Assignment One Benitez 1 Site Location: Everywhere

Figured World: Community Organizations Figured World: here is no !articular !lace "or my "igured world# Since $ am o%serving the organization&s'( the !eo!le( and the networ) that $ dedicate most o" my time to( it is im!ossi%le to %e in one !lace "or everything# *ost o" the time( my +"igured world, is in my messy %edroom o" "our walls( covered with !osters o" di""erent activists and !rotests( !a!erwor) all over the des) and dressers( sitting on my %ed with a la!to! and cell !hone to !lan and organize various events# Rules and Conventions: here are very "ew rules that one must a%ide %y( %ut( the ones that are in !lace( de!end on location( time and the !eo!le !resent# ardiness is acce!ta%le under most circumstances( the e-ce!tion %eing when the !ress will %e attending# ardiness on wor)( is unacce!ta%le# While it is sometimes e-cused due to much wor)( one must "ollow through with their commitments and any tas)s they have volunteered to do# echnology is allowed( along with social networ)ing and !hone calls( as outreach "or certain events is done through social media# Seriousness( even when conducting meetings( is not necessary# .eo!le will /o)e( laugh and !o)e "un at certain things# 0owever( in an e""ort to ma)e a sa"e s!ace "or all !eo!le( their e-!eriences( and %ac)grounds( /o)ing or ina!!ro!riate conversations are not allowed when related to to!ics that can %e +triggering, &traumatic memories'( hate"ul language or any 1isms# here must %e s!ecial accommodations "or various disa%ilities or accessi%ility "or those who have certain com!lications( or the attem!t to have as many needs met( as !ossi%le# When having discussions in !rivate( arguments( swearing( etc#( is allowed# $n !u%lic( however( the tone must %e 2uieter and much more res!ect"ul to avoid any unnecessary attention# his is im!ortant %ecause certain in"ormation a%out any wor) or events can %e heard %y the wrong !eo!le# Observation One Location: he o""ices o" Amy3( the youth coordinator at the LAC( a non!ro"it that serves the immigrant and Latin4 community o" Charlotte( 5orth Carolina and surrounding areas# $t is on the second "loor o" the %uilding# When wal)ing in( there,s a s!ace "or the rece!tionist( a large s!ace with "olda%le ta%les in the middle and com!uters lining the walls( where the youths wor) on !osters( signs( homewor)( etc# $n the %ac) it leads to Amy,s o""ice# A small s!ace with two des)s on o!!osite sides "or her and her assistant# here are two tall %oo)shelves stu""ed with %oo)s and the walls are covered with !hotos o" well )nown revolutionaries# 3Actors: For !rivacy reasons( !eo!le,s names and those o" their organizations have %een changed or re"erred to %y initials# Actors here are de!endent on how o"ten they came u! and the !ur!ose they have in the a"orementioned "igured world# 6 Diana: Co"ounder o" 5C7 and !rominent mem%er o" he 5$8A( a grassroots organization dedicated to "ighting "or immigrant rights# Although she is young and has only %een doing this wor) "or a "ew years( she has the most e-!erience due to 5$8A,s con"rontational tactics# She has %een )nown to %e very aggressive in tone and her tactics to get wor) done# She is 2uic) to dismiss others "or( what she considers( %ad wor)# 7iana is always on the road to hel! in other states# She is "re2uently seen tal)ing on her cell !hone#

Assignment One Benitez 9 Site Location: Everywhere

Amy: he youth coordinator "or the LAC# She is res!onsi%le "or maintaining the youth grou! and involving them in activities around the community# She and 7iana get into arguments "rom time to time due to di""ering views and strategies# She is so"t s!o)en( yet very e""ective in her words and wor)# Leila: Leila is a 91 year old ally to 5C7# She is sometimes envious o" other organizers %ecause her wor) does not get recognized o"ten# She can %e very shy( %ut loud when in "ront o" an audience "or a s!eci"ic cause# Leila is good "riends with Amy and 7iana( %ut can !lays %oth sides when there are disagreements# She ty!ically agrees( su!!orts( and sides with anything 7iana wants to do# Hector: 0ector is a !rominent community mem%er in Charlotte and wor)s with A5C# While he is involved in some ways( he does not actually do a signi"icant amount o" wor) and is o"ten arguing with 7iana and Leila# 0e( Amy( and other organizers have a strained relationshi!# Janet: She is a regular !erson see)ing hel! "rom Leila( Amy( 0ector( and 7iana# She is unaware o" all the tension and sim!ly wants them to give her advice on what to do# :anet tends to listen closely to what 0ector says and is unaware to his lac) o" )nowledge on the su%/ect#

