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Africana Studies Capstone - Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Capstone · Block · Wed on Monday, April 29, 2019 at 9:02 am
​When I was first challenged to come up with a capstone, I remember feeling very lost. Capstones were something I knew was there and would be quickly approaching but in September of my senior year, I still didn’t really know what I wanted to do. But one day, it kind of just hit me. This year I had the pleasure of being the SAT of an African American History class. And I felt early on like I did my freshman year, unimpressed and underwhelmed.

My inquiry question is how can students learn about West Africa in a way that surpasses African American History class? I asked this question because as a freshman I felt underwhelmed by the fact that African American History started with slavery. To me, it felt wrong to define a group of people’s history to the moment their oppression began. They were their own people before the mid-Atlantic slave trade with their own societies and cultures and to neglect that is to give in to the trend of letting white people tell the story. My capstone seeks to expose people to the culture of West Africa pre-slavery and show the influence it has on our lives today. Themes of West African cultures are present in everyday food, music, and literature. As such, those are the units present in my two mini-course sessions.

I’ve decided to do this as my capstone because I think that it is important to understand Africa as more than what it is portrayed as in the media. Many things that exist now in the American culture are derived from West African practices so it’d be beneficial to see how all these cultures connect.

This is the link to the website I created to showcase my work: https://mycapstone.wixsite.com/africanastudies 

Bibliography


"African Diaspora Cultures." Oldways. Accessed January 23, 2019.

https://oldwayspt.org/traditional-diets/african-heritage-diet/african-diaspora-cultures.

This site discusses the African Diaspora. The disopara is an important to understand whenever Africana Studies are embarked on because of how culture has spread and changed throughout the years. This site in particular highlights the major groups that have been created by the diaspora and what that means in terms of their identity.

"African Studies." Data USA. Accessed January 23, 2019. https://datausa.io/profile/cip/050101/.

This source features data on Africana Studies in universities today. It supports the fact that the popularity of African Studies is increasing. As of 2016, degrees on African Studies are increasing by 10.6%. Interestingly enough, the average wage is decreasing by 6.64% showing that although the popularity is clear, the respect for that field is absent.


Chambers, Dr. Glenn. "The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Origins of the African Diaspora in Texas." Texas

Institute for the Preservation of History and Culture. 2017. Accessed January 23, 2019.

http://www.pvamu.edu/tiphc/research-projects/the-diaspora-coming-to-texas/the-transatlantic-slave-trade-and-origins-of-the-african-diaspora-in-texas/.

This is a article by Dr. Glenn Chambers the assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University. He discusses the impact of the diaspora in Texas; specifically, the history of slavery in the state. The identity of black people has been affected by the diaspora and the relationship between these people and their environment must be highlighted in Africana Studies and in the mini-course.


GEOZIK. "To the Origins of Music - Africa, Asia (English Version)." YouTube. January 04, 2017. Accessed

January 23, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIeEAjUirY4.

This BBC documentary highlights the history and traditions of African music. This video shown on week one of the African Studies min-course. It gave background information on many instruments and the cultural significance of music in cultures of West Africa. This source allowed the avoidance of a powerpoint presentation that would have been boring. By using a video, the freshman could see how and where the instruments are played.


Hountondji, and Paulin J. "Knowledge of Africa, Knowledge by Africans: Two Perspectives on Afr..."

S.A.P.I.EN.S. Surveys and Perspectives Integrating Environment and Society. December 01, 2009.

Accessed January 23, 2019. https://journals.openedition.org/rccsar/174.

Paulin J. Hountondji discusses some of her reservations with African Studies. One of her main issues being that oftentimes, African Studies was not being conducted by Africans. Rather, it was a way for white people to “analyze” black people, generally in an unflattering and politically motivated way. By doing this, they continue to show exactly why African Studies is needed; so that black people can have a voice in regards to their own histories and cultures.


McPherson, A. Malik. "Afrobeat In Hip-Hop: The Influence On The Influential." OkayAfrica. September 28,

2017. Accessed January 23, 2019. https://www.okayafrica.com/fela-kuti-afrobeat-hip-hop-samples/.

This contemporary African site gives insight into the overlapping that exist between West African Music and current music in America. This was used to drive home the significance of the mini-course to the students. West African culture should be studied not separately in and of itself but as an entity that stands on its own and contributes to other cultures. Many of the songs on the site were popular in the US and many of the students recognized them.

"Music of West Africa: Rhythms, Dance, Instruments & Characteristics." Study.com. Accessed January 23,

2019.https://study.com/academy/lesson/music-of-west-africa-rhythms-dance-instruments-characteristics.html.

This source worked as a lesson plan influence. In this plan, they highlight the themes and rhythmic patterns that are often found in West African music. Though the full source was not available, this short excerpt gave insight and inspiration for the path of the mini-course. After seeing this site, the purpose of the course changed a little from learning to learning and performing.


