Developing as a writer during this semester was a challenge for me. I became more self conscious of the way my sentences and paragraphs sounded throughout all my essays.  I am most proud of my final paper for many reasons , but I shall only name two. The first one being that was my only paper I received a high grade on and the second being that I feel my paper has touched many people outside of the Baruch campus since I sent it all around in my Highschool for students to read. I plan on improving my writing for the future by having complete strangers read my papers and take feedback on how I could improve it before submitting it.

I am constantly thinking about how affect peoples lives through the use of writing. My goal for my next semester writing course is to make sure that all my papers positively affects my readers. The time for changing the script for how papers are understood needs to happen.  My identity overall has not shifted at all, but my state of mind has through the exposure of reading books and first hand scenarios that I experience from the moment I am about to enter the subway station.

The most difficult thing I had to deal with was law enforcement and the losing of friends from the streets. I choose to remain to myself to just think about how I could save my life and other people of color that go through the hardships I experience. The most rewarding thing I gained from this semester was to see through everyones intentions by analyzing how they move, react and say things to other people. It has helped me decide who should be apart of journey because I truly believe I have something that other people don’t have here in Baruch. So I plan to keep that level of confidence up so I can never be put down by others who aren’t even on the same level as me.

I’m currently researching how internalized racism has divided the African American community in a terrible way. The reason I choose this topic is because I’ve first hand see how this changes close friends into enemies when they get older, so I strongly believe writing about this topic will bring awareness as to what is going on in these neighborhoods who face such a problem. Something that I learned while researching this topic is that everything dates back to when colonists first came to Africa with the divide and conquer mindset. The result of it has then evolved here to America; instead of sticking together and fighting for what’s right for us African Americans we stick to that divide and conquer mindset and it’s destroying everything that we once had. Honestly the researching part has become somewhat difficult in a way because most of the articles are similar to each other but just worded differently.

Being apart of the African community has truly been  a blessing. At this point of my life I can honestly say  being African is my biggest flex. It truly is a beautiful thing to know that many people will numerous things in order to be apart of the culture and history we’ve created, in terms of the music, dancing, clothing, remedies and of course the food. The different varieties of food is one of the main things that keep us close together. Moving on, an issue that I see that is present within the African community is the lack of resources to find a job, our immigrant parents always found ways to bring money home may it be braiding hair at home, cooking for others or just selling clothes that they don’t wear. It simply isn’t enough which causes many families to move back home because they simply didn’t know the tools and the requirements to getting a well decent job. I blame the workforce is set up mainly because you need to fit this requirement in order to get the job. I can guarantee you the African community has given birth to many amazing minds and ideas that can really bring something different that is needed for that specific company or business to take off to new heights that they have dreamed of in their lives. The solution I purpose is to have jobs open up more to having different talents in the work environment so that something spectacular can come from it.

When it comes to music I am the definitely the person to come to about it. I know I have better music choices compared to my peers, and this is a pact. Most of friends I know tend to go with the hype with what’s trending that’s honestly very wack because they just want to be down with everyone else without really knowing why they are attracted to that specific song or album. The thing that sets me apart from my friends is how I listen to the song, the beat needs to fit the artists flow, the tone and lyrics need to felt, and finally the message from the song. Every artist has a story to tell, so I try to set across different states and countries to find something new. I must say it’s been very successful, I was able to meet people who felt the same connection had to music I listened to. For example, Canadian artist SAFE, has beautiful sounds that people haven’t heard. I discovered his music about four years ago from Drake himself, one of the most well known artist of this generation. Since then i’ve watched him grow mentally in and out the studio and the way he demonstrates himself has been so amusing that I find myself listening to his songs on repeat. I recommend to whoever actually reads my post without getting bored to listen to his album. The name of it is called Stay, I truly hope you get to gain from what I did from listening to his music.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/20/patriots-release-antonio-brown-after-rape-allegations.html

