Reflection Three
- Scalar – Scalar was super intimidating to me at the start of the course. I had not had a lot of exposure to platforms like this in my other classes, and it isn’t something I have explored very much of in my personal time. While there are still aspects of Scalar that are confusing to me, I feel much more comfortable and confident with using it. I think it is a great way to create and share media.
- Digital Storytelling – At the start of the course I did not fully understand what made digital storytelling different from a documentary. Now I know that digital storytelling is more of a collaboration between the facilitator and storyteller, which is what I appreciate most about it. Digital storytelling moves away from the “researcher” and “researched” power dynamic, and taps into a more creative, empowering relationship.
- StoryMap – Using Knightlab to create a StoryMap was something that I really enjoyed, which surprised me. Knightlab was also intimidating to me at first, but creating a StoryMap was really cool and satisfying. I knew what my digital story was going to be about by then, so that could be why I felt more motivated/driven to explore the functions.
- Timeline – I had initially struggled with making the Timeline, but I think it built a strong foundation for me for the rest of the course. I procrastinated doing it for a while, but then calmed down and did it when I realized Knightlab provided such clear directions.
- Resource Extraction/Colonization – Watching the documentary, “Powerlands” and listening to the discussion following the viewing taught me A LOT about Indigenous communities who are struggling against the attacks on their land, resources, and people. The attack on food sovereignty, the harms being done to the health of Indigenous people, and the disruptions to their overall way of life know no borders. This is something I want to learn more about in the future.
- Media Tools as Resistance – We watched countless digital stories and read about countless people’s stories, all as a form of resistance. Simply by telling one’s story, one is resisting. Having a voice and empowering one another is what gives power to resistance and unites people on a global scale.
- Translocal / Spatial Politics – Our reading by Mayla Blackwell taught me a lot about the spatial politics of American cities, such as Los Angeles. I am very interested in issues/obstacles surrounding refugee displacement, and migration patterns in general. This reading and class discussion gave me a deeper understanding of socio-spatial relations, especially taking into account that a plain map does not explain the complexities of the social geography of a place.
- Identity – I learned a lot about my own identity in this class, especially when I was trying to figure out what I wanted my digital story to be about. I debated between doing a digital story on my own identity or taking the route of looking at migration patterns. Our reading about sexually diverse farmworkers in California taught me a lot about identity as well. The storytellers in this reading did not view themselves as part of a definable LGBTQI community, and that made me look at the matter of identity through a whole new lens.
- Deportation as a Diaspora – Our reading by Lizbeth de la Cruz Santana taught me a lot about the experience of deportation and reframed the way I think about it. The deportation of children arrivals is not something that is widely talked about, and once again emphasizes the question of identity. These people articulate an American identity, but are not given the legal stability.
- Transnational Communities – As a global studies major, we talk about transnational communities a lot. But, I had never learned about transnational communities that are so close to home, such as the Salvadoran community in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. This class taught me a lot about Salvadoran history, migration patterns, and the digital divide.
I am planning on taking a break from school because I feel very drained and like I am lacking creativity and motivation. However, I am happy that I learned about these media tools because I do plan on continuing my education in the next few years. I want to pursue a master’s degree in global health, and I think digital storytelling tools and knowledge will help me with my research when I do so. I hope to travel to many different places for my job one day and work on closing health disparities, with a specific focus on maternal health and refugee health. This class taught me to trust that people are the experts of their own stories.