Sambira, Jocelyne. "Slave Trade: How African Foods Influenced Modern American Cuisine | Africa Renewal

Online." United Nations Africa Renewal. Accessed January 23, 2019.

https://www.un.org/africarenewal/web-features/slave-trade-how-african-foods-influenced-modern-american-cuisine.

This site is a transition of an interview with Chef Pierre Thiam. As a chef, he speaks of the influences of West African food on modern American cuisine. He even states that there is a lot of ignorance when it comes to this fact. Many don’t know that things like coffee and watermelon weren’t necessarily originated in America. Using this source will encourage members of the mini-course to evaluate the food they food and their origins and influences.


Staniland, Martin. "Who Needs African Studies?" African Studies Review 26, no. 3/4 (1983): 77-97.

doi:10.2307/524163.

This source features an excerpt from Who Needs Africana Studies by Martin Staniland. It discusses the need for Africana studies, how African history was ignored for centuries, and how it exist to shed light on the perspective of black people. The creation of the Africana Studies mini-course correlates with these ideas and seeks to introduce students to a previous neglected culture.


University of Notre Dame. "Why Africana Studies? // Department of Africana Studies // University of Notre

Dame." Department of Africana Studies. Accessed January 23, 2019.

https://africana.nd.edu/undergraduate-programs/why-africana-studies/.

The department of African studies at the University of Notre Dame explain what African Studies entails and its purpose. They, like many universities have, followed the upward thread of African Studies. In many universities, it is offered as a major. Students shouldn’t have to wait to be introduced to African Studies in adulthood. This mini-course allows them to be immersed now.





Tags: Block, 2019, capstone
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Turmoil in Orlando

Posted by Afi Koffi in College English · Pahomov/Rhymer · B Band on Sunday, December 16, 2018 at 6:07 pm

No I don’t believe it. What would Ramone be doing in front of my job in Orlando? Oh shoot, he looked at me. What do I do? Smile? Wave? Stupid. What if he doesn’t remember you? Or worse, what is he does?



“What the heck, Bash?” Ramone was yelling at me even though I was the one who just got hit with a football. I was distracted. What was I looking at? “Get your head in the game, the chip is this weekend. Prom can wait.”

That’s it. I was looking at the prom banner going up. I didn’t have a date yet and it was weighing me down. “Man shut up, ain't nobody worried about some dumb prom. Go long.”

“Sure. See the one in the pink shorts? That’s all me.”

“They’re all in pink shorts.” See, Jada, his new fling was on the cheerleading team. Fling is a nice way of putting it. He didn’t see her the way I did, couldn’t treat her the way I did. She and I never put a label on it so it wasn’t cheating, really, it was an agreement we made. Harmless. How were we to know it could cost Ramone everything? “I said go long,” I shooed him away and  blew Jada a kiss. He wasn’t supposed to see.

“Man, what the f--” That was the last thing he said before getting by a truck. He didn’t make it to the championship game. Or to prom. Last time I checked, he was still Philly. I ghosted Jada at prom, graduated and never looked back. How do I bring myself to speak to him now? My best friend who I placed in a wheelchair. I visited him once in the hospital, didn’t even go into his room. I couldn’t see him like that. I turned to leave but I guess he could feel the deceit in the air. He yelled after me, “Bash? Bash. SEBASTIAN!”



“What man? What do you want from me? “

“Chill man. It’s me Ramone. Don’t you recognize me?”

“Oh hey.” Of course, How could I ever forget?


Author's Note:
Thanks for reading! In this piece, I attempted to take a familiar feeling of uncertainty that comes from when we see someone we haven’t seen in a while and dramatize it. This story is about two friends with a tough past who meet obscurely and is something I think people can relate to. In reference to the mentor text, I incorporated pieces of inner, self conscious dialogue as well as had external surroundings play into the memory itself. For my Audio companion, I chose Adele’s ‘Hello’ because it encompasses the feeling of regret that Sebastian has throughout the story.


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Earth: Far and Sick

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 3 · Pahomov · B Band on Friday, June 1, 2018 at 8:08 am
Science Fiction Short Story Koffi
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IwNZjb38HeNZK2Je60bTOpCMfjJtFcbxgjuJZZd2RPo/edit?usp=sharing  
Tags: Homepage
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Life Support or Death Support - 2fer #7

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 3 · Pahomov · B Band on Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 10:15 pm
2fer #7 - Afi Koffi (1)
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Success in Relationships: A Walk to Submission

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 3 · Pahomov · B Band on Friday, April 13, 2018 at 1:25 pm

Success in Relationships: A Walk to Submission

Comparing “The Taming of the Shrew” to “A Walk to Remember”  


“The Taming of the Shrew” higlights a theme that is still present in relationships today. In the play, Petruchio “tames” his wife Katherine and convinces her and the world that she is better off for it. This same idea is showcased in the more modern love story in “A Walk to Remember”. In this movie, Landon Carter is the stereotypical bad boy who falls for Jamie Sullivan after being forced to do community service as a result of one of his many offences. Their interaction impacts both of their personalities and outlook on life.