In today’s world it there has been a growing number of Females who have come out and spoken up about how they have been sexually assaulted by actors, artists and pro athletes, majority of the allegations have been proven to be true. As I am looking back on it now many have been made against pro athletes the most more frequently, especially after that athlete has received a new deal that involves lots of money. Antonio Brown, a pro football athlete, was just released by the New England Patriots many hours ago. The reason behind this was because there was an allegation made against him that he had raped by woman who goes by the name of Britney Taylor, she claims that Antonio had raped him. Seeing such things like this makes very biased to believe that he didn’t do such a thing, I don’t care what people have to have say I truly believe he hasn’t done that at all. I’ve never met Antonio Brown at all but something I do know is that he is a father of 4 and supports them all in a very positive way, I also know that he’s been having problems with his former team known as the Oakland Raiders which refused his request of having to wear a certain helmet. That situation alone has caused major tension for him and that resulted for him to get traded to The Patriots where finally that issued was settled. Coming back to the allegation, AB has denied that he’s done this at all to Britney Taylor. The timing of doing such a thing had to be so perfect for her to think that she’ll wait when he’s at his best to bring back down, it’s a common trend that happens to many famous people who are in many well known industry’s. The one goal that they seek to gain from this is ruining the persons career and gain wealth from this, it’s too predictable of a story and it’s very annoying that people do such a thing without realizing how much they could destroy a persons life. I’m well aware that some of these cases are true and the victims intentions are pure to get vengeance for them and for all the other women who’ve been affected by it as well, that’s completely fine to do but there has to come a time to question the people for come forth to speak up about it and ask them “why now and not before”? A well known rapper named Sheck Wes was accused of abuse to his ex-girlfriend, I know Sheck Wes and have met him before and experienced first hand the person he is. He did not do such a thing a to a female at all. Number one, this man is very devoted person in taking Islam very seriously. Number two, the way he respects his mother is so amazing that is foolish for one person to come and say such a thing about him. Finally, he was accused right when he was at the height of his music career where people loved his music and when he was bringing in lots of money from it as well. Sheck has a solid alibi that has proven that he wasn’t even in the country the day of when she reported that he has psychically harmed her. All the stories are way too scripted and planned out to attack famous people when they are at their current best, this is the biggest issue of them all is coming up with a plan to stop people from making such foolish accusations that can impact the persons life in a negative way.

I see myself siding with George Dila’s perspective more than Anne Lamotts on writing a first draft. Something that George said was how he was not able to write a bad first draft, based on what I raid he sees that there needs to a strong foundation to build off on and not just head into working without knowing how’ll you’ll put everything together. I relate to George’s strategy when it comes to writing that first draft and that was to edit while gong on so that way everything becomes easily understandable, doing this allows a person to go back to what they wrote in the first draft and being able to tweak it a bit. I completely see Ms. Lamotts version of writing the first draft of being spontaneous to just write whatever down so that way when you come back to editing you come back to pick on something that you liked before and just expand on it more so it becomes something big, its effective but it’s something I don’t do very often. Only when it comes to writing a fictional piece it becomes very useful.