Artifacts 6 Dianas ndocumented and nafraid !"irt: 7iana is always seen wearing this shirt %ecause she !roudly declares her status and this is the "irst thing she tells !eo!le a%out hersel"# 7iana en/oys ma)ing others uncom"orta%le when con"ronted with this# Dianas Cell #"one: 7iana is always on her cell !hone# She is always tal)ing a%out some event or someone,s immigration case and "re2uently ste!s out o" meetings to %e on her !hone# Hectors Office: 0ector is convinced that he does more wor) than anyone else# For this reason( he always wants !eo!le to meet at his o""ice and "eels that when !eo!le do not( it is %ecause they are envious o" his wor)# Leilas La$to$: Leila is always on her la!to! doing online wor) "or various organizations# While she is convinced that what she does is necessary( she is almost always needed somewhere and doesn,t do her wor) well %ecause she gets o"" tas)#

Observations: Wednesday% !e$t& 't" ;:9<.*1Leila meets with Edgar( a high school student who is awaiting his 7e"erred Action# 0e has court coming u! and is nervous %ecause he still doesn,t )now a%out his a!!lication# 0e has /ust arrived "rom soccer !ractice and is doing some chores# Leila as)s that he sign some documents and ma)e co!ies o" his !a!erwor)# ;:9=.*1Leila loo)s through three "olders o" !a!erwor) and !ulls out what is most im!ortant# She ma)es co!ies to send in an email later onto 5C7# While she,s doing that( Edgar as)s

Assignment One Benitez > Site Location: Everywhere

2uestions as to what he can do# Leila e-!lains every as!ect o" what she,s going to do( how her wor) goes( what the organization does( etc# ;:?9.*1Leila sits down with Edgar and as)s some 2uestions a%out his %ac)ground( anything that had an e""ect on him# Edgar %rings u! !ain"ul memories( although he shows no emotion through it all# She as)s "or more details( dates( and !eo!le,s names# ;:@<.*1When "inished with the short 2uestionnaire( Leila com!iles all the !ertinent in"ormation into a !etition# She edits and deletes several times until it has the correct messaging# She ma)es a calling scri!t( gets a !hoto o" Edgar with his "amily( and sends it all to an online networ) where Fer will !ost it to %e signed and viewed %y many# =:<A.*1Leila has /ust "inished with everything# She sits and chats with Edgar a%out school and what he,s doing to stay %usy# She "inds out a%out his ho%%ies( all this to ma)e him more com"orta%le and %ecome a "riend that he can tal) to( calmly( a%out any 2uestions or concerns he has# =:1=.*1Leila get,s u! and says it,s getting late# She says her good%yes and says she will remain in contact with Edgar a%out any changes# 0e remains worried( %ut says he trusts her wor) and is ho!e"ul things will turn out well# Friday% !e$t& (t" @:<<.*1Leila( Amy( and 7iana are all meeting with :anet( a woman who is recently %ecoming involved due to her hus%and( :ose,s( case# Leila and Amy are the only ones there and tal) in the !ar)ing lot "or a %it %e"ore entering the o""ice# @:<@A*1:anet arrives with her children and grandson# She says hi and it ta)es a while "or all o" them to get settled# 0er grandson is %eing very noisy and !lay"ul# She sna!s at her )ids due to this# She is /ittery due to stress( %ut tries to tal) and ma)e this meeting "or smoothly# Leila and Amy decide to start the meeting with :anet immediately( %ecause she must run a "ew more errands that day with 0ector# 7iana is late( as always# @:1<A*1:anet gives a 2uic) re!ort %ac) on any new details o" the case# Leila( Amy( and :anet all discuss what has ha!!ened with :ose,s case and what are the ne-t ste!s they need to ta)e# Leila as)s a "ew 2uestions and gives suggestions %ased on her time shadowing the wor) 7iana does# Amy and Leila start to criticize 0ector when :anet %rings him u! in conversation and what he has said she should do# Everyone has %een doing wor) "or :ose( %ut he now wants to mirror what they,ve done# Leila is noticea%ly angry a%out his suggestions and his attem!ts( so she calls 7iana( who is still on the way( to in"orm her# @:1AA*1:anet,s grandson has %alloons and one !o!s( causing everyone to %e startled# here are !eo!le having a lesson /ust a "ew doors down( and they thin) someone was "iring shots# he stress !roves to %e too much on :anet and she starts to cry# $t ta)es everyone a "ew minutes to %e calm and "or :anet to rela-# @:><A*17iana "inally arrives and immediately controls the conversation# She "lat out re/ects anything that 0ector told :anet to do# 7iana gives everyone orders and tas)s they must com!lete %y *onday to ta)e action "or :ose# 5o one o%/ects( as 7iana )nows more a%out this situation#

