Financial Literacy Workshop!!!!

It's crazy how things work out sometimes. I just blogged about needing a financial literacy workshop for folks.... and BAM! I received this email from a fellow UCLA Alum. today. Sometimes we just gotta throw thoughts out into the universe... ha. (or just cyberspace. ha)...


"Nosizwe Chimurenga will be going over the 'bricks for a strong financial house' and what people should be looking for when investing and spending their money. The workshop is designed for people at all incomes and stages in life."



FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP
with Nosizwe Chimurenga
Wednesday, July 29th @ 6:30pm
Citi Building @ Marina Del Rey
12731 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles



Upcoming workshops and events:

RACE & SEXUALITY POLITICAL DIALOGUE
Thursday, August 27th @ 6:30pm
Community Coalition @ South LA
8101 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles

Summer Sounds

let's get to know her a little bit more..


and let's read about her a little bit more..
Zee Avi

She's cool. She writes her own lyrics too. haha.

Concert Date: Aug 27.

Understanding recent events in US/Global Economy

(use these clips in your gov't/econ. classes as starter points!)

I just got back from Day 1 of an economic summer institute seminar I signed up for. The focus of this seminar is the connection of the current financial crisis with history--drawing comparisons with the Great Depression (though we call today's crisis a "Great Recession" instead...not quite sure why...).

Anyway, I have to admit that I was truly fascinated with the topics we discussed and learned about in the seminar. We began class with this Frontline video clip (Part 1-3). I was a bit reluctant to even go to this seminar bc our HW reading, Krugman's The Return of Depression Economics, was a bit dense for me (I have trouble understanding financial terms bc it is so confounded). So I entered the class feeling a bit intimidated by my financial illiteracy.

We started the seminar with this Frontline clip and I was hooked. All the questions/confusion I had regarding these gov't giant bailouts in 2008 such as with Bear Stearns, were explained thru this clip and thru this seminar.

I realized that it is highly important to gain this financial literacy. For instance, what exactly is meant behind subprime mortgage lending? Yes, we may understand the basics that it is a loan given to a borrower who might be less likely to repay a loan (yet is given the loan anyway with the belief that when housing market picks up, the borrower can refinance or pay off mortgage by selling the house in the future), but to understand why this subprime mortgage loan had such a sweeping impact on particular regions such as CA, we would have to understand that the subprime mortgage lending was tightly interconnected/interweaved with other investors and financial institutions that it was just difficult to "unwind." This applies to Bear Stearns, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, Lehman Brothers, etc. Our own personal money was tied up in this messy web when we "deposit" money into the banks or when we take out mortgages...etc. etc...... This interconnected mess is termed, systemic risk. This is why even though the probs. may have been caused by decision making in Wall Street, we felt the affects on "Main Street" (which would be us...the people).

Anyway, this seminar provided me with a deeper interest in Economics and feeling a sense of urgency on becoming more financially literate. Financial terms are fully loaded and will guide folks on money management (or just being smarter with our money).

I think it's important that this type of financial literacy class/seminar is accessible in working class communities. We work hard for our money. It would be nice to know other options/opportunities to invest/save our hard earned money for long-term benefits for our families and our own communities. It almost appears that it is limited just to the elite....
hmmm...

(500) Days of Summer

I saw this film today. Not too sure how to explain my liking of the film, but I'll try to explain my after thoughts: I think I like it. I liked it for it's soundtrack. It started off with a song I really like from The Smiths (so that's a plus). I liked it for it's simple story-telling format (nothing new or groundbreaking, but defn. suitable for the storyline). I liked it because it isn't the typical "love-story" we all are accustomed to seeing in Hollywood films (though I believe this is an indie-type film). I liked it bc it is a story of a young man who falls " hopelessly deeply in love" with the young, independent, "free-spirited," and unique woman (usually it's the other way around).

But this is where I have trouble: I think I don't know if I can say I fully liked the film bc I didn't know how to feel about the young free-spirited woman and her actions with the young man. I want to defend her and say that this young woman is not at fault for any pain involved bc she was upfront with her feelings and intentions the entire relationship/interaction with the young man. I want to say it is the young man's fault for deciding to pursue the young woman with the knowledge of her feelings. However, I found myself disliking the young woman for contradicting her own words and "misleading" the young man.

But this is where I begin to see the reality of this situation and begin to appreciate the film as well. I appreciate it because as much as we dislike or disagree with this young woman for "misleading" the young man, I realize that we all have experienced this situation before, whether we were the young woman who is upfront with our feelings/intentions yet contradicts with our actions at the expense of another's feelings; or we are the young man who, despite the knowledge of the young woman's intentions, go thru with "gray areas" of a relationship. Gray-area meaning there is no official label, we say we are friends, but we carry on an intimate romantic relationship.

I guess by watching this we either confront ourselves with how we are when we deal with other people's feelings in romantic relationships/friendships, or we just remember our past experiences and our old ways.