I Despise Police Officers

Do you know how frustrating it is to be stopped and searched by police officers because of how I look and how I dress when going downtown or heading home after a long day? No you wouldn’t know because you’ve never had to look over your shoulders when police officers are trailing and following your every move from the moment you give your friend a handshake inside of a store or inside the Laundromat.  I’ve been stopped by the police this year for a total of 7 times, the two instances that I remember that still gets me very angry to this very day was just uncalled for completely. The first incident occurred when I got off the train station at Freeman street, I was coming from Baruch kind of late working on my excel homework assignment which took forever to complete because I wasn’t organized on how I should do the work. As I was getting off the train and I saw 2 white male officers by the exit. I’m guessing they were there to make sure no one gets on the train without paying the fare, as i’m walking towards the exit I check my pockets to make sure I didn’t drop anything while I was getting off but I did and it was my wallet, so I turned around to walk back to get my wallet I dropped when all of a sudden I hear out loud “Hey!, what are you doing back there turning around after seeing us here?” I ignored male officer #1 because I know what I was doing and I felt no need to explain myself. Male officer#1 begins walking towards me and he says something that just gets me upset  “Boy I was talking to you,what are you doing back there?” The way he had put emphasis on the word “Boy” was with so much anger and disrespect as if I had just spit in his face for not answering him, I also know the term “boy” was used a lot back in slavery and that’s also how the white masters used to address one their black male slaves to get them to doing something or to just punish them for no reason. Before I am able to put my wallet into my pocket he proceeds to grab to my hand and asks me ” Boy I was talking to you, did you steal this wallet from someone on the train?” I told him ” No this is my wallet and I dropped it when I got off the train, why would you only come to the conclusion that i’m stealing something so quickly?” His next response wasn’t something shocking at all, I could already predict what this bald ass guy was going to say next. ” You people are always lying and trying to take what doesn’t belong to you, now give me that wallet boy I use force against you.” I laughed in his face because I simply couldn’t believe that this was happening to me and said ” Here, hurry up and take it so I could prove your dumb ass wrong and feel you stupid because that’s I how see all you guys all the time, you think just because you have a badge and gun you get to overpower people of color all the time. I bet if you were to take you badge and gun away I would kick your ass in a fight stupid.” Without saying a word I know I really got him upset, he takes me into the  train station next to the turnstiles in which he places me in front of the wall and instructs his partner Mark to hold me down against the wall. “Mark don’t allow him to move at all while I check his wallet to check out to see who he claims to be.” Male officer#1  says to his partner Mark. Mark listens to what he says and does what he told to do. ” Is this really necessary to do, you’re doing the most right now and then you wonder why people of color never want to respect you guys because you the job completely wrong. you don’t stand with the ideology the NYPD has in which it is to so called to ‘ protect and serve’ that’s all bullshit so you can use that as an excuse to do whatever you want. Look at this situation right now, do I look protected right now?” “Shutup boy and tell me your fucking name  and college you go to before this gets worse for you!” In doing so and being calm I realize he has my Baruch id in his hand and tell him my name before the situation turns bad. ” My name is Aboubacar Fofana and i’m currently attending Baruch college, now that you have my name and school name can you let me go now?”.  Male officer# 1 puts my id inside back into my wallet and slaps it against my face with force still being up against the wall. ” Take your wallet get out my sight boy” I laughed again and as Mark his partner lets me go off the wall and I say to the first officer ” I told you I was going to make you feel stupid you dumb ass.” I proceed to take my wallet and as i’m walking away the first officer says under his nose ” Fucking niggas always causing a problem.” I turned around and said ” What did your bitch ass just say?, come through this door so I could slap the shit out of you bald ass real quick!” He stays facing away from thus confirming that that badge and gun doesn’t prove anything to me at all and I would definetley leave him hurt if a real fight happened. I walk home in anger knowing that i’m not able to retaliate and it’s for the best because I refuse to let myself get killed for getting into a scuffle with a police officer who would have nothing done to him if he killed me because he was white and correct for handling the situation well, that’s the type of justice us people of color get when they are killed by a white police officer. Every time I see a police officer in a car driving past or on the train I intentionally stare at them to make them feel uncomfortable to the point they have to look away from me or get off the next stop to wait for another train. That’s my way of gaining power over them without saying a word or doing anything that would make them act put against me.

Something that’s hidden behind this post is how trying to find a background and also finding a pose I felt comfortable doing. To the background I wanted something to stand out more than everyone else were doing, the typical taking photos in front of the school in front of where they graduated, family and friends all coming together for couple of pictures where everyone wasn’t prepared is cute and cool but, knowing myself I hate being a part of the crowd where nothing is original at all and is constantly copied. Everything I do when it comes to taking photos is all about creating something on spot being unpredictable and being to maintain a mystery people draws the attention to what you’re doing which is something I came up with in this photo. The pose aspect of what’s hidden was inspired by older brother, the stump that was used just happened to be there in my favor. He wanted me to place my foot upon the stump to create that feeling of me being on top of everything and to demonstrate my size, just how a peacock would show it’s feathers to predators that they are not be messed with at all. In my case it was to show to both prey and predator that I will be dominate in everything you’re trying to and or currently doing because my intentions is cut that little problem off and worry about the competition I am in with myself. I love a good photo that gives off energy that people can feel just by looking at it, that is something truly out of this world to have that effect on others.