Asset Based Thinking

 When reading the content for this weeks blog I remebered a lot of the content I was taught by word of mouth as I grew up in public schools. Things like, Humans only ever remember the negative things, or the fact that humans thinking about the negatives the most has been hardwired into our intistics to help us survive from predators. I see it even in myself, even when everything else looks right or feels right, I always have to look for the one thing that is wrong. I think we as a species have definitely hyperfocused on what we can't do rather than taking steps forward to actually improve.

I see this a lot even in the media around me, when it comes to a lot of political debates, people always focus on the negative factors of a certain topic. For example, in this article, Trump describes immigrants as criminals, gang members, and killers. However, the fact of the matter is that he refuses to even acknowledge that some of these immigrants are fleeing from the monsters they have been labeled as. So there is not improvement made to help immigrants and instead they are being violently kidnapped and shipped back like the criminals they are made to be. Immigrants have improved the economy of the united states, they have helped with manual labor jobs that other people have refused to take, and they even pay taxes despite not even being recognized as citizens: But all these factors are all just completely disregarded to the labels the president himself has given them.

 Asset based thinking is definitely something that one needs to practice in order to be able to perform automatically. However, I do think it's a very important thing that needs to be taught or informed to people even from very young so that they may have an easier time being able to see the bigger picture and help bring improvements rather than catastrophic destruction. 

Inhereted Will [October 2, 2025]

“Breathe” from In the Heights by Lin Manuel Miranda

I was really surprised that the song was in spanish, I really resonated with the meaning of the song. It makes me think about all the immigrants who paved the way for their children to be able to flourish and grown in the united states. "Y si pierdes mis huellas, que Dios te bendiga" makes me think of all the parents who brought their children to have a better childhood and how that is a double edged sword because raising your children here in the U.S. could mean the loss of your culture. As someone who's mother paved the way for me to be here in the U.S. I was actually embarrassed of being hispanic and I would often try to fit in with everyone else by avoiding all the things that make me latina. Even to the point where I wouldn't speak spanish because of how embarrassed I was to be different. So culture can certainltly be lost, but I think the older I get the more in love and attached I am to my heritage so even if the U.S. is now my home I still try to keep my culture alive in my every day life.

In equal measures I understand all the preassure Nina must feel as "The one that made it out." In a way Nina represents all the children of immigrant parents. Our parents workes very hard to get us to a place where we will have more success and it's up to us to make it up to them by becoming the best versions of ourselves. Growing up I was told to prioritize my studies, that I would have a career wouldn't have to take on cleaning jobs that would take a toll on my body. All of the older members of my family deem themselves too old for school and just keep on working in jobs they are already learned in, they put all their hopes and dreams unto our shoulders but its a weight that they believe with all their heart that we can bear. And we do bear it, because we want to make those that came before us proud, that their hard work paid off.

This song made me think of the ICE raids that are going on and the increasing discrimination of all types of immigrants in the United States. Althought, hispanic immigrants seem to be the most targeted in this day and age because of the laws set forth by Trump. It looks like at the moment there is a lot of protests and raids in Chicago, it's very reassuring that some mayors are actually standing up and protecting the residents of their states. I would also like to praise the mayor of Boston Michelle Wu, who is also advocating for the people she's representing as mayor.

Our Values & How They are a Part of Us

Living into our values

Value 1: Creativity

1. What are one or two behaviors that support  your value?  I read a lot of books, specifically fantasy

2. What are one or two slippery behaviors that are  outside your value?  Only focusing on fiction and not consuming any non-fiction.

3. What’s an example of a time when you were  fully living into this value?  In middle school I won first place in a short story writing contest and won a free laptop that I still own today. I remember being in the zone writing fantasy short stories about tragedy and betrayal.

Value 2: Honesty

1. What are one or two behaviors that support  your value?  I stay true to what I believe in, and am honest about my opinions when asked for them.

2. What are one or two slippery behaviors that are  outside your value?  I’ve got to choose my words carefully because honesty can quickly become something entirely negative.

3. What’s an example of a time when you were  fully living into this value?  When I put my foot down on making my own decisions based on what I want to do in my life. Being authentic and honest to myself was the first step towards becoming who I am today.

1. Who is someone who knows your values and supports your efforts to live into them?

• My boyfriend! 

2. What does support from this person look like?

• He always buys me books he thinks I might like and always encourages me to write my own and be my most authentic self.