Anyway, I also appreciate the film for it's message on fate/destiny and "the one." I know we all have our own opinions on this topic, but without spoiling the rest of the film, I do want to say that sometimes the brutal truth of futile relationships is that maybe that one other person was never able to find/feel what you may have felt for them; and as much as that other person tried so hard to feel it (bc he/she really wanted to feel what you felt) by giving it time or putting in time (which most times causes frustration, pain, agony, confusion for both parties), sometimes both parties just have to accept the truth in the end that it just won't work out.....

....and that there is somebody else out there more compatible and this "somebody else" could just be anybody.

BOTTOM LINE: I RECOMMEND THIS FILM! It is cute.

This is what happens when you're DONE.

"Notorious A.I.G"

Another slow-jammin the news...

"AIG likes it rough." ha

So much for a "free-market" enterprise type of system.

President Barack Obama comes to the school I teach in!

'nuff said.

HA. More updates on Thursday..

Whack status #1: We won't be able to attend the townhall, even if it's in OUR VERY OWN SCHOOL! EVEN IF WE, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS, bust our asses everyday to provide the best education for the students... where's the justice in that?

ESPECIALLY when Pres. Barack Obama serves as the epitome of hope for many of the students who come from single-parent working class families...... He is a hero to many of the students at MC.

This "ticket-only" business has got to go! PRIORITY SHOULD GO TO STUDENTS.

Student Walkout in support of teacher layoffs

It was nearly 10am and I heard screaming outside my window. I knew at that moment students walked out to protest the massive pink-slip deliveries this past weekend. I looked at my young 9th graders and half of the class looked scared and the other half got up and left.

I walked to my door and saw the majority of the students walk out of the classrooms. I must say it was a beautiful thing.

Students came up to me asking what they should do. All I could tell them was: "If you believe in what you are doing, I support you. If you believe in the cause and understand the cause, then I support you."

So I walked back into my classroom to my young 9th graders who were scared/worried. I could tell they wanted to go, but they were afraid of what their parents would do. I looked at them and told them that one day, if they feel they have ever been wronged--or if they witness injustice and they are passionate about this injustice, they will know when the right time is to stand up against it and do something.

They nodded quietly... And I could hear my students out on 3rd street...What beautiful noise it was...

Wish I was able to see the students... But hearing them was enough...Though many left the classroom for the hell of it, it makes me happy to know that they care...it makes me happy to know they took the initiative to stand up against the lay-offs...

It amazes me how they all planned this thru massive text-messages and myspace. This brings me hope that the movement will continue...



The seniority system is questionable. The younger and innovative teachers shouldn't go. Education should be the very last on the list to be cut or should NEVER be cut. LAUSD could cut on so many wasteful spending and save teachers. It is ridiculous to "offer" the 1st and 2nd year teachers substitute positions---basically having full-time in classroom teachers now holding an on-the-call position. We won't be able to file for unemployment bc that technically being a sub is still being hired under the district, so what option does that leave us?

As we are bumped out of the classroom, other teachers from other schools or even the district office (who have been in the district longer, and may not have taught in a classroom for years), will now enter the classroom setting. How the hell will that look like?

There has got to be a better solution, and cutting teachers is NOT the solution. The seniority system is unfair and unjust. We should cut out WASTEFUL SPENDING (like btsa or periodic assessments).

And more on a national scale... what makes me most upset and DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME is how the gov't was willing to bailout corporate giants like AIG ($170 b in taxpayer's money) BUT can't even bailout our Education System. We could save so many teacher positions with $170 b. AND... what pisses me off the most is that these AIG top executives are receiving up to $10m in bonuses? WTF for? Don't they know they were "bailed out" for a reason? Doesn't make sense AT ALL. It doesn't make sense when service groups across the US and esp. in CA are willing to take paycuts and DOUBLE ON THE LOAD. Where is the justice in that?

This system is flawed and this system does not work.

Student Walkout


AIG's Bonus Pay

Why I LOVE Flight of the Conchords:

Season 2 is on!

This particular episode is amazing. I have a million things to comment on, but I would just leave it to the viewers to just see it all!

Instructions for this video:
1. Watch and enjoy the first time around
2. Watch over and over looking for the intricate details of the video that make it so creative... you'll appreciate it even more!

But I do want to say this: the way the video is shot and edited is FRIGGIN' creative. The song lyrics itself is clever. The "guitar" is hilarious and dope. haha. And I can just go on and on..... (don't forget to check out the other clip right below this one)..lol.



AND------ KOREAN KARAOKE? LOL. HI-LARRY-OUS! Who comes up with this shieeeeet? haha. (And Mel, the girl on the bench, is FRIGGIN' great) haha.

Drinking straight from the river, WHAT!?

Introducing...the LIFESTRAW:


Apparently this Danish-inspired invention will assist people in Third World Countries (or "developing countries") who may not have access to clean drinking water. One can simply just dip this plastic flute-like straw into a river and suck----just like a straw. This straw then filters out and kills the bacteria---providing the people with clean drinking water.