Assignment One Benitez ? Site Location: Everywhere

@:>@A*1Everyone gives "inal remar)s and as)s a "ew more 2uestions to ma)e sure everything goes smoothly# Amy %egins a !ress release( that is to go out on *onday( and gets im!ortant details "rom :anet a%out the case# $t is Leila,s %irthday( so 7iana will %e "ollowing her to the !arty# hey all say their good%yes( %ut 7iana and Amy start chatting in the !ar)ing lot# )uesday% !e$t& *+t" @:><.*1:anet is in and out o" the LAC !re!aring everything "or a vigil she will %e holding# Amy is gathering materials# Leila arrives with a "ellow organizer to coach( assist and su!!ort :anet# 0ector is nowhere to %e "ound during all this# 7iana lives several hours away( is wor)ing and there"or( una%le to attend# .eo!le are starting to arrive and they are directed to where the vigil will %e held# @:?<.*1Since everyone is !re!aring( those who came to su!!ort are sim!ly greeting each other( tal)ing and waiting "or the event to start( which is scheduled "or ;:>< to give media enough time to get there# :anet gives tas)s to a "ew !eo!le so that everything runs smoothly# Leila mentions to Amy that she is worried %ecause elections "or mayor are ha!!ening( and it may %e hard to get any !ress# ;:1@.*1A re!orter "rom an American !ress arrives and %egins to set u!( to much shoc) "rom Whitney( an assistant with Amy who has never %een a%le to have them show u!# Leila is relieved and e-cited to see them and two other Latina re!orters( who are 2uite su!!ortive o" their wor)# Since the American re!orter cannot %e around "or long( :anet starts her !rogram early# ;:9<.*1:anet o!ens u! the event than)ing everyone "or %eing !resent# She tal)s a%out :ose,s case( how it has a""ected her health and the a""ect it has had on her "amily# 0er )ids hold a large %anner in "ront with "amily !ictures and "amily mem%ers have shirts as)ing to +Free :ose, and have the in"ormation on how to hel!# :anet,s son Eddie !asses around lea"lets with the in"ormation to ta)e home and continue su!!orting the case# ;:9A.*1:anet %rea)s down and cries# She "inishes her "inal statement %y saying than) you "or the su!!ort and !asses the mic to her son Eddie# Eddie consoles his mother and as)s everyone to /oin him in chanting and singing a !o!ular tune# ;:>>1=:<<.*1Eddie "inishes the "inal chant and starts tal)ing# 0e recounts what ha!!ened when his "ather was !ic)ed u! at a chec)!oint and his dream o" /oining the army has had to %e !ost!oned( in order to su!!ort his mother# 0is %rother and cousin then come u! to s!ea) as well on the !ositive in"luence :ose has had on them# An organizer "rom CFB s!o)e as well on the necessity o" !eo!le wor)ing on these cases and %eing !re!ared "or the worst# =:<9.*1 he children all had white %alloons and now cut them as the adults light candles "or the vigil as a sym%ol o" solidarity( and white %eing the color "or su!!ort o" immigrants# he vigil ends with :anet,s mom leading everyone in !rayer# ,ntervie-s Alfonso

