University of the Fraser Valley
Artifacts
This page represents a few artifacts I've accumulated throughout my studies that have contributed to my skills & talents relevant to the idea of Far Transfer. I've written many papers, dabbled in artistic creations, and love to volunteer with students, and these experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. I only hope to give opportunities for others to express themselves like these artifacts I created so they can grow their skills & talents just as I did.
I'll See You in the Cosmos
Taken from the University of the Fraser Valley website: "Created in 2008, the Louden Singletree is a student-based initiative, run each year by a small student editorial board with the support and guidance of the English department. It is a non-profit journal, funded by the UFV Student Educational Enhancement Fund.
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"The Louden Singletree’s mission is to assemble the best literature and visual art from UFV, which includes submissions from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The editorial board aspires to represent the voice of this diverse creative community. Each year the student team strives to extend the magazine’s reach into the local communities to produce a fuller, more dynamic publication."
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My Poem is titled "I'll See You in the Cosmos" which will be found on pages 46-47 of the "Poem" button below. This piece is one that I wrote specifically for the reader to interpret in multiple ways. My original idea was a loved one who has passed is guiding a younger loved one to the afterlife so they can spend eternity together, but it is not her time yet. Or another interpretation is that this young girl has a soul that knows where to take her, but her body continues to fight for her life on earth. It could be a battle between the self, or a play on the mind and body problem. Cosmos have always been of interest to me, so why not create poetry, with a love for the vast universe, and a compelling story?
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This artifact speaks on my character because it highlights my artistic capabilities, creativity, and freedom with free-verse poetry. This poem went through multiple first-readers, got their approval, and the selection committee contacted me for publishing, which makes this a piece of concrete evidence of my skills.
Young Authors' Conference Workshop Assistant Position/Workshop Leader
"The Young Authors Conference (YAC) is an opportunity for kids to celebrate Literature, Storytelling, & Creativity.
â—¦To inspire students who love books, writing, and reading
â—¦To create a sense of community around literary arts and storytelling
â—¦To emphasize the transformative power of literature and imagination
â—¦To give the participants a chance to learn new ways of practicing these arts
â—¦To promote UFV as a future destination"
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What I want to showcase here is the submission for the workshop I ran for middle school students of SD33. It is a workshop focused on letting students explore their creativity in the medieval world, and I will help them create their own setting for their story and protagonist! For the full picture of how I will have achieved this, take a look at my submission form for the learning opportunity that was approved for students in 6th grade.
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The photos on the right are from the 2019 YAC event during my position as the Young Authors' Conference Assistant, and from the 2022 YAC event where I held my very own workshop. Throughout the assistant position, I did a lot of logistical work behind the scenes, including graphic design, volunteer recruiting, ensured a steady schedule for the day and so much more. Some relevant skills I've learned are creativity and innovation, communication, and problem solving. It was a very rewarding experience as the assistant and as a volunteer workshop leader!
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Research Paper: Virginia Held & Leanne Simpson on Vancouver's Prostitution Problem
This artifact is a research paper on relational ethics that I created for my Philosophy 315 class. In this course, the most influential pieces I recall were those of feminist ethics and Indigenous ethics. These will be commonly categorized into Relational ethics, which is a contemporary approach to ethics that involves looking into ethical dilemmas in complex situations, especially concerning with the relationships of those around us.
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"Indigenous women have been facing a serious problem due to the impact of colonization and sexism. The issue being discussed in this essay will be regarding prostitution in Vancouver, Canada, and specifically how violence against women and colonization has led to this prominent issue. With the help of Leanne Simpson’s relational ethics perspective, Land as Pedagogy: Nishnaabeg Intelligence and Rebellious Transformation, and Virginia Held’s feminist ethical approach, Ethics of Care as Moral Theory, I plan to explore both theories and show how implementing a lifestyle based on care and land education can heal First Nations women in prostitution. I will argue that Held’s Ethics of Care is more compelling in finding a solution to the problem of prostitution in Vancouver by challenging the government and legal systems, and acknowledging women’s experiences." (Introduction).
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This paper is a great example of showcasing my quality in promoting social justice and access to just institutions in Canada. I do believe it is important to fight for Indigenous women's health, allow or create access to institutions that nurture mental and physical success, access to alternative resources for housing, financial assistance, education, environmental support, and so much more while promoting positive Indigenous identities and giving them the opportunity to step away from the unfortunate violence and crime that these women endure just to survive. This paper solidifies my belief that the K-12 school system needs to listen and acknowledge Indigenous voices; and while the school system already tries to achieve this, I believe there will always be room for improvement!
Mazapánes and Motherhood
As noted above, the Louden Singletree magazine is a non-profit literary journal led by students at the University of the Fraser Valley. I was lucky enough to be selected to have one of my passion projects published in issue 16 of the Winter 2024 term. I attended the launch party and gave a live reading of my piece to the audience. I may have choked up on stage... It is quite an emotional piece for me.
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The short story is titled, "Mazapánes and Motherhood" which will be found on pages 11- 14 under the 'short story' button below. This piece is meant to encapsulate many things; it embodies my Mexican heritage, my family, metaphors, and love, and it all particularly surrounds food. The idea blossomed in my Advanced Creative Writing Non-Fiction course. We had to create a passion project, so I created a fusion between a recipe book and family memories. A silly or thoughtful family story accompanied each recipe from the family cookbook to introduce the recipe. Though it's not an entirely published work, many of my classmates found the rough draft to be very inspirational, so I decided to merge the introduction and the conclusion into a written short story. I received very positive feedback from my peers and my higher-ups after I did the live reading at the Louden launch party. I figured it was quite an accomplishment, and a bit of a tear-jerker for most, so I have it here.
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This artifact speaks to my character because it's silly, it's fun, it takes you on a journey, but it can also tug at your heartstrings a bit. It shows not only my ever-growing skill as a writer, but it's a little glance at how I came to be the person I am today. I hope you love it just as much as I do.
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