Author: LISBETH TENESACA

Airbnb’s are short/long term homestays that allow any person to book. However, Joseph Foresta’s Airbnb home, became a terribly long experience. Foresta had rented his home on Airbnb to Lawrence Jackson for a one-night stay. But that took a quick turn when the night was over and found out that Jackson had changed the locks and later began to rent it to other people. After so many complaints and a house that became fully trashed, Foresta was finally able to get a court order. Foresta had even contacted Airbnb for help to remove these unwanted guests but Airbnb had completely ignored him. He was left with thousands of dollars in repairs.

I chose this issue to discuss because the idea of letting a complete stranger into your own home seems a bit odd to me. It could be beneficial in trying to earn some money but you never really know who you are letting into your home. Some people might have good experiences renting out their homes but I would feel very uneasy all the time waiting for something bad to happen. Also as the person who is booking a stay you never know what the owner has planted around their home.

Link: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2023/04/14/airbnb-philadelphia-south-philly-squatters/

Steven Attanasso, a 68-year-old man who made headlines around the Ebbets Field apartments in Brooklyn, is known as the “nightmare neighbor” who threatened his fellow Black neighbors with speech and weapons. However, it didn’t start here, back in April he was recorded saying inappropriate racial remarks about his Black neighbors, and three days later he became a suspect in an arson that ended a Black man’s life. He was not charged with anything because of the lack of evidence and no witnesses. The neighbors have reached out to authorities for over a year but nothing was ever done. Then on September 9, he was arrested with a felony hate crime charge and on September 11 his bail was set at $50,000 which the judge agreed on. 

It’s shocking to know how hate crimes aren’t being taken as seriously then they should. Hate crimes can have negative impacts on a person’s life and even family. Experiencing a hate crime so small can lead to something bigger so it’s important to have it brought to attention. Authorities should find ways to resolve the issue because they can’t prosecute someone if the law is not broken. So must hate crimes become violent in order to get their attention? 

Link: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/investigations/nightmare-neighbor-faces-new-charges-tied-to-carrying-knives-around-nyc-building/4675845/

I really enjoyed “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan because I felt like I can relate to the story. The second text I am interested in is “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua. I read the first few sentences and it I think I’ll like it.

Hello, my name is Lisbeth Tenesaca. You can just call me Lisbeth, and my pronouns are she/her. I grew up in Queens, and some of my interests are exploring the city, fashion, and trying new things. When it comes to the city I enjoy trying different cafes and restaurants. As well as museums, I love to shop and search for hidden gems. Two sports I mainly enjoy playing are volleyball and badminton. A little bit about myself: I am a middle child, my favorite color is purple, I have a Shih Tzu dog (means everything to me), and I am a huge fan of horror movies. I am an introvert when it comes to meeting new people. But the more they get to know me, I am very easygoing and friendly. I am a hard worker, like taking my studies very seriously, and like to see the positive in things. My intended major is International Business and I’m excited to see how it goes! My career goal is to have my own business related to fashion. I would say my parents are my motivation to continue my studies and follow my passion. Another goal I wish to accomplish is to travel around the world, learn about different cultures, and experience different environments. 

A reaction I had while reading the excerpt was how Malcolm X dedicated his imprisonment to reading books, gaining knowledge, and learning how to become literate. It was surprising to know that he didn’t let anything stop him from reading and it was shocking to know that he would copy every single word from the dictionary. The detail that stood out to me and made an impression is how he describes the joy reading brought to him. While reading you can almost feel emotion coming from and how grateful he sounds to gain that knowledge. When the author mentions “a homemade education” I would describe it as Malcolm X’s journey to teaching himself. When he became imprisoned it was just him and he didn’t really know much. Just the basic knowledge and even with that he still didn’t know a lot of words. He used his time wisely in jail and chose to build on his education with the resources he could find. He wanted to become someone just like Elijah Muhammad and Bimbi. It was his way of teaching himself.