our truth to someone with power. We plan to follow up with her office in the future either way. I hope she will have the respect to listen to us then.

Our last meeting was scheduled with Senator Barbara Boxer. She was not there. We met with her representative, Sam Rockman. I felt like her representative was a good listener. He didn't take very many notes though. I changed my lines a bit in this presentation. I said some things I did not say in the last two meetings. I think it was an improvement.

At the end of our presentation the representative gave us an understanding of the Senator's view of comprehensive immigration reform. A major thing Senator Boxer's representative told us what that some of our stories could be used on the Senate floor. This is a really big deal! Unlike the other two congressional meetings, Senator Boxer's representative asked for stories. At the end, I believe we actually did really well. We will send her the stories and follow what happens around immigration reform.

Overall, the congressional meetings were awesome. We rocked! We were all prepared. We knew what we had to say. We knew how we were supposed to introduce ourselves, how to project our voice, and how to get their attention without distractions. We all were successful, thanks to the help of our Los Angeles trainers and the support staff at World Vision who set up the meetings. We also had a lot of great advice from guests like Carmelo Alvarez, Gregorio Medina, Porfirio Frausto, and Marc Davidson.

Honestly, our congressional meetings would not have been successful without the help of adults who supported us and with the hard work we, the delegates, put into our policy recommendation.

At the end of the Congressional meetings and the Youth Empowerment Summit, I felt I fulfilled the obligations I had.

Porfirio Frausto once told us, "When you get opportunities, you also have obligations."

This is, honestly, true. We had the opportunity to help our community by joining this leadership training program. When we got accepted, we knew we had the obligation to work on a media project about issues in our community, create a policy recommendation, and go to Washington, D.C. to present to our Congress members. We had the obligation to go and speak for those who feel they have no voice, for those who see no hope, for those who don't have the same opportunities, and for those who seek change in our community.