Jazz+B.

**Hi Jazz,** **It's great to meet you! I enjoyed reading your post. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and insight. In phase 1, it seems that your family, friends, and hobby (music) create your sense of self. I liked what you said about how you think for yourself. This is very enlightening! It sounds like music is a big part of your life. What type of music do you like? Do you play an instrument? You mentioned that this makes up your sense of place because you can play music anywhere. I was struck by what you said about discrimination. I think this continues to be a global issue and am glad that you brought this to our group's attention. You are a great writer, and thank you again for taking the time to post. It was fun to read! Katy (group facilitator)**

My family, friends and music make up my identity. Family shaped my beliefs, friends shaped my action and music shaped my thoughts. I grew up to believe in myself and to think for myself, to not matter what other people say or think about me. My friends has taught me that no matter what life may throw at me, i'll always have people to fall back on. They also taught me to not rely on people.
 * What __really__ makes up your identity?

My sense of place is anywhere my family, friends, and music is. I could be in the middle of nowhere, but if I have music playing, family or friends to talk to. I'd know i'll be alright. They make me feel comfortable and I can be my total self around them with nothing to hide.
 * What __really__ makes up your sense of place?

The roles my identity and sense of place play in group activities are more the hands on person. Say you have a science project, i'd be the one handeling the chemicles, or the person dissecting the rat or whatever.
 * What roles do your identity and sense of place play when you work with others in a group project?

The qualities that i'll bring to the GLIP conversation that will help me make my contribution to my global group is my communication skills. I think I would be able to make anyone feel welcome in any type of project, in this case the GLIP.
 * What are the qualities that you bring to the GLIP conversation that will help you make a contribution to your global group?

I believe that discrimination should be addressed. Because where I live there is a diverse population of many different types of people. I've whitnessed a lot of judging and discrimination against people of other skin colors. I would bring everyone into a room, turn the room to pure darkness and have people talk to eachother and get to know eachother before you judge someone.
 * What is one local problem (where you live) that you believe needs to be addressed? Suggest some steps could you take to try to solve it?

You would need to be understanding, because you can't lead anyone if you're judging against the other people. That would make the leader a bias person. Nobody wants to be lead by a person that only looks at one side of a two sided problem.
 * Finally, some problems have been around for a long time. What qualities do you think a person must have to step up and try to solve them?

Phase II: Sense of Place


 * Hi Jazz, **
 * Great picture! Thank you explaining the meaning of "Aloha." I love the way you said "to accept the breath of life." Does this seem to contradict what you said about seeing discrimination at times in your community? What are your thoughts on this? It was interesting to read about the bunkers that are around the island. That is a good reminder of the past. Thank you for sharing! (Katy-group facilitator). **

Upload image (s) here:




 * This is a picture of Tantalus which is located in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. It's a very beautiful place on on top of the Ko'olau mountain range. It's a common place for hardcore skateboarders. This is the one of the many places that have beautiful views in Hawai'i.
 * We as Hawaiians have Aloha. Aloha means Hello, and goodbye, but not only that. It means to accept the breath of life. We preach Aloha because that means that we're accepting of any types of culture or people here.
 * There are bunkers scattered across the island from wartimes. The military people used to hike and build bunkers on the mountains that we use now as hiking sights.
 * We have many meanings to the things around us. Such as land, if it's not used by government, the Hawaiians use it for agriculture, such as Taro farms.

Phase III: Identify Local Issue:

**Hi Jazz,** **First off, thank you so much for your hard work on phase 1, 2, and 3. Again, I enjoyed reading your post and also appreciated the resources you linked. It sounds like meth abuse is a very serious problem in Hawaii. I grew up in a mountain town in western North Carolina, and it was also a huge problem there. I like your idea of bringing awareness to this problem by putting posters around the community. I wonder if there is a group in your community that you could work with to do this. You are right that meth is a global issue. Drugs in general being produced, imported, and sold to various countries around the world is a problem that has been around for a long time, and I agree that awareness is an important first step to addressing the issue. Thank you again for your insight**. ** ~ Katy **

What is your local issue? The local issue I will be adressing is meth abuse in Hawai'i.The [|Honolulu Star Advertiser] states that "Abatement plans to examine is the growing number of island children caught in homes where one or more parents abuses the drug known as "ice." So from that one statement you can see that not only the adults that are doing meth is in danger, but the children and people around that adult is in danger also. [|CBS news states] "Hungry children sat quietly in a darkened living room, terrified of their abusive father. In the kitchen, maggots and rotting food filled the fridge. With the electricity out, cooking was done on a propane stove. The furniture was repossessed. The welfare check was already spent. The family was being evicted."

What can you do to be address the issue? I can help the Hawaii meth project advertise the effects of meth. So I can put posters around the community that raises awareness of the serious meth problem here in hawaii.

What is the global impact of your local issue? Meth impacts the world globally by being produced and sold in different states and countries around the world. This is wrong because meth isn't an insignificant drug problem, it effects the person, and people around that person. If we don't stop the meth usage in Hawai'i, it will keep on spreading and it won't stop.