Lauren+C.

Phase I: Who Am I? What's My Place?

My identity is conflicted. I act differently around my friends, family, and teachers. I feel that who you are can change in situations. What makes me, me, is not set in stone. The things I like to do, often make up my identity. My friends and actions are a reflection of who I am.
 * What __really__ makes up your identity?

How people treat me in places and how I view myself make up my sense of place. How communities act together often make up an individuals sense of place. Friends help me stay grounded, and often influence how I view myself. Although, it is very difficult for my friends to influence my actions.
 * What __really__ makes up your sense of place?

If I feel like being a leader in the moment, I will take charge. I do not like listening to people that I feel are incorrect, and often have a tough time respecting them. I try to hear the members of any group clearly, but often have different views. I feel like I see the world differently, but even I am unable to decode my perspective. I am also really realistic for the most part.
 * What roles do your identity and sense of place play when you work with others in a group project?

I have leadership skills, and I am very stubborn. I feel that being stubborn is often an important quality, even though others do not agree. I am interested in thinking deeper than the standard, and am very persistent.
 * What are the qualities that you bring to the GLIP conversation that will help you make a contribution to your global group?

Homelessness is a major issue. I feel that if people are trying to make their life better, they deserve assistance; however, if one is putting no effort into finding a job, or improving, that person should not be helped. I believe that effort should be rewarded, but no one should be helped to a certain extant when their is a lack of effort.
 * 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?

Most people are easily discouraged nowadays in my opinion. It is important to stay focused on a problem, and make every effort possible to fix it. A person needs to have confidence. Confidence is key when standing up for something you believe in, even if you know that it has not been able to be easily solved. A person also needs to be a leader. It is hard to make a difference without a large working force.
 * 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







I chose these pictures for my city, Raleigh NC, because I felt that they showed how progressive Raleigh is. My pictures show how Raleigh is a big city, yet also has very scenic areas. Raleigh is diverse, and is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. It is the second largest populated city in North Carolina. It was founded in a grid format with four basic streets, North, South, East, and West. The city is not only constantly innovating, it is also holding on to its historical background. Raleigh was founded by Joel Lane, and was named after Sir Walter Raleigh, even though he never made a journey to the New World. Raleigh is home to NC State, Meredith College, Peace College, St. Augestines, and Shaw University. Raleigh is a diverse, proactive, and historical city.

Phase III: Identify Local Issue:

What is your local issue? Homelessness is a local issue for Raleigh.

What can you do to address the issue?

I think if people started to understand the importance of helping each other homelessness could be less of a problem. Affluent people need to seriously consider donating money, and people of less wealth need to consider donating time. Time is an easy thing to donate, when there is extra time on one's hands. With the extra money and time, organizations could be arranged to build shelters and more food banks. I also believe that organazations need to be created that focus on creating jobs for homeless people. Just because someone has a food insecurtiy problem, or not a current residence, does not mean they can not work to improve our community. What is the global impact of your local issue? Homelessness is experienced in communities all around the world. Currently, people are struggling to find a job, house, or even their next meal. Poverty directly effects many people, and if the world comes together to eliminate it, many other coinciding problems would disappear. Add these thoughts to your Group's Discussion Forum on Local Issues