Purpose: The purpose of Essay One, is to get you to think critically and analytically about your own life experiences based on your own identities. In this autoethnographic essay, you will explore and write about your identities, whichever you’re willing to reflect and write about. Identities can include: gender, class, immigration status, race, ethnicity, student status (first-or second-generation student), or any other identities.
Another purpose of this essay is to encourage you to find your voice. Your voice means who you are. For you to find your voice, you need to recognize who you are and where you’re coming from. This may include your worldview and ideologies that have influenced you. These elements impact how you understand, perceive, process, interact, react, and take action in your life.
Note: I will be the only one reading your essay and will keep your information confidential.
Prompt:
ESSAY TITLE: HOW DO I IDENTIFY… AND WHY?
In essay format, respond to the two following prompts. Please share your life experiences and perspectives based on your own point of view. In sharing your story, be honest about who you are, where you came from, and how you came to be who you are today. Remember that this assignment is not forcing you to disclose information you are not ready to share or uncomfortable to share. Share only what you are comfortable in sharing with me. You are in control of what you will / will not share so feel free to omit anything you wish not to write about.
1. WHO AM I? HOW DO I IDENTIFY? Please reflect upon all the ways in which you identify yourself or others identify you … you may wish to list these for yourself, then write about how these identities (perhaps labels) help to define who you are, what you do, how you relate to others, how you approach your educational endeavor, life goals in general, or interact with others. Be as specific as possible—but, again, only discuss those identities that you wish to discuss. More examples of identities: woman, brother, senior citizen, teacher, Asian, Hmong, working-class, scholar, activist, neighbor, friend, Jewish, student…
2. WHY AM I? WHAT ARE THE EXPERIENCES, BELIEFS, AND VALUES THAT HAVE SHAPED WHO I AM? Please reflect upon how you came to be the person you are today…what have been the critical events or key influences in making you who you are today? As a human being, where are your beliefs and values about life rooted…how did they develop? A final reminder… only discuss what you wish to discuss about why you are you.
Note: A) Remember to be specific: use examples, specific situations. B) Analyze and explain how and why these experiences affected you.
