“Open your books class. 'Their Eyes were Watching God' is a compelling story about identity. Now I must warn you, this book has a strong rural south dialect. Soon enough, you'll catch onto it.”

For this unit in Mr Block's English class at Science Leadership Academy we focused on language. We read stories about what it means to speak another language and how our world revolves around language. We explored what it means to not be able to keep up with standard english and different cultures relationships with language. In our class we also made a class dictionary of words that we use on a daily basis and discussed what language means to us. Our final assignment relating to language is a language autobiography. In which we must discuss what type of role language has played in our life and those around us. While also looking at bigger issues that relate to language.

In the United States today, there are currently more than fifty million immigrants bringing all different types of languages to America. For people of different countries, cities, and schools language is an identifier. Language is used to show a person's culture, emotional states, and distinguish oneself from others. 

Growing up taking Spanish Immersion I had each of my classes in spanish; math, science, history, reading. I became bilingual after my first year of kindergarten. In many ways, language has opened countless opportunities for me and has allowed me to experience things that I would have not had the option to otherwise. However, in many ways people who do not understand other languages have a ignorance and resistance towards language.

Statements such as, “What do you mean there are different types of Spanish?” or, “Chinese isn’t a language?” are ones I hear throughout the day. I find it a disservice to these cultures and ourselves that we do not acknowledge these other languages, when in many ways in America, they are presented to us on a daily bases. 

A friend of the Maestra Pete came to visit the class one afternoon. She greeted me by saying, “Hola, como te llamas?”  I looked up at her, then to Maestra Pete who I hoped would reassure me it was okay to talk to the unfamiliar woman like she had given me the confidence to speak up the rest of my kindergarten year. I answered, “Me llamo Saide,” which is the Spanish name that I got during my time at Independence Charter School. 

She looked at the row of teachers packed together next to her in order to avoid the soccer game taking place a mere five feet away.  Maestra Claudia, Maestra Leonora, Maestra Kelly were the teachers next to her. She glanced at me then down at the picnic blanket which was laying on the grass. “Ella tenia Maestra Pete,” she said with a tone of confidence in her voice. The women began to laugh, following up with comments like “Como te sabias?” and “Como era obvio?” I stood there still confused about what they were talking about, my face began to turn red as I tried to contemplate a way to walk away from the conversation. I was eventually dismissed and the next kid, Jamie was called over. She answered the questions just like I had. 

This time the unfamiliar woman said “Maestra Kelly, tienes que ser Maestra Kelly.” The ladies then again looked at each other this time chuckling at her so hopeful but incorrect guess. In return, they said, “No era Maestra Pete otra vez.” Jamie then walked away we both looked at each other unsure of what had just went on but not too concerned either. “Pass the ball,” I yelled jumping right back into the soccer game. 

That night, I walked into the house my mom sat at the kitchen table engrossed in her book. I tried to sneak by and get a couple of cookies before she could notice what I was doing. Just as I was on my way out she put down the book, “How was Field Day?” I sat down and told her what happened with the woman and the kindergarten teachers.

“You know why they did that don’t you?” 

I looked surprised that she knew what they were talking about and replied, “No, what?” 

“They were seeing if they could tell by your accent which teacher you had. You know Maestra Pete was from Peru, Maestra Kelly Chile, Maestra Leonora from Ecuador, and Maestra Claudia Columbia.” She looked at me making sure I understood. I nodded and rushed out of the kitchen before she noticed I had taken the cookies.

Each year at Independence Charter School, I had a different teacher from another country. Each spoke Spanish with their own flare and the way that it would have been spoken in their country. In many cases, other people could notice which teacher I had by the accents and words that each teacher used. Just like many  people can recognize that I am from South Philadelphia by my accent and words. 

To people who can not recognize things like what country or part of the city each individual is from it is hard for them to except the other person's way of speaking. In many ways people are closed off towards other cultures and languages because they are not familiar with it. This causes barriers for many people today in things such as communicating with a peer, asking for directions, or even trying to order food. 

