​The Earth is made up of four spheres. They are Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere, and Hydrosphere. The Atmosphere is (air) Biosphere is responsible for maintaining life. Geosphere (Land and Rockets). Hydrosphere (water). We connected all these four elements to our natural disaster.

While doing the search on the water flood in Sierra Leone, I learned that sierra Leone is one of the wettest cities in west Africa. They once received 20 inches of rainfall in August. In our search we learned that heavy rains over saturated the ground which caused it to be waterlogged and lose friction.

For this project we had to an essay on a deceased loved one, then we had to write a spanish eulogy on it and make of video of us reading it out loud. Doing this project was fun and emotional at the same time because he had to think about the good things the person had done for us and also unforgettable memories we had together.

Hadja Diallo

                                                         Día de los Muertos

As long as I could remember, my uncle have always been a father figure to me.  When I was 2 years old, my father left Guinea for the pursuit of a better life for him and also for the future of his children. He chose to come to america, the land of opportunities, where he had a vision of a better future. He left me and my siblings in the care of my Uncle, who raised and cared for us during our childhood. He was there by our sides through thick and thin and was fair to us as a  biological father. My father trusted him with everything, even the people that were deared to him the most. It isn’t until later in my youth that I realized that my uncle was not a biological brother of my father; I was explained that he was just a relative from the same hometown as my father’s. The story behind their acquaintance is that my uncle happened to move into the city for a job and met my father, who gave him a place to stay and opened up his home and family to him. Since day one they treated each other like brothers, I believe it is the main reason to why we did not know their differences. As the youngest, of course my uncle  treated me like a little princess, I had everything that I wanted in terms of gifts, celebrating birthdays and spending most of his free time with me. It is indeed the best childhood that any kid could ask for. Sometimes, when I start acting up, my mother will blame my uncle for spoiling me so much.  

Another reflection that will never be erased out of my conscience is the emotional care that was provided by him. Back in Guinea, I used to get sick a lot, and whenever it was the case, he will stick by my side with all that I needed. He will make sure that I was getting my treatments from the best doctors. Without a car, and the hassle of transportation, it was very difficult to get around places. On days that I am sick and have to go to the hospital, we always will take a taxi. I remember once, it took us a while to stop a vacant taxi, and he had me on his back, walking for a couple of miles before finding one. Imagine yourself with a sick child that needs immediate assistance from a doctor and cannot find a reliable source of transportation? He was an incredible man for his hard work and patience. I remember this particular moment as if it happened yesterday, when I was severely ill and threw up on his back. I apologized later for doing so, but he did not seem to care, and told me that I needed to relax and get some rest. I had an issue with my appendix and had to get surgery done, and without him I can surely say that there was a very slight chance that I could be here today. He was the only one that we had for such services and he did not fail to go beyond his best each time. My father sent money for him to assist with the spendings and also my medicines.

We went through a lot in Guinea including presidential elections and all the strikes. When it started becoming hectic, my father decided to find his ways to bring us  to live with him and pursue a better education. It was really hard for me to think about moving to a different country, where another language is spoken, but mostly having to leave the people that I grew up loving and caring for especially my uncle. Again, he was the one that helped out with all of our immigration papers, appointments, interviews etc... The last time I saw him was at the airport, before we boarded for the US. After we all got on the plane, I kept asking myself, “Would this be the last time I see my uncle or will I get a chance to see him again someday”. The thoughts were really stressing me out.

After we settled down, I used to recharge my mother’s phone to call long distance for an amount of five dollars every weekend, so that I can talk to my uncle. I will go over things with him such as school related, the differences between the two countries and so on. This one weekend, I called him and he told me that he was sick, but he did not tell me how bad his conditions were. I still kept calling every weekend to check up on him, until he passed. On May 16th 2013, a day that is unforgettable to me is the day they announced me that he passed away. I was in school and I had an early dismissal; my brother picked me up and told me that we had to go buy some new things for living room without knowing what was going on, I got very excited since I love shopping. My brother said that first we had to go home and get the money from my parents. When we got home, as we opened the door, I saw my mom bursting out in tears and surrounded me with her arms. As she kept crying,  I knew that it was definitely something serious that had happened but didn’t know exactly what it was. Then my dad set me aside and said  “Hadja your uncle Yaya passed away” from that instant, it was  the first and last thing I remembered hearing for a whole week. With the shock, people and words were just mute to me, as I sat and reminisced on the past and the unforgettable things that he had done for me and my siblings. I cried every single day for days, and I am still mourning his death as I write this paper. I know that my uncle is in a good place for his great personality and his good deeds and that he still watches over his little princess.  