Although the male does not have all the power in their relationship, like in “Shrew”, in this movie the control is still important even though it is more two sided. Petruchio is not embodied by just Landon or Jamie for the entire movie. Rather, both Landon and Jamie have the opportunity to have control and manipulate each other during the movie. As a result, both of them have to take on the figurative role of Katherine, the submissive partner, in the relationship.These works reflect that even if it’s for short periods of time, audiences still believe that the success of a relationship requires the submission of one party.


“... Let him that moved you hither remove you hence. I knew you st the first you were a movable”

(2, 1, 203-206)


This quote is from the first time Petruchio and Katherine meet. Katherine is still ruthless and doesn’t care too much for Petruchio. Before he has the chance to tame her, she is painted in a negative light. This shows the reader that the submission of a partner is necessary and anticipated. Because Katherine has not submitted to Petruchio, the relationship does not exist.


Similarly, the individuality of Landon and Jamie prevents their relationship from beginning.  

This scene begins with Jamie attempting to start small talk to Landon. He then proceeds to shut her down and tell her about herself. She warns him to not presume to know her and lets him know that she doesn’t care what people think of her. This is identical to Katherine's initial attitude. The women in both the book and the movie make it clear that they are their own people and do not worry themselves with the opinion of others. What’s different is that in “A Walk to Remember”, this is viewed as independence while in “Shrew, it is seen as insolence. Regardless, this rashness is what is stopping the women from their pending relationships.


"When you are gentle, you shall have one too, and not until then”

(Act 4, Scene 3, 75-76)

In the scene, Petruchio is continuing his mission to tame Katherine. He does this by mocking her with material things that he has no intention of giving her. He says the quote to her to show that she can get what she wants from him when she behaves herself. This act involves the submission of Katherine. If she does not submit and act accordingly, she won’t receive the things that she wants to wear.


A similar bargaining and mocking technique can be seen in “A Walk to Remember” .


In this scene, Landon attempts to win Jamie’s heart after denying her in front of his friends. After that event, Jamie concluded that “there was no good in him.” Landon wants forgiveness and approaches Jamie only to be shut down by her demand to “prove it.” In this scene the figurative roles of Petruchio and Katherine have switched. Jamie is the person in control. In the same way Petruchio does to Katherine, she demands that Landon prove himself to her. Consequently, Landon has to act in a way that is pleasing to her in order to get want he wants, her friendship. What’s different is that Landon was placed in this position because he intentionally took on the role of Petruchio when he denied her because he was embarrassed of her. He would prefer Jamie act in a different way but she doesn’t give in. This causes him to realize that he needs to change to get her back. If he didn’t submit and apologize, their relationship would have ended. This supports the idea that the progression of a relationship relies on the submission of someone in the duo.


"I am so ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace, or to seek rule, supremacy, and sway when they are bound to serve, love, and...",

(Act 5, Scene 2, 177-180).

In this scene, after showcasing her obedience to Petruchio, Katherine scolds her sister Bianca, and the widow for not being better wives. Her entire speech sounds like words that Petruchio got her to believe. Katherine tells that she is a better person because of Petruchio and invites the other women to change for the better as well. This quote is important because it shows Katherine’s complete submission. She has been tamed and believes that she’s better off because of it. Without this submission, Katherine could not have the relationship she has now and couldn’t be able to reprimand the “bad” wives.


Similarly, in “A Walk to Remember”, Landon owes his transformation to Jamie.

In this scene that concludes the movie, Landon tells the audience of the result of his relationship with Jamie. He, like Katherine, praises Jamie for “saving his life”. His relationship with Jamie made him a better person. The fact that she challenges him to act in a better way is very comparable to Petruchio taming Katherine. The difference here is that Landon has changed, not by becoming obedient, but by being a more kind and gracious person. Landon would not have become and better person if he hadn’t submitted and changed for Jamie.


In the same way “Shrew” does, “A Walk to Remember” romanticizes the total submission and transformation of someone in a relationship. In “Shrew”, Katherine becomes totally obedient to Petruchio while in “A Walk to Remember” Landon becomes more kind and gracious. Today, the values Landon gained are seen as positive while during the times of “Shrew” being obedient may have been seen as positive. If “Shrew” was made today, the total submission into obedience would be frowned upon. If “A Walk to Remember” was made then, the values of kindness would mean nothing. In “Shrew”, Bianca is the kind and gracious maiden  but in the end she is not the best wife because obedience reigns supreme. This shows the audience that not only is submission in a relationship is crucial, but also that the qualities gained from this submission reflects the values of the society. Regardless, submission is painted as a necessity because it keeps the relationship going and changes people.



Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. The Taming of The Shrew. New Folger ed., Washington

Square Press, 1992.

Shankman, Adam, director. A Walk to Remember. Warner Bros., 2002.