We still lack to acknowledge the pride that people take in their individual culture, many ways interpreted by language. Just like in my kindergarten class and my entire time throughout Spanish Immersion each teacher took pride in their countries language. It is important that we as a community begin to do the same for other peoples. Language is an opportunity to explore something new and interact with other people. 

This is one example of how even in small ways language has brought me to experience a larger world. I hurried to put my coat on only for it to be inside out. “Sadie, if I have to tell you one more time, come on!” I rolled my eyes still trying to think of ways to avoid grocery shopping. “Maybe you should just go with out me,” I happily said. Without a hesitation my mom replied, “Right this instance.” I rushed out the house in fear of consequences to come. I followed ten feet behind her with my head down trying to avoid any further confrontation. A ball fell right in front of me. I looked to the park next to me to notice a group of men playing soccer. “El pelota por favor,” they asked, signaling for the ball. 

“Si solo un segundo,” I said back. 

“Gracias,” they said in unison. 

“No es ningun problema.” They all glared at me somewhat amazed at my ability to hold a conversation with them. 

Being able to understand another language I have been able to have interactions with people who I would not have been able to otherwise. Even small things such as this I am proud to say that I can do. Language should no longer be a barrier but an opportunity, a window into something new, a way to see a persons life.

Language is a wonderful thing, Though sometimes we don’t see the power it gives us. Instead we let others speak through us as if their voice has more power then or voices ever could. Take me for example. I mumble a lot of the things I say and I think it’s because of my Past. I never talked to a lot of people in my old school and instead had people talk for me.  This made me not truly feel that there was no power in my words. Today though I have much more confidence when I speak now, but sometimes the past comes back and I start mumbling again.

One big example would be in my old school. It was the advvage schools with adverage students, but some were more louder than others. Not even volume wise, but also some students would have a lot of people listen when they spoke and others would have barely any. I was one of the quiet ones and because of that no one would really listened to. So when everyone would start talking when students were trying to focus I could say “Quiet!” and no one would listen, probably not even hear me, but as soon as one of the louder students would talk everyone would remain quiet. This would make me feel that my words had no power. As if the only way to get my voice or opinion out was to quietly say it to whoever i was sitting with hopeing they would hear what I said and agree with it. Then my voice would get out there.

This began to change though as years went on though. I started to hear the confidence in my voice the more I heard people saying rediculous things. I decided to almost force my voice forward to prove to myself that my voice has meaning. After I was finished my old school I thought that now with High School I’m going to have to prove that my voice has power all over  again and this time it will be harder to prove myself.  Fortunately when I got to SLA I couldn’t have been anymore wrong.

My very first class at SLA was African-American history. I was nervous because in Advisory I had not talked much and I was worried that what happen in my old school would happen again. The worst case scenario was happening as the first assignment given was a group based one. I began to worry, but as soon as the assignment was giving people were looking at everyone for ideas. Including from me.  This began a revalation I had where I realized that I had power in my words and that I spent years not believing in them. I could say what I wanted and people would listen.  I was the voice for my group discussing the assignment to the other students and showing that I stand by my and my groups words. I learned that when you speak others will listen, but only if you stand by what you are saying and show your language through it.

In the story Aria the story says “the speech of people in public often be loud and booming.” After that situation in school.  I realized that this is what I wanted. To be able to speak to anyone withh confidence that matched my words.   This quote discusses what everyone should look forward to in life. Being able to say what ever you want to say so that not only will people want to listen, but also process your personality through that language.

Now after my first year at SLA I no longer have fear for my words.  I have found my language and how it matches my personality. I can’t say the same about others though. There are others who feel that their language is suppresed by others and don’t  which to say their words. Instead they speak their language through others hoping that the power of the others person’s voice will help them speak their mind. The only real ways words have power is when you say them yourself. That’s when you show what it is you stand for and why you are speaking. Language is like a persons Personality where for everyone it’s different and there isn’t a set rule for what language truly is. To have someone talk through you ruins your words because you are not saying them with the power of their own language. This is why before you can stand for anything you have to stand by your language.  

