Home: About the Project and Me

Hello, welcome to my blog and final portfolio project. The purpose of this class, was to understand, through different texts and readings, the wide variety of cultures, communities, and civic engagements within our world. With this project I was able to learn that we are all different, but everyones voice holds importance and should not be discriminated against. Enjoy my final blog.




My name is Cloey Hirst and I am an 18 year old student here at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. After serious thought over the course of the past few years, I have decided to major in early childhood elementary education so that one day I can not only change the American Education System, but also the lives of young students.

Mind Map

Mind Map

Social Involvement

Intro: Overview of what is social involvement is,

Current situations

-The Women's March and its effect on the world                             

-Personal Experience of the March

-What the March made me realize

-Be educated with the  world around you: watch the news, 

read the news paper

-Results of the  most recent election (how Dif everyone feel?)

-What makes a person a good citizen

-Examples of social involvement: MLK Jr.'s role

-Why it's important to be involved

-What are the benefits of engagement?

-Effects on voting/not voting

-Why is it so difficult for people to vote

-Sources:Articles, Podcasts, example from Selma

Conclusion:

-Summary of the general objective of 

social involvement

-My ow thoughts on how interaction can change the future

-example of struggles from "Amazing Grace"

Introduction to Final Paper

In America we live in a society born from the Declaration of Independence that grants us our protected unalienable rights through the idea that “every citizen has the means to actively engage in public sphere, including political processes” (Civic Participation and Empowerment).  This means that, as Samaritans, we have the ability to express our own opinions and perspectives and uphold our civic duties (volunteering, voting, etc.). Except, as time changes, so has American society. With the constant struggle for equality (for LGBTQ, POC, and Women), the results of the most recent 2016 presidential election, and other headlining news reports, the importance in staying socially active is at an all-time high. Although it may seem like a daunting task when going against the grain of the public, we as a nation must continue to stick together and be socially involved  so that we can make a constructive difference within various communities to improve the basis of equality for everyone. 

Declaration of Independence: Primary ...loc.gov

The Women's March

Personally, my experience with social involvement was just as frightening as one would be while talking in front of a big audience. On January 21^st, 2018 I decided to use my platform as a young, educated woman by partaking in The National Women’s March right here in Lansing, Michigan. To me, this movement was more than just a form of feminist activism. It was about women taking back their bodies in the #MeToo movements, along with power to the polls, showing how “women make up less than 25 percent of legislature” (Women’s March Michigan 2018), and other efforts to provide a transformative social change within our communities because the rights of women, natives, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ are human rights. The mission of the Women’s March showed me that I as a young female shouldn’t be offended by my body because of what I wear and that “regardless of race, gender, age, or disability, we have full protection under the United States Constitution” (Our Mission). As I walked through the streets of the march, I saw women and other believers of the movement working together to show that there is an inner circle of trust that cannot be broken no matter what struggles come their way. These people took it upon themselves, in a peaceful march without violence, to hopefully one day claim victory over equality for all those who live in America. being able to speak to others on the same agenda was eye opening, inspiring experience for me because I saw that all it takes is the willingness of others to make change possible. 

Logo Needed for Women Empowerment ...freelancer.com

Create logo for women empowerment ...99designs.com

Women's March

Women's March on Washington: A ...nationalreview.com

Home - Women's March Michiganwomensmarchmichigan.org

Women's March Ann Arbor part of ...mlive.com

Get out and make a Difference

But how can we make a difference when so many cultures, beliefs, and religions are co-existing in our society? The answer is simple: be educated. By letting yourself become fully aware of what is happening in the world around you, you now have the ability to spark conversation that puts the word out into existence. This includes: “knowing who your local legislators and politicians are and how to get in touch with them, attend town hall meetings (city council, school board), use social media to mobilize your voice, volunteer at local organizations, and by attending rallies you can surround yourself with new perspectives” (25 Ways to be Politically Active). By getting yourself out there and sharing your concerns with your local peers and politicians, you are becoming an agent of change for society. After the results of the 2016 presidential election, many people felt as if it was a huge slap in the face. With so much excitement and ambition towards a better future, our hopes were soon shattered when we found out that our new President of the United States was Donald Trump. Waking up the morning after, I realized, along with the rest of America, that we as a nation are simply not paying enough attention: we need to be more involved. In Barack Obama’s farewell speech, he says:

“That’s what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your narrow interest is at stake. But over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try talking with one of them in real life. If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Stay at it” (President Obama Farewell Address). Change will never be possible if people just sit by and wait for it to happen. People like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, and Benazir Bhutto did not sit behind a screen hoping that someone would speak up for them. Instead, they took it upon themselves to create their own movements to reconstruct the attitudes of society. It’s like the saying: “if you want something done you have to do it yourself” because although it may be intimidating, the outcome is far greater than the fear of our own vulnerability.

Obama and MLK Jr.

come if we wait for some other person o ...quoteparrot.com

http://time.com/4631137/president-obama-farewell-speech-highlights/

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes ...keepinspiring.me

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr ...westa.org

Voting Impact and Struggle

            Though there is nothing we can do to grant confidence in the citizens of America, one small, intimate step you can take is fulfilling your civic duties as a citizen. A prime example of this includes the act of voting. Being able to vote allows you and the people of America to include themselves closely in politics where they can vote for local policies, house representatives, state senators, supreme court officials, electoral college members, and even elect the president of the United States. We as citizens, are key players in passing policies we are passionate about and moving our country in the right direction where everyone is represented. However, in recent years, our Samaritan obligation to vote has become a difficult problem. To be able to participate in voting you must be a registered voter, and unfortunately, it’s not as accessible as it is for some people. This then entails a very low voter turnout during election season. According to NPR session:  The Cost to Cast a Ballot, "In 1940, a mere 3 percent of the voting-age, black men and women in the South were registered to vote… in Mississippi, less than 1 percent were registered voters…Luckily today that amount has since gone up but still only remains with 30 percent of Blacks voting” ( The Cost to Cast a Ballot).  Because of the evident situation of low voter turnout every year, this leads an unequal representation among various parts of the population. “Different groups have significantly divergent preferences, as seen in trade, or union policies each support… the problem isn’t that you, a single voter, are voting (or not) and seeing benefits; rather, it’s that one group is dominating the system” (The High Cost of Low Voter Turnout).  Reflecting on what Barack Obama said in his farewell speech, we need not to forego our opportunity to be involved, presuming that benefits will still come, because alas, benefits and positive development come less frequently to those who need it the most. Which in turn, describes the important impact that follows when you vote.

Activist Photographers Who Fought ...collectorsweekly.com

Voter Registration Trends: Alabamadailykos.com