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Analytical Test in Movies

Posted by Afi Koffi in Intersectional Feminism · Menasion · e1 Band on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at 2:16 pm
The ​Bechdel Test 

The Bechdel Test is a way to analyze movies in a feminist perspective. In order to pass The Bechdel Test, a movie must do three things. (1) It has to have at least two women in it, (2) who talk to each other, (3) about something besides a man. This is important because it is important that women are represented fairly, are seen working together effectively. Lastly, and in my opinion most importantly, females should be more than just objects of males’ approval and rather self-sufficient and goal-oriented human beings that seek things that are important.

The movie I have chosen to analyze using The Bechdel Test is Aladdin. I chose this movie because it’s one that I’ve watched a million times and I think that it is important to look at the lessons that young people are learning early on. By looking at this, we can examine what we need to change in order to make a more productive future. Aladdin is a prime example of a Disney Movie that does not pass the Bechdel Test. (1) There is only one female character, Jasmine, (2) She has no other female character to speak to, and (3) The entire movie is about Aladdin's goal and plot to marry Jasmine. In this movie, Jasmine has little to no agency. Although she refuses the suitors that her father brings to her, in the end the thing that brings her happiness is marrying Aladdin. In the movie, she doesn’t seem to have any other goals.


​The Mako Mori Test 

The Mako Mori Test is another way to analyze movies. The criteria of the Mako Mori Test are (1) at least one female character (2) who gets her own narrative arc (2) that is not about supporting a man’s story. This test is important in the same way as The Bechdel Test because it makes the accurate representation of females. Females deserve to have their own character arcs and be apart of a scheme that gives them their own passions and pursuits. The fact that some movies fail this test because they don’t have any female characters with their own character arc is sad but shows that our society is is a bad place when it comes to gender equality.

Sticking to my Disney Princess theme, I’ll be looking at whether or not Mulan passes The Mako Mori Test. Mulan is a young chinese female who joins the army dressed as a man in order to bring pride to her family’s name. Mulan does pass The Mako Mori Test because(1) Mulan is a powerful female character, (2) who has her own journey and goals (3) that aren’t revolving around a male character.  Mulan because of the fact that it passes and The Mako Mori is a better movie to show to kids than Aladdin.

My Test
The Colorism Test 

(1) There is more than one black female in a leading, or at least significant, role (2) who is not light skinned or racially ambiguous (3) and is given traditionally feminine characteristics.

My test is relevant today because not only has racism affected how black women are viewed in the media, so has colorism. Colorism is the idea that having features as close to those as white women makes you a better black woman. Examples of these features are lighter skin, looser curls, and a passive personality. Darker women are therefore less desirable. The third of my test’s criteria is exist because dark skin women, if they are included at all, are often portrayed as a very masculine while their light-skinned counterparts are the declicate and loved damsels. Portraying dark skin women as loud and confrontational is definitely an issue because it feeds into the stereotype that allows men of all races so say that they would never date a darkskin woman.

Grownish is a TV show that showcases the changes and growth of a group of friends throughout college. Though, many of the friends are black, and even black females, there are no dark skin females in the show. Why is that? Do dark skin females not go to college? Where is the representation?

On the other hand, Akeelah and The Bee, is a movie that showcases a young black grils rise to fame through her love of spelling. In the movie there is a dark skin female who is a main character and is smart and soft-spoken, qualities that are usually given to light-skinned actresses. Because of these reasons, Akeelah and The Bee passes my test.
Lastly, another movie that passes my test is The Black Panther because it showcases powerful dark skin women. Initially, I felt that it didn’t pass because the dark skin females, Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira, were depicted in a very masculine and warrior-esque way. But upon further reflection, I’ve realized that there are women who pass the test. Angela Bassett for example is a literal queen and Letitia Wright was ahead of her time in terms of technology.
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To Say or Not to Say?- Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 3 · Pahomov · B Band on Friday, January 5, 2018 at 9:51 pm

To Say or Not to Say

During my freshman year, I got into an altercation with a student during African American History. The topic was police brutality. A classmate of mine opened her mouth, I prepared for the worst, and said, “Black men are always getting shot because they are always up to something.”

As I pressed my teeth into my tongue, attempting to be less dominating as I was often called, I wondered how someone could sound so empty-headed. Nevertheless, I let her continue.

“So look, my family and I were in church one day and a black man came in who was intimidating so someone shot him.”

Now, how could I have been expected to keep calm and not respond to that?

Without even waiting to be called on, I said, “Do you think about things before you open your mouth? Firstly, you couldn’t give me an example of a black man who was unreasonably shot by the police. Instead, you told a story about how your people shot a man who walked into your church. How is that supporting your point? What was intimidating about him in church? Was he singing too loud? Praying to intensely? God, when are you people going to admit that you have an irrational fear of black people? When are you going to admit that you’re the problem? Like…”

I was interrupted by my history teacher, “That is enough Afi.” But it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t nearly done, but I let it go.