“I would rather be anywhere else right now…” I say. “I don’t have the energy to workout, I just want to go to bed.” “Today’s workout is 4 x 2500m! Go stretch and do your core workout and then hop on an erg and start your pieces.” My coach explains to the entire team.

I look around the room and see everyone’s smile slowly start to fade.

“Wow Nicole, are you trying to kill us?” I say jokingly to my coach.

“Oh man…This is gonna be a long day, I ain’t ready foh dis” I hear someone say across the room and everyone nods in agreement. We know the sooner we start the sooner it will be over so we quickly get to work.

The workout is finally over and my teammates and I are sitting on our ergs breathing heavily, legs shaking and sweat all over.

“OMG Why do we row? What is wrong wit us? Ugh ma body hurts! I hear these statements coming from all over the room. 

I had just found out that my grandmother had cancer on Christmas Eve, so my family and I went to visit her. She was so frail and weak. It was like she was a completely different person than what I had remembered. Even though she was sick, she still greeted us with a warm smile and hug. I stayed in her living room watching my cousin play games on the Wii. My uncle walked into the living room and told us to eat pizza. After eating the pizza, we were getting ready to leave.

My grandmother was sitting on the sofa with my mom right beside her. Her face was full of exhaustion and her head was laying back on the sofa. She grabbed my hand and started speaking to me in Chinese. I was shocked because I have forgotten all of it. I was not answering her because I just could not.

I couldn’t do anything but stare at my grandmother. I felt like there was an inner battle with myself. I wanted to speak to her so bad but I could not speak. In this moment, I felt like if I was to speak Cambodian, which she could also understand, I would just sound weird and she would not be able to understand me anyway. In my mind, there were things that I wanted to say to her but my mouth stayed shut. I wasn’t comfortable speaking Cambodian nor did I understand what she was saying to me in Chinese. My grandmother continued to ask me questions in Chinese and all I could do is nod my head without knowing what was happening.

It is just another school morning for my family and I. It is about 7 o'clock in the morning and I am sitting quietly on the black couch with a red blanket wrapped around me in the living room. The room is dark and the only light it gets is from the bright light in the kitchen.  

Language is something that plays a big part in everyone lives and can often be an advantage or disadvantage to people. Some people thinks that knowing more than one language helps us express ourselves more but others may disagree and say that it does not help but actually puts a restriction on us. People should used language as an advantage because if we are able to know a language clearly, it would not come as a disadvantage.

Coming from a family that speaks two different language and living in an environment that speaks another language, I had a hard time communicating with different people. Since I was not able to keep up with three languages, I began to forget the ones from my family and only using English because it was the one that I used the most. When I was not able to talk to my grandmother, I realized that if you are bilingual, then you should use it to your advantage by not forgetting it. There are people that pay to learn what you can get from your family, unlike me, I forgot Chinese completely and this caused me to not be able to speak to half of my family.

In the story, “Tongue-Tied” by Maxine Hong Kingston, the main character got her tongue cut off so that she would not be tied to just one language and so that it could be free. Her mother stated, “I cut it so that you would not be tongue tied....”(pg. 164). Her mother felt like cutting off her daughter’s tongue would be the best choice for the daughter because then she would be able to speak multiple languages and not tied all around one. Also the girl stated, “I enjoyed the silence...”(pg. 164). She enjoyed staying silent and I think this is because she does not know how to control language and turn it into an advantage. She speaks two different languages but she prefers not to speak often rather than me because I rather just speak one.

People should know that language is a privilege and if they do not want it to be a disadvantage in their life, then they should embrace it so that it becomes an advantage instead. Language gives us the power to communicate with other people and that is an important aspect in life but it also creates a net, allowing only the little things we want to say through but not the bigger things. In order for us to break this net, we have to be willing to learn more about language. It is like trying to find a solution to a problem, we cannot find the solution until we learn about the problem.

When I was little, I didn't know a lot of English. I would always ask my brother "Cai do la cai gi?" At times, he would get annoyed because I always kept on asking him question to question, like what is it, what does it mean, or how do you pronounce it. I wasn't able to fully express myself to the outside world  because of my lack of English when I was a little kid.

