presentation (phenomenal woman)

PHENOMENAL WOMAN

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. 
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
 But when I start to tell them,
 They think I'm telling lies. 
I say,
  It's in the reach of my arms 
The span of my hips,
 The stride of my step, 
The curl of my lips.
 I'm a woman
 Phenomenally.
 Phenomenal woman,
 That's me.

I walk into a room 
Just as cool as you please,
 And to a man,
 The fellows stand or 
Fall down on their knees.
 Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees.
 I say,
 It's the fire in my eyes, 
And the flash of my teeth,
 The swing in my waist,
 And the joy in my feet.
 I'm a woman
 Phenomenally. 
Phenomenal woman,
 That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
 What they see in me.
 They try so much
 But they can't touch 
My inner mystery.
 When I try to show them 
They say they still can't see.
 I say,
 It's the arch of my back,
 The sun of my smile,
 The ride of my breasts, 
The grace of my style. 
I'm a woman
 Phenomenally. 
Phenomenal woman,
 That's me.

Now you understand
 Just why my head's not bowed.
 I don't shout or jump about
 Or have to talk real loud. 
When you see me passing 
It ought to make you proud.
 I say, 
It's in the click of my heels, 
The bend of my hair,
 the palm of my hand,
 The need of my care.
 'Cause I'm a woman
 Phenomenally.
 Phenomenal woman,
 That's me.
-
Maya Angelou

* I chose this poem because I truly believe that I am a phenomenal woman. I believe this poem describes me very well because I am a confident young lady. I believe that if I don’t encourage myself then no one else. In order for me to make it somewhere in life I have to be confident and know that I am the best and wont settle for second best.


-La'Shawn Moore

homeless awareness

Luther Place Night Shelter

N Street, Washington DC 20005

La’Shawn Moore

2455 4^th Street N.W. Washington DC 20059

Dear Luther Place Night Shelter,

Hello my name is La’Shawn Moore and I am writing this letter to you to express my views on homelessness. I believe that every one deserves a roof over their head, food in their stomach, and clothes on their back. Every time I see a homeless person I just break down knowing that they have nowhere to go and no food to eat. There are times when I feel like a homeless person got what they deserve because there is always a way out of no way but I also had to think about how some people just had no other choice but to settle with being homeless.

I am also writing this letter to you because I believe that as a shelter place who feeds over hundreds of homeless people can do just a little more. I believe that instead of having them come find your shelter that you should go out and welcome them into your safe warm environment. I also believe that as a homeless shelter you should supply counseling for the people so that they can get help and rehabilitate themselves.

Thank you for taking the time out to read this letter. I truly appreciate you giving me the chance to express how I feel about homelessness, because I feel real strong about getting help for the homeless.

Sincerely,

La’Shawn Moore

Non-Violence

Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama is something that most of America will always remember when pondering the days of the civil rights movement. After seeing African Americans being hurt like they were in Selma, Alabama, a lot of people raised the question was Dr King’s nonviolence approach really working or worth it? Most can see why a person would raise such a question, considering that as the blacks continue to be nonviolent they were not granted any freedom and were harmed physically even more. When looking into this most people would account this effort as a lost if you look at the cost benefit of analysis being if the cost outweighs the reward than its not worth it because the means to get to equality outweighed the equality its self. If this were true than this would definitely taint Dr. King’s. Non-violence philosophy and would not be useful in today’s society. To figure this out we need to know how the people viewed nonviolence, did it work in a timely fashion and could this logic be used in today’s society.

-La'Shawn Moore

Hip-Hop Has Changed

Is hip-hop dead? It sure sounds like it if you turn on the radio. What used to be exciting, groundbreaking music seems to have been reduced to a one-note din. The only topics discussed are Bling - Bing materialism, how many guns you have, and "Hoe's. Back in hip-hop's days of the '80s and early '90s, some of the most popular groups were also some of the most vibrant - the militant Public Enemy, the uplifting Arrested Development, the stylistically abstract A Tribe Called Quest, and the teacher KRS-One. Despite different approaches, they seemed to be working together to speak about the black experience and create the melting pot that made hip-hop so refreshing and vital. In the late 80's there was such a diversity in hip- hop. But times has surely changed. It's certainly harder to find. And offering it may take courage. When everyone else is talking about violence and riches, it's tough to talk about more cerebral issues without being laughed at by your peers and being called soft. The lyrics of artist now does not inspire me now, they go in one ear and out the other. so i believe that over the years hip- hop has changed not for the better but for the worst.

-La'Shawn Moore