Assignment One Benitez @ Site Location: Everywhere

C What was your "irst e-!erience in social /usticeD , got involved because my older sister -ent to Was"ington D&C in .+*+ for t"e Dream Act vote& ,t failed% but my sister formed )"e /,0A -it" t"ree ot"er yout"s& , "el$ed "er form t"e local c"a$ter in #ennsylvania and "ave been organi1ing for t"e immigrant community since& 2y first action -as a 3Coming Out Rally -"ere , basically say ,m an undocumented immigrant and tell $eo$le my story& C 0ow does one %ecome involved in Ethe movementED , -ouldnt really 4no- "o- to ans-er t"at& , 5ust 4ne- t"e rig"t $eo$le& ,f activism is -"at youre into% you 5ust need to attend an event and meet fol4s& C"ances are% youll meet t"e organi1ers and t"eyll 4ee$ you in t"e loo$ about any ot"er $rotests% marc"es% and rallies coming u$& As activists% -ere al-ays loo4ing for more $eo$le to ta4e on t"is -or4& C What drew you into organizingFactivismD Ha"a% , -asnt dra-n into it& , -as never into t"is ty$e of t"ing& ,m only involved no- because its an issue t"at affects me and $eo$le never got anyt"ing by sitting on t"e sidelines& C What is the wor) that you doD , -or4 for DA# as an organi1er& )"e bul4 of our -or4 is sto$$ing de$ortations% informing t"e community about t"eir legal rig"ts% and teac"ing t"em to be $re$ared for t"e -orst& C What would %e some cam!aigns that you consider were a successD Any de$ortation sto$$ed is a success& )o be "onest% , dont really 4no- of any 3ma5or cam$aigns t"at "ave been successful& )"e only one , can t"in4 of is getting 2ontgomery County Jail to sto$ "olding immigrants for ,C6& C 7o you thin) itEs im!ortant "or youths to %ecome involved in their communitiesD $" so( whyD /o- t"at , do t"is% , definitely t"in4 its im$ortant& , -as one of t"ose $eo$le t"at al-ays com$lained about t"ings being -rong in t"e government and t"ings li4e t"at& /o-% , actually do somet"ing to c"ange -"at , dont li4e& #eo$le need to -or4 to-ards c"anging -"at t"eyre un"a$$y -it"& Diana C What was your "irst e-!erience in social /usticeD )"e "unger stri4e , did -it" Laura and Rosie as4ing for t"e Dream Act to be $assed& , "ad gone to marc"es and t"ings li4e t"at% but t"e "ungers stri4e -as t"e first time , actually too4 action& C 0ow does one %ecome involved in Ethe movementED 0ou 5ust find it& ,f t"eres an issue youre $assionate about% find $eo$le interested in t"at& ,ts actually $retty easy t"ese days -it" all t"e social media& C What drew you into organizingFactivismD 2y being illegal dre- me into t"is% "a"a& ,n all seriousness% , got involved mostly for my $arents& )"eyre -"o , -ant to c"ange all t"is for& , -ant t"eir efforts to be -ort" it in t"e end& C What is the wor) that you doD , -or4 for t"e /,0A and travel -"erever ,m needed to "el$ out% sto$ a de$ortation% cam$aigns% anyt"ing really&

Assignment One Benitez ; Site Location: Everywhere

C What would %e some cam!aigns that you consider were a successD Anytime , get a family bac4 toget"er% t"ats a victory& )"ats -"at ma4es all t"is -or4 valuable& C 7o you thin) itEs im!ortant "or youths to %ecome involved in their communitiesD $" so( whyD )"at de$ends& 0ou -ant to drin4 t"e 4ool7aid and 5ust ta4e all t"ose lies $oliticians feed you or do you -ant to actually ma4e sure t"ings "a$$en8 All $oliticians are t"e same& Dont sit t"ere t"in4ing t"eyre your friend& 0ou got to ma4e sure your voice is "eard&