I recalled back the time when I was in kindergarten,  I had a friend that my teacher, Ms. Jasmine, assigned to me for extra help due to my lack of English. His name is Michael. "Good morning, class!" Ms. Jasmine said. I was silent. "Kenny, what did you do yesterday? Ms. Jasmine suddenly questioned me. I had no idea on what to say, so I turned to Michael. He didn't know what to say either because he doesn't know what I did and I didn't even understood what the question meant when I heard it for the first time.

I felt like an outsider in kindergarten. There are times where I don’t even know what was going on in the classroom. The way how I feel about that now is neutral because it’s in the past. My identity from the past is gone because it doesn’t fully represent me of who I am. I created my own identity of who I am now, from the way I speak and the way how people represent me. In a mixed society, there’s obviously various types of language that can show how smart you are or how you lack intelligence because you couldn’t speak. I don’t agree on the lack of intelligence part. From reading bell hook’s essay, hooks says that “...language is a place of struggle.” People misused and criticized a language everyday, which makes it harder for newcomers to learn. A  place of struggle can be referred to as newcomers coming to a certain environment, where a language is so fluently and respectfully used.

There are many ways in which we represent the different things that were are influenced to how they affect us in every aspect of life, no matter how slight that change may be. This can be any number of things. The people that are around, the places they see and are present in, what they see on tv and the people they are introduced to. Those effects can be observed and narrowed down to the smallest detail. Sometimes, that detail can be as miniscule as the way a person talks around different people and groups. This becomes evident and can become noticeable as more and more people get used to how you talk to them and it can come as a surprise to them if they hear how you talk to other people that you don’t use the same tone of voice and or speech with when you talk to them as opposed to when you talk to that person. Unfamiliarity can be a strange thing. For instance, when you’re meeting someone new, it is always a quick decision on how you will speak to that person. Whether or not you will use your normal voice or something to make you sound more professional or mature. The choices are endless and everyone’s are different. It all boils down to first impressions and creating a persona for yourself.

I have discovered that through time, and through observing by listening, anyone can pick up on the manner with which one person talks to another. Even though at times it may not be apparent, the code switching is still present because everybody does it, no matter how slight it may be. The first time that I started to listen to people when they talk, I didn’t immediately think of it as anything out of the ordinary, but it was peculiar to me how that person’s voice had sounded, in comparison to how it sounded when they talked to me. The first time that I really deeply observed the trait that everyone develops at some point early in their life is when I had involuntarily done it when I was talking to my friends one day. It was about three years ago. I was holding just a normal conversation with my friend, Dave at our grade school. Now, before I get into how I analyzed our conversation, I want to preface my statement with saying that Dave was generally known as a tougher character, one that could throw a pretty hard punch, and take one, too. It was early in the school year, about November or December. Me and a my friend were sitting down in the cafeteria, talking about god knows what. Dave had gotten some of the less than appetizing food offered by the school for those who didn’t bring a lunch from home. Which, when I think about it now, was not worth the money paid for it. He sat down at our table, inhabited only by me and another person. I vaguely remember one of us cracking a joke about something and then I watched Dave look at his “lunch” and grimace with disgust. He then cursed and muttered something under his breathe. We both began to talk about our days and the oddities that tended to occur at our school. We shared laughs here and there and by the end of lunch, I had noticed something about my voice. It had gotten deeper, slightly, and I spoke much more loosely, not caring much for proper grammar or fluid pronunciation. I was trying to sound... tough, I guess is what I would call it then. In comparison to current day, I now call it “making a first impression.” The reason I did this was to... well, fit in. I felt it necessary to do so because I wanted to have that sense of toughness. Now, when I compare that to how I talk to my dad, it’s a whole other story. The words I speak are much softer and completely articulate when I talk to my father. Back to the story. The way I spoke to my friend those years ago, is generally how I’ll speak to strangers when asked a question or just when having a conversation with a store clerk. I always have tried to keep this demeanor and appearance of a tougher person.