Later on, my teacher had the nerve to approach me and say, “Afi, what you did today was unacceptable. I didn’t appreciate it at all. The next occurrence of this will result in a progress note.” I was stunned. I was on the verge of getting a progress note for speaking my mind. While the other student, who basically confessed to being racist, or prejudiced at the least, and shooting a black man who came to her church, didn’t receive any backlash. It’s experiences like that that molded me into a less assertive, less honest version of myself because I felt that my words would bring my downfall.

To say or not to say? That has always been a question. Ever since I was young, I’ve gotten into trouble for saying too much. I was raised to always speak my mind, finding inspiration from my outspoken mother. I thought it was so cool how fearless she was. Because of her fearlessness when it came to speaking her mind, she became someone to rely on because of her honest--sometimes brutally honest--truths. But as life continued and after repeatedly being told to be less aggressive and less angry, I was made compromising, self-belittling, and conventional.  

Feeling constricted, I needed something to enlighten me. At the time, though, I didn’t know what it would be. Poetry was something that found me because the idea of poetry never even crossed my mind. To my surprise, it has worked, over the past few years, as an outlet for me to express my opinions without interruptions and get things off my chest. Shortly after my confrontation with my history teacher outside of room 307, a friend of mine approached me with a strange proposition.

“Hey Afi,” she said, “I need a favor.” A favor, of course, I thought. Could anyone give me a break? I was annoyed but a managed to utter, without sounding too irritated, a simple,

“What do you need, Bea?”

“I’ve been meaning to go to poetry club. I think it’d be fun and Mr. Kay is running it. Cool, right?” I was searching for a point as she continued, “I think it’d be nice for both of us.” I must’ve given her a face because she finished slowly asking, “They have a meeting tomorrow. Will you come with me?”

“Are you saying this because you really think it's nice for us or are you just afraid of going alone?”

“Both, I guess. Come on, please!” I figured it couldn’t hurt. Maybe a change of scenery was what I needed to get out of the horrible mood I was in.

“Sure, until tomorrow then.” The next day, I dragged my feet through the school day and when 3:05 hit on that Tuesday in January, I found Bea and we walked towards room 309. Mr. Kay’s room is, arguably, the coziest in the entire school. He has couches and blankets and tons of kids in there all the time. So when I walked in, I immediately felt loads better. After the first meeting, filled with ice-breakers, brainstorms, and talk of competition, I understood that poetry club was the place to be. There were times where I wasn’t sure of myself at all. I didn’t think I was as good of a writer or performer as everyone else. With encouragement, practice, and teamwork, I improved. In April of my freshmen year, with my best friend, Zoey Tweh, I wrote Corduroy. This piece pushed me beyond my boundaries. The piece was written from the perspective of a corduroy bear who loses his owner, Lisa, a little girl, to an incident of police brutality.

There are little girls like Lisa everywhere

In Philly

In Detroit

In the Southside of  Chicago

They are not America’s children

They trespassed in their own homes

Their melanin a badge of its own

A temptation for white men in blue uniforms to forget protocol

Their joy, their presence, their potential

Replaced with teddy bears like me

Yellow caution tape is just as common as jump ropes

They wrap around entire communities

until our breath buckles into submission

Lisa

They have forgotten what it feels like to bury a child

To send their kids to school

praying that they will return home

To report them missing and never get an answer

To call the police and never receive justice

Because to have a black child is to be left in the dark

Avoiding the flashlights as best you can

They have taken too many childhoods

Leaving nothing

But the remnants of  lonely Corduroys

Like me

Corduroy was unlike any piece I had ever written. Police brutality and gun violence were always issues that I wanted to discuss but I never thought about writing it like that. Though that isn’t the first piece of my poetry career, it is the one that showed me the power of poetry.

Two years later, I am still a part of the poetry club and I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon. Poetry and performing have changed my character for the better. Not only has poetry given me a way to talk about what I want to but it’s allowed me to bring awareness to the things that are important to me. Poetry has allowed me to unearth and expose topics like race relations in America, the ineffective combination of social media and protest, police brutality and the current romanizing and “trendiness” of the African Culture to the world. Poetry has challenged my writing in a way that allows me to craft different tones and personas at my leisure. Poetry has given me a way to find that balance between saying too much and saying too little. It’s been effective, but recently, I’ve been thinking about whether I really needed it. Maybe I wasn’t the problem. Maybe the world needed to change. I believe that we, as people, have found ways to censor people in ways that can be problematic. Everyone should feel that their opinions matter and should be allowed to introduce new ideas to groups. The self will generally change to fit into what the world demands of it. Sometimes, though, the self finds ways around what the world’s expectations like I did with poetry. The world should change for us, not the other way around.


