Katy+O.

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

For me, my identity is through my family. My parents, brother, sister, and I are all very close (even though we might live far away from each other). As I have gotten older my network includes my husband, my friends, and my in-laws, who are all people that continue to mold and shape my perception of self and others. Though my family and friends may not view all issues from the same lens, I have grown up discussing issues and feelings, and learning how to listen to others' opinions and ideas. My family has a strong sense of responsibility to support one another and I have always felt that support, encouragement, and at times tough love from my family and friends.
 * What __really__ makes up your identity?

My sense of place has changed throughout the years as I have grown up. As a child, I grew up the mountains in a small town. I was confident and comfortable with my surroundings because I felt happy, safe, and loved. Our town was the town where you knew everybody, my grandparents lived there, my dad grew up there, and the continuity made it comfortable. College and work has changed my sense of place. I live in a small city (Durham) that is much more diverse and a little more fast paced. As an adult, some of my identity and most of my "sense of place" is my classroom. As a teacher of first graders, I spend more time in my classroom then I do my home. Everyday I teach students life skills and lessons that will help shape their identity.Therefore the school culture, my students, and my colleagues give my classroom my sense of place.
 * What __really__ makes up your sense of place?

Being able to listen, communicate, empathize, and persevere are all skills that come into play when doing a group project. As someone who comes from a family that at times is loud and opinionated, I have developed listening skills as well as communication skills over the years. As a teacher, I use these skills in my classroom daily, and it strengthens my sense of place. Your identity and sense of place come into play when working in a group because you bring your perceptions, ideas, background knowledge and experiences, and personality traits into the group. How you perceive yourself and where you feel your sense of place is also plays a role in group projects. If you see yourself as uncomfortable in groups, or shy, this might come into play. If you feel confident about your ideas or have experiences you can bring to the group, you might be more outspoken.
 * What roles do your identity and sense of place play when you work with others in a group project?

I am a curious person. I want to know as much as I can before I make decisions or form conclusions. This can sometimes lead to me being indecisive or quiet at first, however, when I feel strongly about something I will communicate it. Therefore I can be a good listener but also a good communicator when needed. I also am sensitive (sometimes overly so according to my family). I try to make sure everybody is comfortable and I worry if this is not the case. I feel that at times conversations may not have closure with this global project, or be comfortable, but if group members remain sensitive to the fact that everyone has different opinions and experiences, then that will make all members valued participants. My curiosity, sensitivity, and communication will hopefully be positive qualities that will contribute to the global group.
 * What are the qualities that you bring to the GLIP conversation that will help you make a contribution to your global group?

Limited public transportation is a problem where I live. Buses are available in certain places, but as a city, there should be more accessible transportation all around the triangle. With multiple universities, jobs at the Research Triangle, and workers communicating daily to jobs in different cities so close to each other, there should be more buses and a light-rail train that would make commuting easier and more environmentally conscious. I have traveled to many cities and countries that utilized buses and trains for public transportation that seems to make commuting much easier. Though this has been discussed with some politicians and new policies, I would encourage policy makers and government officials being elected to consider the positive aspects of a greater public transportation system that would outweigh the cost (taxes). I would also support organizations that promote grassroots movements that support public transportation and other community issues (like NCPIRG).
 * 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?

Patience and motivation. For some problems that have been around for a long time, patience is needed to stay involved in a problem. There also needs to be sustained motivation in the problem. It is easy to get discouraged or consider the problem "too big" to solve. If a person is patient yet motivated, then problems can be analyzed, communicated effectively, and hopefully small steps can be taken to solve the problem. Patience may be needed because solutions don't come fast, but perseverance is just as important.
 * 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

Upload image (s) here:

In my state we have the beauty of both the beach and the mountains which I love to visit regularly. I grew up the mountains and enjoyed all that they had to offer! Hiking was something I enjoyed and I loved the small mountain town I grew up in. Now I just go to visit the mountains or the beach when I have free time from work and school.

In the small city where I live (Durham), we have a Duke Gardens that is run by Duke University. It is a public garden and has walking trails, picnic spots, and even places to get married! I love to go walking or running here, especially in the Spring when all the flowers are in bloom. There are also ducks, frogs, and lots of wildlife to see! Also affiliated with Duke University is Duke Hospital where tremendous amounts of medical research is performed every day!



Also in Durham there is an emphasis on eating local. Every weekend Durham has a farmer's market and many farmers and co-ops come to sell their items. It is a great ways to get fresh food that is environmentally conscious and supports local businesses.



Another image that represents the "city side" of Durham is downtown Durham. Dubbed as the "Old Tobacco District," downtown Durham has renovated old tobacco warehouses, buildings, etc to bring the city to "historically urban." Some of my favorite places to go are restaurants that are in old tobacco factories, cafes where you can sit outside, a minor league ball park, and also the main square. In the square is Durham's Lucky Strike Tower that has a stage under it. There are outdoor concerts, cultural festivals, and movies where you can go sit on the grass and enjoy a fun night. There is the Carolina Theater that has films, plays, cultural presentations, and speakers come. There is also Durham Performing Arts Center that brings a variety of music and shows to Durham. Museums like The Life and Science Museum also is downtown. I love living in Durham because it is a city but has a small town feel to it. I also love the history, art, and pace that is found here!



A final image that creates my sense of place is the school where I work. I spend a lot of time there as a first grade teacher, and it has a strong sense of community.



Use these questions to help you determine which picture shows someone else why your “place” is so special to you.
 * Does a scenic picture represent the beauty you believe that your town has?
 * Does a picture of a group of people represent and show a warmth and friendliness that your town has?
 * Does a statue or building convey the feeling of history that makes your place important and unique?
 * Is there a cultural event that represents the values of your home location?

What are your initial thoughts about how your image addresses the questions above? Later, you will be working with the members of your group to create a travel package that includes visits to each group member's home location (see Phase II)

Phase III: Identify Local Issue:

What is your local issue? Lack of public transportation leads to polluted and congestive cities. In Durham (NC), though it is not a big city, most people drive everywhere. While there is some busing, we have many commuters that travel to Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and other places in the triangle. This causes major traffic on the interstates, and a lot of pollution from the car's emissions. In my community, it seems there is an emphasis on recycling, biking, walking, and taking care of our earth. These are wonderful things to do to help the "footprint," however, on a bigger scale, the lack of public transportation baffles me. Cities in other countries (and even in the US) have been successful using a railway system on a more consistent basis. The amount of driving people do here is polluting our air. We need to have a better system for public transportation here in NC.

What can you do to be address the issue?

I can advocate for more accessible public transportation to government officials and my fellow citizens. I can also make sure to vote people into office that have public transportation and conservation on their political agendas. I also think raising awareness is an important step. As a teacher, I have a great platform to teach my students about taking care of the earth and showing them how other countries utilize transportation.

What is the global impact of your local issue?

Pollution is damaging our earth at a larger level. The things that make up our sense of place, and my home, are being threatened by the lack of conservation and the amount of natural resources being destroyed. Global warming is disrupting the balance of nature, and is caused in large part by emissions from cars and other vehicles. Pollution and decreasing resources is a global problem that effects every country on earth.

Add these thoughts to your Group's Discussion Forum on Local Issues