The reason that it’s involuntary is because when you become so adept to talking certain ways to different people, it becomes second-nature to us, a passing thought. Not at that specific moment, though. I stopped myself, after I had finished my thought. I noticed that I just spoke in a different tone of voice to my friends... almost out of nowhere. It seemed completely new to me, even though I had been doing it so long - it just never occurred to me because I was unconsciously doing it.

Language is a tool to get what you need, express your emotions, and to connect with others. It’s the framework through which we all perceive and analyze the world around us. It is a communication that allows us to convey who we are. People shape language all over the world, but it is more accurate and correct to say that language shapes us. People personalities’, thoughts and opinions are language shaped by influences from location, decades, and surroundings. Language has guided me to my own path in life.

I have moved around a lot more than the average bear and I have noticed how language affects people in different parts of the country. When I lived in Berkeley, California, the people talk in a laid back manner, even professional people weren’t so stern. I remember walking into a business meeting at Google Headquarters with my cousin. “As we fix the bug in the system, you know, make sure to get some game on your other assignments. It’s totally cool if you want to work on your 2nd projects for the interlineal system, or just chill and keep working on this one, it’s in your hands,” the boss said to my cousin, and all of the workers in the meeting. They would respond with “alright boss, have a good one. Don’t party too hard tomorrow.” Then they would leave casually and go back to working for one of the biggest companies. I was startled to see this because I never expected a business meeting to go like that. This is just one example of how language really affects people’s personalities. In California, they speak calm and relaxed, and they are much nicer than people on the east coast, as far as I’m aware.

In New York, the people talk in a rushed pace and they pronounce many words differently. They use a very different vocabulary, more city-like, and shortened words. I grew up in New Jersey, so I pronounce words differently than people in the city. Many of my friends jokingly make fun or play around with the words I say. For example, people say bad rhyming with sad, but I say bad emphasizing the a, as if I grew up in the country. I didn’t though; I grew up 40 minutes from Philadelphia. When I learned my alphabet I lived in a rural southern area and so I say my alphabet a little bit differentley. It was hard for me to move Philly because everything was so fast paced and different, but I easily adjusted.

Language and personality does not always go hand in hand, but according to my life that is how it works. My own language is more relaxed and chilled than the people I’m surrounded by, and overall my personality is also more relaxed as well. I don’t let little things bug me, or things don’t really phase me as much as people I know from the city, where things keep going, life doesn’t stop for anyone, it goes on.

The decade, or time you grew up in affects how you talk. Since I have hippie parents I talk like I lived in the 1960s-1990s. I say radical, groovy, solid, gnarly, psyched, get jiggy with it, and stoked. People now-a-days use words like “swag, yolo, jawn”, I don’t get it. I wish I grew up in the 60s or 80s because the language to me felt right. Today when I hear kids speak, I think they sound like uneducated idiots.

Lastly, my own native language is music. Music has been one of the biggest contributions in my life and my path of finding myself. It is a universal/unspoken language in it’s own way. It brings out words people can’t say and brings us together. Music has helped me cope and go through many struggles I have faced. It’s a sense of language and communication that expresses to people that they are not alone, and someone is going through the same things that you are.  

When people think of language they think of words. When I think of langugage I think of music notes. Music can say things that words cannot, when words fail music speaks. “It’s funny how a melody sounds like a memory,” music can trigger senses inside of us more than words can. There are many different types of music, it is a culture. Music has been my backbone and religion for a long time.

It is true we shape language into what it is, but it is even more accurate that language shapes us, and makes us into the lovely people we become. Without our own particular language, we wouldn’t be unique individuals. Language has guided me to my own path in life, and binded the world as one. Without language there would be no way to possibly accept the reality around us. Language is identity.

Language can give you the power to convince others you’re right. To explain to them what it means to be you, and what it is you believe. I have always been in an environment that allows me to express what I’m actually feeling. This isn’t to say that there aren’t times or moments when I am not interrupted or yelled at. I just always have someone I can go to to explain what it is that I meant or what I was going to say.

