AJs blog

When I think about the childhood memories that shaped who I am today, my mind always goes back to Peru those first five years before I came to the U.S. I didn’t grow up in the typical way most people imagine. I was raised by my older sister and her husband, along with their two kids. They also helped raise my brother and my other sister. My siblings were a lot older than me, my brother was 11 and my sister was 16 when I was born—so in many ways, I was the baby of the whole family. What I remember most from those early years is how family-oriented everything was. My sister and her husband took on a huge responsibility by basically raising me while my parents left for the U.S. when I was just one year old. Their goal was to work, save money, and eventually bring all of us over. But during that time, my sister stepped into that mother role so naturally that for a long time, I genuinely thought she was my mom. As I got older, she slowly explained the truth, but the love she showed me neve...

 I’ve had a handful of unusual experiences while working in hospitality, but one moment that has always stayed with me happened when I worked security at the Hyatt in Denver. It wasn’t the kind of situation you prepare for during training, and honestly, it wasn’t something I expected to deal with at all. One night, I was helping a coworker handle a frustrated guest whose key card had stopped working. Simple issue, right? Usually, we get it fixed, and people go on with their night. But this guest came into the lobby already yelling at the front desk staff, so we stepped in to calm things down. The moment he looked at my name tag “Alvaro” everything shifted. Instead of focusing on getting his key card fixed, he started making racial comments in Spanish. It was clear he wasn’t trying to connect or be funny; he was being intentionally disrespectful, using my name as an excuse to take shots at me. I remember feeling caught off guard, not because I hadn’t heard ignorant remarks before, b...

  1. What caused this social movement to arise? You can consider social, economic, political factors, or specific events etc. The Black Lives Matter movement started in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. That case, along with other high‑profile incidents of police violence against Black people, sparked outrage and showed how deep racial inequality still runs in the U.S. Socially, it came from frustration with everyday discrimination and the fear many Black communities face. Politically, it grew out of anger that the justice system wasn’t holding people accountable. Economically, it also connected to long‑standing issues like poverty and lack of opportunity in many Black neighborhoods. All of those factors came together and pushed people to organize and demand change. 2. From what you can see doing some initial research, was this movement successful? Why or why not?  BLM has definitely made an impact, but it’s a mixed picture. On one...

  1) How is writing for social change connected to writing for ecological change?   Writing for social change and ecological change really go hand in hand. Both are about calling out problems and pushing people to think differently. The article made me realize that when we write about the environment, we’re also writing about people how we live, what we value, and how our choices affect others. You can’t separate nature from society. Changing how we treat the planet also means changing how we treat each other. 2) What ecological considerations might be involved in the actual process of researching and writing?   Research takes resources energy, travel, printing and that all affects the environment. The article also made me think about respect: whose stories are we telling and are we doing it in a way that honors the land and the people connected to it. Writing with care means being mindful about how our words and methods touch the world around us. 3) Have you ever written...

Alvaro Linan 642 Curve Dr Rapid City, South Dakota, 57701 Alvaro10@email.com  648-241-3642 10-15-2025  To the Honorable Minister of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation Lima, Peru  Dear Minister, My name is Alvaro Linan, and I was born in Peru. I’m currently a college student in the United States, but I still care deeply about the communities I grew up around, especially those in rural and Indigenous areas. I’m writing to you because I’m concerned about the ongoing lack of clean water and proper sanitation in many parts of Peru. Even though the country has made progress in some areas, there are still far too many families who don’t have access to safe drinking water or basic sanitation. I’ve read that around 25% of people in rural Peru aren’t connected to public water systems, and about 76% don’t have access to sewer networks. In some parts of the Amazon, over 40% of people still rely on rivers or informal system...

If I were going to create a comic or graphic novel that ties into society, I would call it   The Guardian . The main character would be superhuman, but not in the usual way. Instead of super strength or flight, The Guardian would have heightened emotional perception the ability to feel what others feel, sense pain that’s been buried, and channel that energy into healing and connection. Their presence alone would calm tension, and their touch could restore emotional balance. When they use their power, their eyes would glow softly, revealing the depth of their empathy. They would wear formal clothing tailored suits, polished shoes, and a composed look that reflects their respect for the people they serve. Their appearance would be clean and professional, helping them blend into everyday spaces while still carrying a quiet authority. The Guardian’s mission would be to support communities that feel ignored or silenced. They wouldn’t fight traditional villains, but instead confront soci...

This article opened my eyes to how serious light pollution really is not just for the environment, but for culture and identity too. The authors explain how the growing brightness of our cities is slowly erasing our ability to see the stars, which might not seem like a big deal at first, but it’s actually a major loss for Indigenous communities. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions are deeply connected to the stars, and when those stars disappear behind artificial light, so does a part of their history and knowledge. I thought it was really powerful how the authors connected this to the idea of cultural genocide it made me realize that colonization isn’t just something that happened in the past, but something that can continue in new forms, even though something as “normal” as city lights. What stood out to me most was how this issue relates to our everyday lives. We all contribute to light pollution in small ways whether it’s streetlights, phone screens, or city glow ...