3. What can you do as an act of self-compassion to support yourself in the hard work of living into your values?

• I can try and branch out into other forms of creativity like films and fashion, go out of my comfort zone to find new interests that I might identify with. 

4. What are the early warning indicators or signs that you’re living outside your values?

• When I find myself not enjoying anything I do. Creativity is all about finding something that makes all the other more routine tasks of life more fun. When I find myself exhausted and just trying to get through the day I know I’ve stopped trying to express myself in other outlets.

5. What does it feel like when you’re living into your values?

• It feels like I’m full of a lot of new ideas and actively incorporate them in my daily life.

6. How can you check yourself?

• Most likely by setting reminders for myself or by taking a break and promising myself to come back stronger

Here's a meme in case you need a reminder of how you've got to become who you are now :)

As well as the collage for creativity I created in class!

After School Memories and Adding Fun to Learning

McKamey and Restler, Youth Policy Op Ed

When I first started at Roger Williams Middle School, I was still learning English, and it was very difficult for me to communicate with others and make friends. That began to change when I discovered the after school programs run by AfterZone. Through these programs, I was able to meet other English-learning students and practice the language outside of the classroom. This helped me understand not only how certain words were used in different contexts but also which words carried just one specific meaning.

Being part of AfterZone gave me more than language practice, it gave me new friends and opportunities to explore different interests beyond schoolwork. I still remember joining an art program where we learned different drawing techniques. That experience sparked my passion for drawing and I filled sketchbooks with drawings all the way through high school. I also took part in a career program where guest speakers came to talk about their professions. One day a police officer visited, and another a veterinary technician brought in a dog for us to meet. Experiences like these were both fun and inspiring, and I often look back and feel grateful that I was a part of them.

The programs also supported my family. By staying after school, I gave my mother more time to work or focus on caring for my much younger sister. On top of that AfterZone funded exciting field trips, like visiting Roger Williams Zoo, where I got to see and even pet animals I had never encountered before.

Looking back, joining AfterZone was one of the best things that could have happened to me. It helped me grow academically, socially, and personally in ways I’ll never forget.

Thats why this article resonated with me, because I think it is imperative that we enrich the educational lives of younger students so that they realize learning can be fun as well as helping them find their way into what interests them and future pathways they could pursue depending on those interests.

For my connection I'd like to link a recent announcement made by the Providence After School Alliance (PASA), the organization that created AfterZone, where they share their concerns over the cut of education funds amidst the Presidency of Trump. It puts not just regular schooling in jeopardy but also these after school programs that are cherished by those like me who had the opportunity to take advantage of them. 

Self Identity and What makes you YOU!

 Jewell and Durand, This Book is Anti-Racist

The feelings this reading evoked in me are some that I have realized I will experience a great deal of this semester. I felt inspired, thoughtful, and sort of nostalgic. Reflecting on all the different versions of myself as they evolved and changed into distinct individuals over time has made me appreciate the person I am now. There were things I was obsessed with (the color pink), to later hating it, and even much later realizing that it isn't all that bad as it seemed. I used to be 5, 10, 13, 15, 18, all different phases of my life in which I changed and came to view the old with a new perspective. Topics like these are very relevant now than when I was a child, and they are very often talked about in my lectures and in the media. I think everyone should be able to be who they want to be, be bold, be free, be themselves authentically :)

This is what makes me ME: 

This reading actually made me think of one of my favorite characters, Bon Clay,  from the anime One Piece!

One Piece is a very famous show that touches on topics of many types of political corruption, slavery, genocide, censorship, and the abuse of power by the government. These topics are affecting us and many other countries at the current time. In Indonesia, people have even started raising the straw hat pirates' fictional flag in protest of their government. 

Bon Clay is one of the most authentic characters in the show, they stand up for what they believe in and are themself to the fullest! They are represented as a queer non-binary/gender fluid character in the show who is initially one of the Villains, only to be one of the biggest heroes in one of the greatest arcs in the series. Many didn't like them for their showy persona and goofy character designs, but by the end, they became one of the biggest legends in the anime. 

    One of their most famous quotes is:

"One may stray from the path of a man, one may stray from the path of a woman, but there is no straying from the path of a human!"

This is me :)

Hello I'm Brithany (Brith-a-ny)

I'm in my Senior Year working towards a Psych Major!

I can speak English and Spanish!

I mostly enjoy reading fantasy novels and playing farming sims.

I have six cats! Very big cat person here!

I work retail :)