KINLOCH QUESTIONS

Jared Verebey

September 27, 2014

ENGL 1100

Professor Young

Valerie Kinloch Questions

1.   “From architectural designs to cultural activities to the role of local communities in civil rights movements, urban places and spaces are rich in history (147 – 148).”  Discuss the meaning of this sentence. 

This sentence means that wherever you go, there is always history behind that place from the community, architecture, and culture that shapes it.

2.   “Phillip and Khaleeq both had a strong fondness for Harlem’s famous 125^th Street.  They focused on 125^th Street as a site where ‘art is in constant process’” (149).  What is significant about this street as it relates to the essay? In the same way, what is a famous street, hangout spot, or location in your town? Why is it famous?

Harlem’s famous 125th Street is significant because Phillip and Khaleeq state that the street symbolizes black symbols. It plays a role in the culture of Harlem’s art. The famous hangout spots was the The Great Kills Little League and Swim Club for kids and families to enjoy their time together and stay out of trouble.

3.   In class we made the connection between identity and symbols.  We concluded that symbols can signify a part of your identity.  Discuss the use of symbols as identities throughout the reading.  Why are they important?

The use of symbols in this passage play an important role in shaping the identity of Harlem and the residents who live there, along with their culture. They are important because the symbols help represent Harlem’s identity as a whole community.

4.   …[F]ollow-up conversations with Phillip and Khaleeq taught me new ways to see art   as ‘action you don’t get permission to create’ (Phillip) and as ‘what we got inside us that wanna get out’” (Kinloch qtd Khaleeq 151).  Discuss the meaning of this sentence.

The meaning of “action you don’t get permission to create,” is that not everyone accepts the art that people make, but art is “what we got inside us that wanna get out.” This means that people will always try to bring down the beauty and creativity of other’s art, but people will continue to create whatever they art they want no matter what.

5.   On page 154, Kinloch discusses community as signs of history.  What does this mean in relation to the text?  Similarly, write about significant historical identifiers of your community.  (Your community can be any place.)

Kinloch discusses community as signs of history which relates to the text by symbols representing the culture and history of a community. A significant place in River Vale, New Jersey is a memorial for people who were killed in the Boston Massacre. It has many plaques that talk about the background information on the people who passed away.

6.   In what specific way does the use of digital documentation and photographs help Khaleeq and Phillip show residents the effects of gentrification? Similarly, does the use of photographs and video that you created help to show your community? Do you think you could have done your written your response about your community without it?

Digital documentation and photographs helped Khaleeq and Phillip show residents the effects of gentrification, where you see the shift in the urban community. Videos help people visualize the message that person is trying to get across. The video I created helps me show my dorm room because I’m still getting use to the transition of living back at home to now living in my own dorm room. If I did a video of my home, I wouldn’t need a video because I can easily explain my surroundings in detail.

7.   Kinloch closes her essay with a list of questions that derived from her research.              Discuss what her questions aim to uncover as it relates to the main point of her essay.

Kinloch closed her essay with a bunch of questions that I feel relate to the main point of her essay of gentrification. Back in the day people used to stand up for what they believed in, but today people rely on others to stand up for them and act more as followers than leaders. People stand up for themselves and their community less compared to back in history.