CSL Short Paper 2

Due via e-mail before Monday, February 15

One to two pages, 40 points

This class has a community service learning (CSL) notation, and you are expected to spend a minimum of twelve hours on a CSL project. CSL should accomplish three objectives:

  1. Enhance the educational experience for students and educators by putting course material into practice.
  2. Provide a useful service to the wider community.
  3. Deepen our understanding of the course content.

You will choose one of the following two community service learning projects:

Project 1: Community Building at the International Womyn's Day March in San Jose

On Saturday, March 6th a broad coalition of community groups will march in San Jose to celebrate International Womyn's Day. Students from ELIT24/ICS24 can help to make this march successful by participating in the following tasks:

  • Attending meetings of the organizing committee and reporting back to your classmates who are also participating in the march.
  • Helping to make banners (either March 1st or 2nd).
  • Ensuring the safety of those participating in the march.
  • Set-up and Clean-up for the march.
  • Help to organize a contingent of male supporters to participate in the march.

If you select this project you should write a few paragraphs that answer the following questions:

What is the purpose of celebrating International Womyn's Day? How does International Womyn's Day relate to Asian Americans, both men and women? How is International Womyn's Day related to Asian American History?

Watch these two videos:

Learning about International Women's Day:

http://www.5min.com/Video/Learn-About-International-Womens-Day-38364124

A similar event from last year in England:

http://vimeo.com/4668246

Your assignment will be shared with Vivian Bejarin, who is a faculty member here at De Anza and who is helping to organize the International Womyn's Day march. Feel free to ask questions in your paper. Feel free also to contact Vivian at bejarinvivian@fhda.edu.

Project 2: Community Research on the Effect of State Budget Cuts on Immigrants, Migrants and People of Color

This assignment is an extension of the first CSL assignment. During the second half of this course you will do research on the effect of the California state budget cuts on immigrants, migrants and people of color including Asian Americans. We will pay particular attention to cuts to services and to education. This research will hopefully draw on stories of people in our local community here in Santa Clara County, and we will present the results of our research through a web site and through a public event at the California History Center. Additionally, we will hopefully be able to provide resources that students outside of De Anza can use to spread awareness about the effects of the budget cuts and also to help others get involved in fighting them.

I am still in the process of working with the DASB and APASL to see how we can contribute to the organizing around the budget cuts here at De Anza.

For the writing assignment write a few paragraphs about the following questions:

  1. What is the process by which the budget is proposed and approved?
  2. Who are the players?

Of course, you will not be able to give an exhaustive and definitive answer to either of these questions, but these are questions that we need to answer in the next few weeks. You might fill out your paper by considering the steps we need to take to answer the questions, and you might be able to take a few steps already. Feel free to ask questions! It's likely that your questions are the questions that many of your classmates and other students are asking right now too.

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