AlexBoswell

12/5/2012 Category:AdvocacyForStudentsandDemocraticCitizenship

ArtifactforAdvocatingfortheLiteracyofDiverseLearners
Iwrotetheexcerptofthestorythatisprovidedbelow,whilemyprojectpartnertranscribedthestory intoAfricanAmericanVernacularEnglish(AAVE).Together,wedesignedanillustratedbookthatcouldberead inbothStandardEnglishandAAVE.Thebookincluded: AmapofAfricaforstudentstoseewheretwoofthecountriesmentionedinthetextare. OnepageatthebeginningofthebookwiththepicturesandnamesofinfluentialAfricanAmerican womeninthepastandpresent. Apoem,StillIRise,byMayaAngelouatthebeginningofthebook DirectionsatthebeginningofthebookfortheINSERTnotetakingsystem,developedbyVaughn andEstes,tohelpreadersbuildunderstandingandmoredeeply,aswellasactively,interpretwhatthey read. Questionsattheendofthetexttoencouragediscussionandcriticalthinking.Thequestionscould alsobeusedasaformofassessment. ACDrecordingofboththeStandardEnglishversionandtheAAVEversionofthetext. Apromptforteacherstocreatetheirownsupplementaryactivity,tailoredfortheirspecific students,toguidereaderswhospeakAAVEtoidentifyandunderstandthegrammaticalpatternsof StandardEnglishinrelationtotheirownAAVE.Themainpurposeofthiswouldbetohelpstudentsin theirabilitytoswitchfromAAVEtoStandardEnglishwhenneeded.

Nzingha
ByAlexBoswell

WhileallofthesethoughtswereswirlingthroughmymindasIwaitedforAuntAdisatocomehome,a groupofboyscamefromaroundthecornerandwentacrossthestreettoplaybasketballinthecourtyard.Inthe groupofboyswasmyclassmate,Taylor,whowaswearingalongbluetshirtwiththesleevescutoffandred basketballshorts.IwalkedovertosayhelloandaskedifIcouldjointhegame.Yeah,Nzingha.Youcanplay onourteam,Taylorsaid.Theairwassohot,Icouldseeheatrisingfromtheblacktop,butitdidntstopusfrom playing.AguynamedJustintossedmetheballandIwasabouttoshootforthehoop,whenallofasuddenIfelt someonegrabme.Iturnedtoseewhoitwasandthenaboyfromtheotherteamknockedtheballfrommy hands.ComeonNzingha,whatwasthat?Taylorexclaimed.What?Taylor,didyouseethat?Thatguyjust grabbedme!Taylorlookedattheboy,whojuststoodthereinafirmstance,thenlookedbackatme,andsaid