Sounds like a great idea.. but tooooo crazy for me! Will this really work? How do we get these straws out to the people? Apparently these straws will be sent out from organizations here (ex. environmental groups).... But these straws aren't recycable, so how sustainable is this solution? We need a solution that will be sustainable for the people.....We need to have clean drinking water accessible to the people...

Check it out: LifeStraw

Thanks to my environmental students who shared this information with me... Prime example of teachers learning from their students.

Slow Jam the News!

The Roots rock the show! Flavaaaaaah!
Imagine if we received political updates this way everyday:

Mic check...one two, one two..

I AM BACK!

I can't believe it is MARCH.

Time is flying by so fast... Didn't realize my last blog was January.

I mean, from my last entry, Barack Obama was "President-elect."

BUT...now...

He is PRESIDENT Barack Obama.... Damn! Too much time in between my blog entries...

Guess finishing out 1st semester got toooooooo allkindsofcrazy!

Anyway, second semester is more chill. So I should be dropping by ever so often...

Body Image: Self-Perception/Deception

Now this clip is allkindsofcrazy!


Thanks reye, for hookin' it up with this clip.
It's important to include friends in lesson planning! They can bring in so many ideas/resources.

Music to look forward to in 2009

Wholesome.



What a beautiful song. Love the keys. I appreciate the way this video was shot and edited.

PS. I love Blue Scholars! ha.

2009: A Look Into the Year

After much reflection on the past year, I decided my themes/foci of the year would be the following:

1. Cultivating existing relationships.
Since 2008 was focused on THE SELF, I would like to refocus on my loved ones
and community by improving/maintaining healthy relations with the people I
deeply care for.

One of the ways I will do so is by practicing the lessons I learn from
Thich Nhat Hanh's Teahings on Love.
This book is WOW. It's so practical/tangible/applicable. It's real talk.

For
example, I want to work on active listening and really taking a loving and
genuine look into a person and into what they are saying or doing. And as I do
this, I need to remember to be mindful of people's backgrounds and experiences
before I easily pass judgment. I know this sounds like "Duh, chris,we all know
this." But we tend to forget these important interpersonal skills. In
addition, I love the way Thich Nhat Hanh articulates these simple
acts of kindness and love, because it makes anyone reading the book feel like
its possible and easy to do! I think that's why sometimes it's hard to build
healthy relations with people: we make it difficult, or we think it's more
complex than how it really is.

I want to work on patience and understanding for others.


2. Being mindful and resourceful.
Since the US will be going through some tough times with the economy, I want
to make more of an effort to be mindful of the resources I have and the way
I use them. I want to be more creative with what I have and discover multiple
functions to what was initially a singular functional object.


3. Live healthy. Cook. Cook. Cook. Eat in moderation. Run. Run. Run weekly. After my run, I really felt good---internally and externally. I felt my perspective and understanding of things around me were clearer. But after this past month of unhealthy living (eating whatever was in sight), I definitely feel BLEH! I feel sluggish. My pace is slower. I feel lazier. I lost discipline and focus. I want to go back to feeling invincible. I must start again from the simple steps of being mindful of what I put into my body. I need to discipline and motivate myself to push as I run. I miss flying.



Go 2009!

2008: A Year in Review

Wow.

2008 was such an interesting year. I remember I ushered in 2008 with so much uncomfortable anxiety and uncertainty. I remember I had no idea how I was going to celebrate the 2008 New Year and with whom. I remember feeling "lost" and "lonely." I was worried that those anxieties foreshadowed the upcoming 2008 year. I was grateful that I was able to spend it with my mom and Inang----my roots, my home. So, in a way, I think that's why 2008 was themed "Year of the SELF"--going back to who I am. So it was meant to be that way...

Then 2008 began and it was definitely rough. I had to figure out if my past could be my future...and learned eventually that some things are meant to be left alone in the past and that some things are just irreparable. I had to learn the art of letting go and making things happen for the present. I had to put faith into faith...and most importantly, understand that only I can make things happen. But in order for me to make things happen, I knew I had to work on myself.


2008 was such an important year of my life (so far).

2008 was THE year I had to focus on myself.

2008 was the year I constantly self-reflected.

2008 was the year I needed to appreciate time on my own.

2008 was the year I needed to explore life on my own.

2008 was the year I learned to listen to my needs.

2008 was the year I had to be disciplined and patient.

2008 was the year for many "first[s]":
a) shot and edited videos using final cut (which was first inspired and
motivated by my Inang's late brother)...
b) trained and ran a half marathon (all mental discipline)
c) started a blog (opening myself up)
d) attended a Maxwell concert! (oooohhh la la) hahaha
e) got my tattoo (declaration to the world on my philosophy of life)
f) made efforts to invest.... (a necessity of life and living)
g) voted on an historic election

Thus, 2008 was the year I felt I grew the most ever.... internally...

And by the closure of 2008, I have to say it was one of the most memorable and worthwhile years in my life (so far)....

And I'm looking forward to continue to grow and refine myself in 2009.


One thing I did learn is that I wouldn't have been able to grow this much alone. Thanks to my family and close friends who supported me.