Where I'm From by Felicia Madlock

Together, we read the poem "Where I'm From" by Felicia Madlock. We believe that Madlock is exploring the trials that her ancestors experienced in order for her to obtain the freedom that she upholds today. Along with the troubles of her ancestors, she mentions some of her own as well. An "I Am From" poem usually brings a presence of the past experiences that the someone had went through; is does not necessarily have to be the author.


We believe that Felicia Madlock is expressing the experiences of her fellow ancestors and their hardships during the time before and after the civil rights movement. These hardships are what made her who she is today and ultimately allowed her to appreciate the opportunities that she has been given.


By stating in the poem, "I am from... Martin Luther King's dreams... I am from hands that toiled cotton..." clearly indicates that she is from ancestors that had to face these trials in order for her to have the life she now lives. We believe that she is showing gratitude. "For I, too, am America" she stated. We believe she means not only as individual, but being a part of a culture and race that has helped shape America. She then says, "And life for me hasn’t been no crystal stairs" showing that her life has not been comprised of easy events and tasks.


She also provides proud accomplishments that her ancestors and race has accomplished and she has been apart of, "I am from Michael Jackson mania Prince’s Purple Passion" and "To Harold Washington’s historical victory". This adds to the validity of the poem, because these are actual event in history that contribute to her being


Later on she says, "I am from dying days of disco... When Funk was the fever". This obviously proves that there is a transition in time, allowing us to configure that she is talking about her family. Mostly, she emphasizes on the large change in time, that has given her freedom. 


At the end of the poem, it takes on a more solemn feel where she expresses her own experiences, "I am from poetry... I am from eyes that seek truth...". This shows that as a person, Felicia Madlock has grown into a strong woman that is proud of her race, culture and history. 

Literally, every line in this poem, serves a significant meaning. It is obvious that Felicia Madlock is proud of where she has come from and thrives in the history of her hardworking ancestors. She continues to serve as a very inspirational and strong woman today.

While people face hardships throughout their lives, experiences, whether it be personal or through family, are ultimately determined by how people shape them.

A Journey Through Appalachia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PJZISR4H2g

My Appalachia

Georgianne McNutt

English 151

            Appalachia to me means the areas outside of Ohio University.  For example the landscape of the mountains and how towns are built around these areas to form small towns that makes bigger areas like Athens County.   I guess in a way Appalachia is a way of living on its own because where I am from it is all about the house you own or the people you know but in towns like Athens or Nelsonville it is about the things you do and the people you are close to.  I see this as a beneficial aspect because you get to know people for who they are and not the house they own.  The first person I interviewed was my roommate Tayler and she said she thinks Appalachia is just a term to define the region we all live in and to her it is a place she calls home for the time being.  She does not consider herself to be an Appalachian because she only goes to school here and does not know their way of living or can understand how the people that live in this region live.  The second person I interviewed is Kayla from down the hall and she agreed with Tayler’s comment about how Appalachia is a term to define the region of this mountain range and that it should not represent the people that live here.  She then says how she does not think she is and “Appalachian” because she is from Indiana and lives a different lifestyle then those of this region.  The last person talked to about this subject is my friend Jordan and he said that Appalachia is everything outside of this campus, the towns, the people and the landscape.  Also he does not think he is technically an “Appalachian” just because he goes here, he thinks that he might become a little more down to earth like the people from here but that this place did not make him Appalachian.  After listening to what all these people had to say it made me realize that Ohio University does a very good job at incorporating the Appalachia part of the town with Athens.  For example how we keep the area around it beautiful and how the townies even participate in parades or smaller activities in the college alone.  I am sure there are some ways that we can help incorporate the college life into this small town to make closer.

What is Appalachia?

Appalachia Defined

Appalachia is a trail of an area that stretches 200,000 square miles, that follows the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to the Northern are of Mississippi. It includes some of Ohio and all of Pennsylvania and multiple other states in-between. The isolated lifestyle of Appalachia is a far cry from the urban lifestyle. The place is very remote but yet beautiful in all its nature. The normal suburbs do not exist in the region of Appalachia because everyone on lives miles apart from each other. Appalachians yards are filled with beautiful scenery and usually farm life. Appalachians are seen as poverty stricken because the do not fit the norms of society and for that they are viewed poorly upon.   The vast rural region of Appalachia is a quiet, peaceful, but yet beautiful with all the untouched nature it has to offer and once one has seen it themselves they sound not talk down about the people who live there or harm the beauty of it. Appalachia may not offer the latest and biggest new shopping center or resort area but one would sure be in for a treat visiting to see exotic new plant and wild life and unforgettable memories.