Ididntseeanything.Juststayfocusednexttime.Westartedthegameagain.Inoticedawoman,withbraided hairinaconeshapeaboveherhead.Shesatdownonthebenchatthebusstopacrossthestreet,closetomy AuntAdisasapartmentbuilding.Fromthebench,shewatchedusplayingbasketball.Iwipedthesweatfrommy foreheadandbroughtmyattentionbacktotheball.Thenanothermemberfromtheotherteampushedmesothat Itrippedoneoftheboysinfrontofme.Webothfelltotheblacktopandhefellontopofme.GetoffofmeI yelled,tryingtopushhimoffofmybody.Hestayedthereandjustsmirkedatme. Getoffrightnow!Iscreamed. Taylorpulledtheguyoffofmeandhelpedmeup.Alloftheotherboyswerelaughingandsmirking.Thisgirlis ruiningourgameoneofhisfriendsshouted.Sheshouldjustsitdownandwatch.Shecantplaythewaywe play.Iglaredattheboy,feelinghurtandannoyed.Taylorsawthelookonmyfaceandsaid,Justgiveherone morechance.Westartedtoplayagain.IkeptmyguardupbecauseIwantedtoshowthoseboysthatIcould playasmercilesslyastheydid.IlookedeveryonestraightintheeyeasIdribbledtheballhardagainstthe ground.Thehollowsoundfromthebouncingballechoedagainsttheblacktop.Oneoftheboystriedtopushme againbutIkeptmyfeetplantedontheground.Ipassedtheballtooneofmyteammates.AsItriedtoblockone oftheboysontheotherteam,someonegrabbedmeagainbutIignoreditandkeptplaying.Finally,Igotahold oftheballandsentonesmoothshottothehoop.AsIturnedwithasmile,thetallestboyontheoppositeteam toweredaboveme.Withhisdeepvoice,helookeddownatmeandsaidyoulesboandthenhespatonmy shoes.Ilookeddownatmyfeetandthenbackupathim.JustbecauseIcanplaybasketballwithyouguys doesntmeanIdeservetobetreatedlikethis.And,justbecauseIcanmakeashotwhileyoureharassingme, doesntmakemegay!Iturnedaway.HestartedtocomeaftermebutTaylorheldhimbackbeforehecould comecloseenough. Ifeltfullofrage.Thewomanwiththebeautifulhairthathadsatdownonthebenchearliercalledtome asImademywayacrossthestreet,Younglady,youhavetowatchoutforyourself.Ilookedovertoherand shouted,Didyouseewhattheydidtome?Iimmediatelyfeltalittleembarrassedfortalkingtoastrangerso disrespectfully,butIwasangry.Iwaswalkingtowardshernowtogetbacktomyauntsapartment.Icansee youfeelirritated.Whatisyourname?thewomanasked. MynameisNzingha,Isaid,asIlookedupfromthesidewalkandwipedthesweatfrommyface. Thewomanseyeslitup,Nzinghaisaverybeautifulname.MynameisSafia.Safiapausedtolookatme. Ilikeyourhair.Isaidimmediately. Well,thankyou.ThisisahairstylefromGhanacalledAkwyelebi. AreyoufromGhana?Iasked. No,IamoriginallyfromacountryinAfricacalledAngola.DoyouhaveanyrelativesfromAfrica? Isaid,NobodyIknow. Safiaresponded,Ionlyaskedbecauseyournameisfamiliartome. Whatdoyoumean?Iasked. TherewasonceaQueenNzinghaofmycountry. What?Iasked,confusedandsurprised. Youdontknowthestoryofyourname? No,Ineverknewmynamehadanystory. Safiashiftedherseatonthebenchandshebegantotellme,QueenNzinghawasaliveinthe1600s. ShewasqueenofAngola,althoughbackthenitwascalledNdongoandMatamba.Shewasawarriorand

foughtforjustice.Thisisprobablyonestorythatisn'tinyourhistorytextbook.Didyouknowthattherehave beenmanywomanleaders?Nzinghawasoneofthem.ManypeoplesaythatNzinghaworkedoncreating peacefuldealswiththePortuguese.Thereisonestory,inwhichNzinghametwiththePortuguesecolonial governorathispalace.Thegovernorhadachairarrangedonlyforhimselftobeseated.Nzingharefusedtostand likeabeggarsosheaskedaservanttokneeldownwithhishandsonthefloorandtoserveasherroyalstool. NzinghadidthistonotletthePortuguesegovernordisrespectherforbeinganAfricanwomanleader,byforcing hertostand.Later,NzinghadeclaredawarthatlastedthirtyyearsagainstslavehuntingEuropeans.Nzingha formedfriendshipswithmanygroupsofpeopleandaskedtheJagapeople,whowereknowntobefierce warriors,tojoinher.Nzinghaalsoencouragedescapedslavestofightwithher.Thetacticsthathersoldiersused werecopiedbyAfricanarmiescenturieslater.Shefoughtfearlessly,pasttheageof60,andshediedwhenshe was80yearsoldin1663.Angola,mycountry,wasnotfreefromthePortugueseuntil1975buttheAngolan peoplestillcelebrateNzinghaandallthatshedidforherpeople.Shewasaveryimportantwoman.