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Unending Horrors: Society and The United States Prison System

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 3 · Pahomov · B Band on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at 10:57 pm
2Fer #2 - Afi Koffi
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Mom? A Tale in Digital Corresspondence

Posted by Afi Koffi in Creative Writing · Giknis · x2 Band on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 10:08 pm
https://drive.google.com/a/scienceleadership.org/file/d/0B9DaA61tQrCWX1gxcktqUEd1RE0/view?usp=sharing 
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E2U6 Patakí- Debreast, Hart, Koffi, Rivera

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 2 · Manuel · B Band on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 12:18 pm

Erase una vez una chica que se llamaba Yemaya. Yemaya tenía siete años y era muy solitaria porque no tenía amigos. Un dia, Yemaya era jugaba con los peces cuando Oshun, una Orisha, vino abajo a la isla de el cielo. Los colores de Oshun son amarillo y ella es la orisha de amor, belleza, prosperidad. El número de Oshun es cinco. Ellas se convirtieron en amigas por tener muchas cosas en común. Cuando ellas juegaban, fueron a la playa. Un dia, Yemaya y Ochun fueren profundo en el océano. Yemaya murió. Oshun era muy triste y preocupada. Oshun le pidió a Obatala que resucita a Yemaya. Obatala le dijo a Oshun, "Eso no es fácil pero yo intentaré". Más tarde, Obatala dijo, "Tú  necesitas traer cinco ofrendas. Puedes traer frutas o hierbas o animales también. Tienen un mes." El ocho de septiembre Oshun trajo las cinco ofrendas. Oshun trajo sandía, nopales, lechuga, bayas, fuco negro y Yemaya se convirtió en una orisha y vivió y jugaba con Oshun en el cielo por siempre. Yemaya tiene dos colas y es una sirena. Sus colores favoritos son azul y blanco. Después de los acontecimientos con Oshun, Yemaya se convirtió en el Yeye Omo Eja y ahora es orisha de los océanos, los lagos y las madres y los niños. El dia de Yemaya es el ocho de septiembre, el dia que Oshun trajo las ofrendas que la salvó. Esta es la historia de Yemaya y como ella se convirtió en una orisha.


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God of Morality- Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Creative Writing · Giknis · x2 Band on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 5:05 pm
ThisIbelieve-Koffi
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LOTF: One for One and All for None

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 10:22 am
LoTFEssayDraft
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E2 U4 Señor Smith- Oeste Filadelfia

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 2 · Manuel · B Band on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 6:25 pm

Yo vivo en Oeste Filadelfia. Mi barrio es vibrante y muy bonito. He vivido en este barrio por toda mi vida. Cuando pienso en mi barrio, pienso en los murales y los chicos porque hay muchos chicos riendo y jugado en el verano cerca de los murales. Me gusta la cultura en mi barrio. No me gusta la violencia en mi barrio. Si, me gusta donde yo vivo porque hay muchas actividades y mis amigos viven aquí también. Yo haría mi barrio más seguro. Un tema importante en mi barrio es la familia, especialmente los niños. Sí, mi familia, mi amigos, y Will Smith están de mi barrio.

Esta pared es en una escuela cerca de mi casa. Un mural está aquí porque mucho gente puede verlo. Un mural puede traer color al barrio. Algunas personas famosas de West Philadelphia son Will Smith y Kevin Bacon. El Oeste Filadelfia es muy diverso. En mi barrio hay africanos, asiáticos, afroamericanos, europeos y latinos.

En mi mural hay la cabeza de Will Smith, un persona famosa de Oeste Filadelfia. Will Smith es un productor, actor, y rapper. El mural dice “ Being Realistic is the most common path to mediocrity” y “West Philadelphia, born and raised” porque es citas del Señor Smith.  El propósito de este mural es honrar Señor Smith y sus trabajos. Quiere hacer este mural porque recuerda él. En mi mural hay un calle para representar “the path to mediocrity”. Los colores son negros, rojos, azules, y marrones.

En fin, el propósito de arte público es inspirar la gente y traer algo nuevo al barrio. Mi mural hace esto. Este mural recuerda Will Smith y sus comienzos en Oeste Filadelfia. Me gusta mi mural mucho. Es creativo y vibrante igual a mi barrio.
Screenshot 2017-03-22 at 6.25.56 PM
Screenshot 2017-03-22 at 6.25.56 PM
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Tarea: Foto

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 2 · Manuel · B Band on Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 7:34 pm
Photo
Photo
Este pared es en la escuela cerca de mi casa. Un mural aquí porque mucho gente puede verlo. Un mural puede traer color a la barrio.

