I Never Did Care Much for English. It Was One Thing to Speak
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Foreword ii Parley 2013 never did care much for English. It was one thing to speak the credit. Despite my comfort with my own writing, I have always been language and understand what other people were saying to me, afraid of what other people will think of it. I convince myself that it is not but sitting in the classroom and placing the words in the right lines of the good enough and that I shouldn’t even bother. It wasn’t until I read “We diagramI never made much sense. I had always tested at a reading level far Are All the Same” that I felt I could contribute anything of importance to above my grade, but the incessant segregation of the parts of speech was Parley. It is a short, two page, 090 level paper, wrought with errors that I foreign to me. Perhaps this is why I never cared for writing through high can only imagine are the bane of English professors everywhere, but it had school. It was frustrating. I could communicate effectively with my own something that made it worth reading. voice, even understand the words that other people had written down, but to put my own thoughts to paper was an insurmountable task. It wasn’t It had a voice. until my first year at the Santa Fe Community College that I was able to bridge the gap between my love of reading and fear of writing. Professor It is a voice full of courage and insight as the author shares “My Jerrall was a strange man with strange quirks that could make you chuckle individuality was hidden because I didn’t share it. My voice wasn’t heard if you had observed him outside the academic setting. He was, however, because I didn’t use it.” This line inspired me. Why couldn’t or wouldn’t able to bring order to what seemed to be a nonsensical system of writing. I share my voice? Isn’t this what Parley is all about? It is easy to feel inad- All those years of the jumbled and confusing sentence diagrams were made equate as a 24 year old at a community college when all your peers have Caleb Poe clear. graduated years ago and are living their lives with successful jobs, families and have experienced the world in ways one can only dream of, but I I had found my voice. remember that essay and its words of encouragement. I realize I am part of something too, and that “my silence would have kept me invisible.” I chose I don’t think any of us knew what to expect on our first day in not to be afraid, to not limit myself by what I perceive others will judge me Professor Becco’s class. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time. for. “After all, we are all the same, no matter what…” Who were we to decide what qualified to be published inParley ? We were just students too and for some this class was nothing more than an elective iii Contents Foreword . ii Contributors . vi A Little Girl Remembers . .1 the bus is always late this time of day . .5 Letter from a Birmingham Jail: The Cause . .9 Personal Response . .11 The Wave . 16 The Disregarded Poor . .19 “District 9” and Ethnic Conflict . 25 A Price So Dear . 31 Public Education: Focusing on Our Failures . .33 A Precious Commodity . .39 iv Parley 2013 Refuge . .45 Making Change . .49 Confessions of an Everyday Student . 55 Living a Masquerade . 59 Death of a Soldier . .63 The Hidden War . .67 Polygraphs: Truth about Lies . 73 Progression on the Ponds . 81 All Of Me: Fear, Sinew, Mirrors, Words and the Heart . .83 Pivotal Seconds . 85 I Must Be . 87 The Team . 89 v ` Caleb Poe is a 24 year old Journalism major who served on the Parley Editorial Board. He plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree and work as an intern with the Associated Press or a local newspaper. As a kid, Caleb spent a lot of time playing outside which provided him plenty of time to think and dream. Although he didn’t learn to write about those dreams until later, he always loved reading. Poe says, “Journalism has always felt like an adventure and I can’t wait to be able to practice what I have learned here at Pikes Peak.” Caleb would Contributors like to clarify he is NOT related to Edgar Allen Poe. ` Christy Wiabel-Smith is in her last semester at PPCC and is hoping to transfer to CSU Pueblo or Colorado State’s Global online campus in the Fall. Christy served on the Parley Editorial Board in 2012. She has been married for 2 years, has 2 children, 2 step children, a granddaughter and welcomed a grandson this semester. Growing up in Memphis during the Civil Rights era inspired this story which is based on actual events in her life. vi Parley 2013 ` Susan Brewer is a 54 year old, married, ` Wesley Parker is a graduate of PPCC and is mother of two who is currently studying Color studying a second degree. He is a California Theory under the mentorship of Ann McKean native pursuing his dream of being a college at Pikes Peak Community College. She was graduate in Colorado Springs. He is active in proud to be able to attend four watercolors his local church while awaiting the arrival of his courses offered by top watercolorist in the first child (a little girl). He has an associate of nation, Mr. Thomas Owen. Her own paintings applied science degree in telecommunication are influenced by her developed health production and is working toward a Bachelor’s conditions as a way to manage pain. Susan has a degree in Mass Communication. He is a Phi deep love and belief in Jesus Christ, which is Theta Kappa member with a 3.55 gpa and is incorporated into some of her art as well. the recipient of the PPCC inspirational achievement award. ` Megan B. “Embi” LeFurge is a pre-nursing ` Andrian Moore, 35, is studying Speech, student at PPCC who hopes to obtain her BSN Language, and Hearing Sciences at PPCC and and work on a Native American Reservation. plans to transfer to Metro State University for Before attending PPCC, she studied vocal jazz her bachelor’s degree. As an at-home mother performance and world folk music at UCCS; for many years, she has always felt inspired to in turn, musicality and improvisation work with children. Her favorite class at PPCC manifests in her poems. She reveres the library was Western Civ with Wayne Artis, taken in like a place of worship and is eternally grateful her first semester of college. She reports that she for the new discoveries at every turn of a “struggled a lot, but learned what it takes to be corner and every turn of a page. She would a successful student.” Andrian’s motivation for also like to thank her poet friends for reading her “Untitled” poem with her essay was to unveil her own visceral reaction to Dr. King’s powerful and both critical and gentle eyes. eloquent letter. vii ` Kimberly Baker moved to Colorado from ` Michael D. Jordan a 25 year old Psychology Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband Jeremy and major served in the Air Force. Michael’s goals their loveably-lazy cat Artemis. She loves to are to complete his Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s, write novels and short stories as well as poetry, eventually his PhD, and grow an awesome and when she is not writing she enjoys reading beard. He is especially focused on the beard. and playing video games. She is majoring in When discussing the motivation for his essay English at Pikes Peak Community College and Michael suggests, “I often see a lot of connec- hopes to one day become a middle school tions to the social sciences in popular culture, English teacher. and I believe a lot can be learned about us as a culture and individuals by what we produce and consume artistically.” ` Shayla Byers is a 29 year old mother, who ` 22 year old Multimedia Graphic Design wants to be an occupational therapist. Her major, Lauren Behan, created the beautiful motivation for her essay comes from her eleven pieces Maestro and Serengeti Sunrise. Lauren’s year old son, who is severely autistic. Following parents are artists and they taught her the love the completion of her classes at PPCC, she of the fine arts and creativity. She wishes to take looks to continue her schooling at UCCS, and her passion of creating wild concepts into the eventually obtain a degree from CSU. Shayla video game industry when she has finished at was prompted to write her piece about the poor Pikes Peak Community College. Lauren was in America, because she feels that racial inspired by the Orchid Mantis when she created stereotyping has led to improper handling of Maestro and wanted to capture its essence. She poverty in America. created Serengeti Sunrise to reflect South African culture and art, including the coffee plant which is one of the country’s largest exports. viii Parley 2013 ` Jessica Johnson, age 31, author of “A Price ` Benjamin Smith, an award winning artist, So Dear” is majoring in Anthropology here at claims that he is still in the process of becoming PPCC. Her favorite teacher is Justin Burnette, a a sculptor. His path started four years ago when US History professor. She says, “His focus on he moved to Colorado Springs in pursuit of an the flow of history and the impact events had Engineering degree at PPCC.