I decided to make the sugar skull,  because of how important my uncle is to me and how he made a great impact in my life. I chose the colors red, yellow, and green because that represent him in so many ways. Red, Yellow, and green are the color of the Guinean flag; that represent my uncle, because he was born in guinea, started a family in guinea and he also died in Guinea. “Días de los muertos”  has opened my eyes to celebrate the past of loved ones, because it made me remember the great things my uncle did for me and others during his lifetime. It’s just a great way to remember and be thankful  to God for sometimes having such amazing people in our lives. I always wish that he did not have to leave us so early, so that I can repay him for all that he has done for myself and also my siblings.

Hadja Diallo

11-11-15

Spanish Eulogy.

Yo soy Khadija, Soy una persona muy encantadora. Yo soy el más joven de cuatro niños, tengo dos hermano y una hermana. Sólo el estado en América por tres años, nació en África y hablar cinco idiomas..Yo no soy americano africano, soy sólo un africano que vive en América. Me encanta viajar a lugares diferentes y estoy esperando para ir a paris este verano.

Yaya era mi tío quien me crió.. él era un hombre alto con ojos muy grandes, que caminan rápido. Fue muy divertido y corazón amante. Antes de morir, dejó a dos niños hermoso y su esposa también estaba embarazada.

-Link to the video   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr5uYWCjFzA

Abstract

In this interview, Mr.Diallo mentioned that there were positive and negative views  of  President Sekou Toure.  One of the negative things Sekou Toure did that had a huge impact in his life is that he was racist. Sekou Toure was so generous and kind, but he used segregation between the different tribes in Guinea.  Mr. Diallo was a victim of segregation between the Fulanis and the Mandingos tribes in Guinea, Africa. He was denied the access to go  abroad to study when he was in college.  While his other classmates were allowed to go abroad to pursue their dreams he was denied the access to make the dreams a reality simply because of his tribe..

Research

Ahmed Sekou Toure segregated the Fulanis because the were very smart, rich and had a larger population. The Fulanis in Fouta Jallon (the village were the Fulani ancestors were came from) were very smart. Chérif Manta Mady, told Sekou that the Fulanis were threat because of their power, wealth and education.  They might be the reason why he would lose his place as president.  Since then Sekou feared Fulanis. Since he didn’t get a chance to finish his education, he had a feeling that the future Fulanis will come and try to rule the land, so in order to stop them, he had to stop them from getting education. The only way to that was possible, to deny them the access to study outside of the land.

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_S%C3%A9kou_Tour%C3%A9

http://www.webguinee.net/bibliotheque/histoire/andre-lewin/sekou-toure-president/volume-1/chapitre01.html

How did Sekou Toure rule as a presidente?

The positive rating, Sekou Toure had no diversion in cases of the state in the bank, in finance, and that the people do not steal his money in a very positive side, but they did not steal money, money had value, they did not have inflection. The rating of the employer is naive there's no lateness , if the student finish their study, They are all employed in good jobs.You understand? so that about it. And security, now also I’ve talked about the security. you can go around walking all night and even a fly won’t touch you. The people don’t come in the houses of other people, to break to destroy the houses of people, and stealing  whatever they want, and killing people, no. Or stopping on the roads to attack taxi drivers and they people inside of it,

Me: They still do that though?

Mr.Diallo: They had a total and very strong security. okay you understand? These are positive rating.

Negative rating now, is that Sekou Toure ... he recognize that every person that he thought could replace him at the place of being a president.  He would catch them and put them in prison.

Me: What put them in prison?

Dad: Yes, any high quadre, the people that studied well in schools, that have their diploma, that are so so good. He knows that they can validly take/replace his place, he fears that they will try to replace him. So he would  arrest them and they were forced to be killed. That’s the negative side about Sekou Toure.

Me: That’s sad

Mr.Diallo: He denied the access for all the Fulanis to go abroad and study

Me: Wow, why is that?

Mr.Diallo: Because they are fulanis

Me: Wait, only for fulanis?

Mr.Diallo: Only the fulanis! All the fulani students that had scholarships was decline. I was a victim, me that is talking to you right now.

Me: Awww!

Mr.Diallo: I was a victim! Your dad was a victime de racial segregations of Sekou toure. A had the scholarship to go to romany ut because I was fulanis I didn’t go.  like Sekou Toure until that year, that when I started hating Sekou Toure.