Mi barrio: Oeste Philly
Figures importantes: Will Smith & Eve
Culturas representadas: Africanos, Latinos, 

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The Love Letter por Steve Powers

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 2 · Manuel · B Band on Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 9:42 pm
mural-arts-if-you-were-here-philadelphia-8-600-587x0
mural-arts-if-you-were-here-philadelphia-8-600-587x0
Ubicado en: 5101 Market Street

3 cosas que este mural revela sobre la comunidad:
  • Hay amor en la comunidad
  • La comunidad es acogedora
  • Se pierde una persona
2 objetos, imágenes, frases o palabras encontrados en el mural
  • Very colorful with "childish" font
  • "If you were here, I'd be home now"
1 razón que es significativo para esta comunidad
  • Brings a story and color to the neighborhood. 
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A Forgotten Hero-Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at 11:58 am
AfisMonologueDraftingPage
https://www.soundtrap.com/play/pdFRhaCbQ-evOO10UWKC4w/a-forgotten-hero/

This is not the full version...
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Saint Anything Emulation

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 7:41 pm
Saint Anything Emulation Koffi
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"For Eternity" Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Creative Writing · Giknis · x2 Band on Friday, October 28, 2016 at 12:01 pm
​Welcome to my page. The piece titled, For Eternity, is a fictional, fantasy short-story. I was inspired by a series I know and love, Harry Potter. The piece is about three brothers whose lives change when one decides he wants to live as a mortal, and the other goes missing. This text was written as the first chapter of a potential book. ENJOY!

http://thewritingsofafikoffi.weebly.com/
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"Wow You're Tall" - Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on Thursday, September 29, 2016 at 5:29 am
AfisPersonalEssay
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Certificados de Excelencia - Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 2 · Manuel · B Band on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 12:21 pm
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Screenshot 2016-09-20 at 6.54.07 PM
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E1 U8 Q4 Proyecto James Adams, Antonio DeRock, Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 1 - Manuel - D on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 8:43 pm
Carmen(Afi) and Speedy(Antonio) go to school, however they are really hungry. They ditch school and go to a venezuelan restaurant, by calling a taxi. They meet Tyrone(James) the taxi driver, then they arrive at the restaurant and meet Paco(James) the waiter. Carmen(Afi) and Speedy(Antonio) then order their food, they receive their food and the worst thing happens Paco(James) is a undercover cop named Steve(James). Watch to find out how the tale unfolds!
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E1U5 (Despierte Con el Amancecer)

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 1 - Manuel - D on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 3:51 pm

Despierte Con el Amanecer

Afi Koffi


Soy Afi

Soy el producto de mis padres magníficos

Mis tres hermanos y

mi verdad

Soy completa


Veo las ropas tradicional de Togo

Oigo los tambores y el shakere

Huelo las platanos y pollos

Tocó las manos de mi mamá

Saboreo empanadas de carne


Me despierto con el amanecer

Corro con las olas de mar

Bailo con los tambores

Valgo la tierra de mis padres


Somos productos de muchas culturas de África

Somos enraizada de nuestros historias de nuestros continente

No somos Americanos pero vivimos en America

Somos Africanos.

Somos la tierra de batatas y plátanos

De océanos rodantes, selvas susurrantes, y desiertos tranquilos

Nunca estoy solo porque la llevo siempre conmigo


Spanish Benchmark
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Macbeth Creative Project Koffi & Zimmerman

Posted by Afi Koffi in English 1 - Giknis - A on Monday, January 18, 2016 at 4:18 pm

In creating this project, Eli and I wanted to do something different that we felt would truly portray our knowledge of Macbeth. We decided to make a newspaper in the perspective of a newspaper reporter that is to the everyday citizens in Scotland. We made this decision because we all know what happens in the castle, but by having the newsletter made in a citizen’s perspective we are revealing how citizens are reacting to the things that are happening in the book. It gives us the non royal view of the situation, we’re looking in on the royal family's life.

Our letter consists of things that we felt all newspapers have, like articles, a crossword, and an ad . Our headline article is about the crowning of Macbeth. We agreed that this would be the main article because a new king’s crowning would be very apparent, especially after the sudden untimely death of King Duncan. In addition we decided if the reporter was in this situation he would’ve wanted to make Macbeth the headline because he essentially has a major influence over the reporter life. Our second article was on the fleeing of Prince Malcolm and Prince Donalbain. This article went into depth about why the two princes left from the reporter's point of view. Our third and final article was about the death of King Duncan. In this article the reporter got in depth with the conspiracy behind why certain people would have a motive to kill King Duncan. The article also went on to explain how the murder would have been laid out, meaning how the murderer would have gotten into the king’s room.      

Doing this project taught us that communication is important. Throughout the duration of this project we had long periods of time where we didn’t talk. This lead to us misinterpreting information and finishing the main aspects of the project. Luckily being done early isn’t much of a problem, but if we communicated better this misunderstanding could’ve been avoided. We also learned that having a written calendar is a great idea and one that we will use in our future projects. Having a calendar is like having a written contract that holds us both accountable to the work we do and do not finish on time.

Both Eli and I are satisfied with the final product of our project. Before we started we established goals and we feel as though all those goals were met. Our project looks like a real newspaper that could have been written around the time of Macbeth. It has all the things we felt a basic newspaper should have. If we were to do this project again we would have added more of a creative element to the project. In our minds a newspaper seemed to have more of an artistic appeal than what our outcome was. Even though the newspaper was a good idea it was not as unique as we originally thought it to be.