Ohio University could improve relations and communication between the school and the surrounding county involving the region of Appalachia in several ways. One could be to help to keep the beautiful scenery the county safe; this could be by helping not to litter, to recycle and help to get rid of trash. Another way would be to help save money to set up a nature preserve or park or have a fundraiser to give back to the community. Ohio University can help give back to the community by  helping to preserve the beauty of Appalachian communities.

Next we interviewed three people and asked them the questions “How do they define Appalachia and do they consider themselves Appalachian?” The participants were Korrie, Mike, and Jenna.

Korrie: “Appalachia is rural area of mountains that has beautiful sights of nature to offer. No I do no consider myself Appalachian because I am from Cleveland Ohio.”

Mike: “I would describe Appalachia as a region that follows the Appalachian mountains. I don’t consider myself to be but I am from Cincinnati.

Jenna: “ Well I can begin by saying Appalachia includes my hometown. It is a isolated area but is very peaceful and the town by me is small enough where everyone knows everyone. Yes I am Appalachian. 

What is Appalachia?

                When I think of Appalachia I think of an undeveloped place where a lot of the natural environment is still intact, but when I think of it I don’t just think of the landscape I also think of the type of people that live there. I also think of an area with a lot of diversity of wildlife across the mountains of various states along the eastern side of the US. I see Appalachian as a lager stretch of hills or mountains with parts of it highly populated but for the most part as an un-touched place with people that have lived there for their whole lives.

               

Interview of first person: When they first think of Appalachian they think of a mountain landscape with poverty filled communities. When they think of the types of people that live there they think of creepy rednecks and behind socially, in the sense of they don’t have the technology that the majority of people have and they live by themselves and live of their land. When asked if they thought they were Appalachian they said no because they live in northeast Ohio close to Cleveland, and they also don’t the area where if you live there you are said to be Appalachian.

Interview of second person: When asked how they would define Appalachia the said “I don’t know what that means exactly”. After I explained to them some things they then said “the first thing that I can think of would be people that live near mountains that don’t exactly interact with others, kinda like hermits”.  I asked him if he thought he was Appalachian, “we’ll I really don’t think so considering I didn’t know what it meant in the first place and even though I live in the area that is considered Appalachian territory”.

Interview of third person: When I asked them how they would define Appalachian they said “when I think of that I think of creepy people living in poverty and not having the standards and technology as most people”. They said they don’t consider themselves Appalachians even though they have some family that could be considered Appalachian.

If OU wanted to improve relations and communication the surrounding county they could invite them to all of the sporting events by specifically stating that they are invited to support the home town team. Or they could invite them to other special events that take place on campus like speeches for people to fests in the spring.

Appalachia 

                                               By:Angel Cancel

The best way to describe the term Appalachia is that it is a region of the eastern United States.  The Appalachian Mountains stretch across the whole world and the states/cities that are affected by the mountains are called the Appalachian region. This cultural region is mountainous that has many hills.

The first person I interviewed was my roommate. His name is James Shaughnessy and he is a freshman at Ohio University. Right of the bat he said he loved this place…“It’s not the warmest place but it makes up for its beauty and its fresh air”. When I asked the question of how he would define it, he said “pure happiness that is covered in mountains and hills”.  He doesn’t consider himself an Appalachian because he wasn’t born here and hasn’t experienced everything this place can offer.

Kevin Chorney was the next person I interviewed. He has been in Athens, Ohio for quite a bit and has a lot to say about it.  He started off saying that “This is a very mountainous place that has a lot of beauty”. Then he went into why it’s the best place every. He doesn’t consider himself an Appalachian because of the same reason of James Shaughnessy. He said near the end of the interview that hopefully one day I can live here and experience more.

Joe Tysko was actually born here in Athens, Ohio. He has lived in Athens for 20 years.  Joe said during the interview that “there is no place like this” and that living in Appalachia has been the best thing ever. He said that “this place is not to hot or cold…this place is just perfect”.  He does consider himself an Appalachian because he was born here. But he usually refers himself to an Athenian.

Ohio University can do many things to help the relationship between themselves and the county. The school can have like a street cookout for everyone, even the townies. OU can make a fundraiser for the county. Maybe the school should put a fundraiser for the repairment of a building that’s been in Athens for a long time. Ohio University could have like a huge party that collects money and all that money could go to the county to help poverty. There are countless things the school can do to bring the students/faculty of OU to bring us closer to the county...hopefully they do something sooner then later.