What can you tell me about Africa(Guinea)  that was scary back in your days? because I heard stories about it.

Mr. Diallo: Oh you know, umm scary… Africa scary back in my generation, don’t know what you’re trying to say, I don’t know what you mean by that, you are asking me about witches?

Me:Yes

Mr.Diallo: No, you know every people has their own culture, every people as their own tribes, their rules. That what differentiate the people. So in Africa we always talk about witches. Particularly in the African countries , we say this person is a witch, they can eat people, But is that cently proved?.. It’s not  scientifically proved. We can’t explained about that ciently. But in Africa in the villages when someone is sick, we say that it the witches that ate them, and the witch is the persons and or uncle, and their are the ones who ate them But isis true or is it a lie..

Me: That’s what they call black magic?

Mr.Diallo:  because it’s not scientifically proven, I don’t know. But It’s true that it exist in Africa, that promen of witches, they say there are people that eat other people.

Me: You know your little brother back in the village was eaten by the witches, they used black magic on him.

Mr.Diallo: My brother. No  he wasn’t eaten by the witches, it’s something else. But what I really believe exit is the les fetiche. When they tell you you are going to die and you are. They can kill you if they want. they can even make lighting when it’’s not raining.

Me: Is that still continued in African? Like do they still make that?

Mr.Diallo: yes, It’s still excite and it’s the most scariest thing about Africa.

 Ms. Guarino

What is the most exciting thing about you?

“The most exciting thing about me?... Maybe that I… teach. I think teaching is really exciting! I think think getting to hang out around kids all the time as your job, is a pretty exciting thing. So that’s probably what I talk about a lot when people ask me’’.

How would you describe yourself as a person?

“ I think I am a kind person. I think that’s one of my best qualities about me, that I really am nice, I think which you don’t always find in everyone. I think that I try to be funny, but sometimes  I’m not funny. I think that I am a loving person, I think that comes from coming from a big family. So I think those are my three biggest qualities”.

How would you feel about being engaged?

“ Oh pretty exciting, I was very surprised!. So I’m still a little bit shocked, but I’m feeling pretty happy about it, everyone in my life is really happy about it. So that makes it a little exciting too.”

A crescent moon is an Islamic symbol which tell us Muslims when the month begins and also when Ramadan is approaching. The start of the crescent moon is an Islamic symbol and it was connected with the Muslim world after it was  adopted by the Ottoman Empire. It was related to Islam because the lunar cycle is an important ritual and legal role in Islam’s calendar. This symbol is  often seen on flags of predominantly Muslim countries. I choose this sculpture piece because I am Muslim and it’s a symbol of my religion. I also chose this because when I look at it make me feel like God ( Allah) is with me everytime.  This symbol reminds me of Africa, how the moon and the stars shine so bright that it makes it possible to see anything outside at night.  Back in Africa, my friends and I used to go outside at night. We used to dance, sing, and talk about scary late night stories under the shining sky.

Why do people Cyberbully? People Cyber bullying for the same seasons as any other type of bullying. “Putting someone down, will never help you reach the top”. I chose this quote because Some people become bullies because they  were bullied before and so they think is a way of solving what they went through, or because they see it as way of getting popular. There are many ways of stopping cyber bullying such as talking to your parents, consulting someone you trust. like your best friend, your teacher, your school counselor, your sister… or deleting your account. My advice for cyberbullying is facing the bullie, standing up for yourself and showing them that you're not someone that he/she should be picking on.

Hadja Diallo's artist statement

How have I expressed the complexity of myself in this video? I express myself by being who I am, and being proud of the things I can do, because it doesn’t matter what people think of me, all that matters is me being proud of who I am and who I am about to become in the future!.

In this video I express myself by being confident and proud of who I am. I express myself through my culture because culture is what makes me different. I am a proud  African, I speak (five) different languages  (fullani, French, Mandingo, sosso, and English), they are part of my life because that’s how I connect to my family and friends.

In my video, I expressed the complexity of my personality by included many different types of things that I enjoy and parts of my identity. I used multiple time lapse videos of me playing guitar to express my love for music, flipping through a large book to show how much I love to read, and drawing the solar system to show how much I love science and astronomy/astrophysics. I also included many pictures of me and my friends because they are a large part of my life and have significantly affected me in a positive way. By doing this project, I learned that it is important to express myself truthfully and as comfortably as I can because that way I can friends who know who I am. I learned that there are many people are who are accepting of me for my differences and quirks, even if they’re really weird.