We had several days during class and outside of school of just taking notes and annotating the things we wanted to use in our newspaper

Screenshot 2016-01-18 at 6.22.59 PM
Screenshot 2016-01-18 at 6.22.59 PM
We also had multiple sessions on google hangouts to share ideas and thoughts throughout the winter break
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Screenshot 2016-01-18 at 7.52.31 PM
We had to communicate a lot outside o f class. These are pictures of how technology helped in the process of completing this project
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​This is our final product. The completed, official Scotland Post
Macbeth Newspaper
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Growing Up Online Reflection Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Technology - Freshman - Hull - b2 on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7:16 pm
  1. In class we watched a video called Growing up Online
  2. The show was about the internet and its effect on technological advancement, education, and people, especially our generation
  3. The most memorable thing about this show was the individual stories of each teen that seemed really different but were actually quite similar in some ways. For example, Sara and Ryan Halligan, two very different teens with two very different stories, both turned to the internet for solace. Unfortunately neither of them found positive outlets online. In fact the internet may have made their issues worse.
  4. Shows like this are important because it is crucial that problems, like the ones discussed in the show, don't go unnoticed or forgotten. Instead these problems should be addressed and possibly solved.
  5. To keep my family safe online I would make sure that rules and norms are understood from the beginning. Norms about behavior online will be clear and precise 
  6. I think that it's important to make sure that family is safe online because my family's well being is important to me. I wouldn't want my family to be unhappy or to feel threatened. Safety in real life is clear so internet safety should be too.
  7. I would tell those parents to show their children shows like Growing up Online. The effects and consequences of abusing the internet should be made known to their kids
Screenshot 2016-01-12 at 8.11.50 PM
Screenshot 2016-01-12 at 8.11.50 PM
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Media Fluency Part 2 Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Technology - Freshman - Hull - b2 on Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 11:19 am
Untitled presentation (1)
I wanted to keep my message the same but make it more clear and simple. I basically started over entirely because I felt that the initial idea got lost in the creation of my previous slide. This is why I chose a different background. I wanted to use something that was more related to the message. The road that leads into the sunlight works because though one may not always know what lies ahead they should always keep moving. I made the message move across the road because I thought that it was more eye catching. The color scheme works better together. And though there's a lot less on the page the slide works better. 
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Media Fluency Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Technology - Freshman - Hull - b2 on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Untitled presentation (1)
This assignment was difficult because I found it hard to summarize my entire me magazine in one slide since I incorporated so many aspects of my life into it. I decided to choose a running theme in my me magazine, moving forward against all odds. In my slide I have myself thinking about things that are important to me and that trouble me then I have my self reassuring myself that I can do this. I used contrast with the font, small and large, and color, green and red and black and white. The main message which is moving forward is the largest and thus the first thing that is noticed. I also made some of the picture bleed off of the page.
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Soy Ruby Poem- Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 1 - Manuel - D on Monday, November 23, 2015 at 4:12 pm
​Yo soy Ruby
Soy...
Fiel, fuerte, valiente
Sociable, encantadora, adorable
Mascota, madre, hermana, amiga
Me gusta...
Nadar, correr, comer
No me gusta nada...
descansar, dormir solo
No soy...
padre, hermano, prima
timida, aburrida, antipatica
maliciosa, insana, mentirosa
Vivo en casa de Afi
Yo soy Ruby
puredogss
puredogss
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Who am I online, Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Technology - Freshman - Hull - b2 on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at 12:45 pm
1) In class we watched a video on  the act and results of bullying. In the video a young boy is bullied and without interference of bystanders his day gets worse and worse. This video helps to depict the role that bystanders should have in helping someone who is getting bullied and how important it is.
2) I feel as though bullied is something that shouldn't happen and there are steps that can be taken to prevent it but the idea of completely getting rid of it isn't realistic.
3)I am always on line. I think that online I'm the same person I am in person but I can't really see myself in a third person perspective. I hope that the way I am preiceved online is positive.
4) When my name is searched on google a emo rock band comes up. I am in no way connected to that band so I honestly don't know what my impression would be.
5) The goal of internet trolling is to disrupt an ruin others' experience online.
6) The positive thing about anonymity is having the freedom to say or do what you want. Negative include, having no restrains for trolling because you think you can't be tracked even though you can.

Shrank away to a very tiny size
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My Home Network Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Technology - Freshman - Hull - b2 on Friday, October 9, 2015 at 9:01 am
2) My home network consist of a printer, a desktop, three laptops and four cellphones. Of those devices only the desktop is connected by wire.
3) I've learned that the internet doesn't just come out of nowhere. There's a process, a web of systems, that it has to go through. I had an OMG moment when i learned how much Xfinity cost. 
4) I would tell others that it's important to know about your homework so that if something happens you'll know how to react and what to do
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My home network Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Technology - Freshman - Hull - b2 on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at 1:55 pm
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