VOLUME 24 A Magazine of Student Essays 2011 Table of Contents A Publication of San Joaquin Changes in Life .........................................................................................3 Delta College An anonymous author describes the trials she faced in trying to be a “good wife” in a tightly-knit culture. http://www.deltacollege.edu /org/deltawinds I Have a DREAM .....................................................................................8 Dominic Deiro believes passage of the DREAM Act would increase the Editors military, improve the economy, and benefit the community. William Agopsowicz Robert Bini My Mother=Me ......................................................................................11 Melissa Trindade re-examines maternal guidance during troubled times Division Dean Languages, Library, and to discover the depth of her mother’s influence. Learning Resources Joe Gonzales Small Asian Woman ...............................................................................14 Kelley Pheng gains a new appreciation for her mother, for the sacrifices Graphic Design she made, and for the heritage passed on. Susan E. Lovotti The Bused In Kids ..................................................................................18 Cover Photo M. Sharon Conley recalls her experiences as part of a program to bus Stan Rapada inner-city teens to suburban high schools in the 1990s. http://community.webshots.com /user/srapada The King Dead on the Throne: An Analytical Comparison of Elvis Presley’s and Kurt Cobain’s Legacies after Death ....................21 Ally Sabedra argues that the circumstances following the deaths of two musicians have determined their lasting impressions. Delta Winds is a publication of student essays from courses at San Joaquin Delta College. It is published each year by the English The Proposal ...........................................................................................26 Department of San Joaquin Delta College, Darin Smith views the DREAM Act as an amnesty program, an invitation 5151 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California to increase illegal immigration, and an unjust tuition break. 95207. The authors certify that their writing is their own creation. The views expressed in The Truest Gift .......................................................................................29 these essays do not necessarily reflect the Robin G. Hazelwood recounts how a Christmas season project caused a opinions of the faculty, the administration, turnaround in family relationships. or the trustees of Delta College. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may Treating Members of the Disabled Population as Our Equals ..........32 be reproduced for profit in any form or Kelly L. Sydow, using research and personal experience, discusses the by any means without written permission. mistreatment of individuals with disabilities. Where Does It End? ...............................................................................40 Rebecca Goldsmith tells a story of how racial bias jeopardized family relations and affected decisions made. 1 Letter from the Editors A Google search of “delta winds” can surprise even us. At a university in Nigeria, a vice-chancellor researches the evolution of higher education models throughout history. Sitting in his office, Dr. Is-haq Oloyede scans the Internet for a student’s perspective to add to his report. On the other side of the globe, just minutes from Stockton, California, in the town of Ripon, a writer of a church newsletter seeks information about a church member—a recent graduate from Delta College. What do these two dedicated researchers have in common? Both writers discovered Delta Winds. Both found the information they needed in essays by Delta Col- lege students. In “Diversity Education Models and Implications for the South,” Dr. Oloyede states, “anyone who has passed through higher education is expected to be wise, to be skilled and to be competent.” He argues for diversity in higher education, especially in this age of globalization. In his paper, the vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin refers to Dung Nguyen’s essay “True Purpose of College and Higher Education” from the 2000 volume of Delta Winds. He supports Nguyen’s view that with- out diversity and interaction, students lose their interest in learning. In Ripon, meanwhile, a church member locates Rosaline Smith’s published essay “Woman Like Me” in the 2008 volume of Delta Winds. The June 2008 “Caring and Sharing Newsletter” of the First Ripon Christian Reformed Church applauds recent graduates for their accomplishments and highlights Rosaline Smith’s interpretation of an Edwidge Danticat short story. The newsletter editor states, “We are proud of you, Rose, and pleased to share some excerpts from [your] essay.” A vice-chancellor in Nigeria and an editor of a local church newsletter both found something worth noting. We are delighted that this magazine of student essays continues to attract individuals from various locales. We value their interest in the magazine, and we welcome you and others to find what you may be looking for in your reading ofDelta Winds. 2 The author of this Changes in Life essay wishes to remain anonymous. What is a “rite of passage”? married at the young age The definition for “rite of eighteen, a year after of passage” is a ritual or graduating from high ceremony signifying an school. Although many girls event in a person’s life may not have been ready, I indicative of a transition was. It is not uncommon in from one stage to another, our community for girls to as from adolescence to be married at a young age, adulthood. Some religious some as young as fourteen. groups or cultures consider My mother was married at baptisms, marriages, or the age of sixteen. Being even deaths as “rites of married signifies that I passages.” am a mature Some even put A good adult. Growing their offspring up in a family of to the test by daughter-in- ten children, I sending them to law will love always had lots the wilderness of responsibilities for survival. and respect that helped We all have her in-laws as prepare me for been through married life and many changes she does her motherhood. My in life. Some parents. mother always changes are instilled in me the insignificant; ways of a good others are more memorable wife, daughter-in-law, and and may change us for the mother. She told me that I better or worse. I have been would always rank beneath through many. My most my husband, that I must memorable and significant respect his reputation, and ones are marriage, family, that I could never make a and divorce. So many fool of him. Without any changes in life in such a complaints, a good wife short time, yet all in mine. will cook and clean for her husband. A good daughter- Marriage is something that in-law will love and respect I always knew I wanted. her in-laws as she does her Isn’t it every girl’s dream to parents. A good mother be married, have a happy will raise her children with family, and live a happy unending love, even if that life like all the fairytales means raising them alone. we grew up hearing? I was 3 There are many dos and most families are large. don’ts in our culture. We My parents were the pride ourselves in having unfortunate ones. Both huge extended families. came from very small Divorce is not an option families. My father had before seeking out the two brothers, one of whom counsel of the elders. Family passed away as an infant members get together to soon after his own parents try to salvage a marriage did. My mother has two by finding who’s at fault brothers. Neither of my and asking both spouses parents had sisters. Since to make compromises. both parents didn’t have When marriages cannot be any “family,” they wanted salvaged, they are usually to give us what they dissolved by the same elders missed out on. So I have who represented the bride six brothers and three and groom at sisters. My the wedding. When marriages husband also It is our cannot be came from a tradition to large family follow the salvaged, they of three husband’s are usually brothers and side of four sisters. the family dissolved by the and the same elders who Our family husband’s came quicker beliefs, represented the than we which means bride and groom were ready making for. On the sacrifices. at the wedding. second day of One of many March 1997, I had to ten months make was relocating from after being married, my my place of security to a husband and I welcomed new city and state. Another our firstborn into this world, one was having a new set a 6 pounds 11 ounces little of parents to care for and girl, with a full head of black leaving behind my own. I hair. Her dad named her was no longer my parents’ Jade, a beautiful name for daughter but my in-laws’. a beautiful baby. Although The one part I missed most many wish for a son as a was my independence. I firstborn, we were happy to became someone’s wife, have our daughter. Having which means I was someone a daughter first means we else’s shadow. The ability to would later have help with be on my own was gone. the babysitting. We were young, happy, naive, and Along with marriage came blessed. We were carefree. the wants of having a family. In our community Life went from being 4 happy and blessed to even for my children during the more happiness and more day. It was hard working blessings. In the short the nightshift but it was a span of thirteen years, our sacrifice I chose to make. family was complete with Never did I think twice six children, one daughter about finding a day job. and five sons. Coming from a background where sons The payoff was huge and are valued more so than rewarding. I was able to daughters, my husband see my children grow and was most fortunate. After attend school functions with all, he was the only son them.