The front door opens as I sit on the couch. I can see who is there, just that there’s someone. “Spies!” I scream towards the shape coming through the front door that I hope is my sister.

Because of this I am a rare one. I am different. Others do not have to freedom and support that I do when it comes to language. They are restricted and kept in by it. They often do not get the chances that I get to speak out. I do not know what this feels like. I do not know the thoughts that you might think. However, I know how good it feels to have this freedom, and I respect it. I know I am lucky.

Language can transform from something all about power and the ability to stand up for yourself to being able to connect with someone. I have been lucky enough to learn both sides of that in the same household. I have grown up appreciating every word and syllable I and others use and know. I have grown up with the idea that you must be careful with what you say but you must also be willing to take a break, to go “without a filter” as my mother says. You have to know when to say what  you want, what makes you comfortable, and when you must say what you mean.

The pain

The relief

Feeling of cutting

Is an addiction?

The relief feel from simple cut

Relief of anger

Relief of pain

Cutting can help

Everyday i think could i ever be beautiful

I feel can i ever get rid of the pain

Can i ever feel loved

Everyday i try and think positive

When i cut i feel a sense of relief from all anger

Every cut is like a trip to heaven

I feel as if can i get rid of the bullying

The pain is all gone now

Cutting is a sense of relief

I think can i ever be skinny

Can i ever be as beautiful as my crush

One thing i know is that i will be as beautiful as people make me seem

The pain

The relief

Feeling of cutting

Is it an addiction??

In today’s society it is looked at that to make it one must blend in with the ‘popular and superior’ crowd and allow one’s life to fit the others. When the topic of language is raised, English is the most commonly spoken in the US obviously and standard English seems to be the most professional language of all. When living in the US it was something that seemed to be ‘normal’ and ‘natural’ as if being different in that sense is wrong...

In elementary school I never really thought about such a thing much. All I knew and understood was that now that I’m in Philly, away from most of my family English would be the language I’d hear the most and speaking it for me wasn’t an option; I had to. I never was exposed to the thought of how speaking a different language that may be foreign to others could be a bad thing until that day...

My mother had decided to pick me up from school that day and I was happy to have her walk me home and have that sense of security. While walking I noticed some kids who go to the same school as I did walking also on the other side of the road. Two little boys about that same age as I was (about 7). After I noticed their presence my mom called my attention and said in a voice only I hear “Ki jan jou ou te pasé?” (How was your day?) “It was good” I told her. Then her phone rang and she picked up. It was my dad. What I noticed was that she was talking english with him when usually when it comes to him she speaks her home language. Creole. A language which Haitians speak. Then soon I realized it was because she was trying to explain to him how to communicate with his boss at a more professional english level that he asked her advice for. I wondered if everything was alright.

At the corner of my eye I could see and hear the kids snickering say that “she sounds Jamaican” as if there was a problem even if she was. One actually had the nerve to ask with a smirk on his face if she was one. On the phone my mom didn’t notice but I was so mad I yelled “shut up you african booty scratcher! You ugly too!” but with that I did also felt embarrassed. On the phone my mom was loud which made it easy for people a block away to hear her accent. But she’s my mother and no matter how loud she may be it would never change the importance and impact she has had on my life.  

Though she wasn’t from here she made an effort to try and speak the language that was foreign to her and it was bad  that most didn’t even notice that. Too bad back then, I was too young to understand that. But because of that it is to be felt that many with accents aren’t taken seriously when needed because they don’t speak or sound like they’re speaking ‘proper english’. But as I got older and really looked at the American society I came to realize that its prejudice, injustice and more. For example I remember awhile back, my mom ordered a pepperoni pizza on the phone and it was on speaker so I eavesdropped onto the conversation. It was because of my mother's accent the person constantly asked my mother to repeat what she was saying as if she was speaking a different language. On top of that they took forever to deliver. When I ordered the pizza and said the exact thing’s my mother said the last time because I don’t have that much of an accent they understood me and the delivery came under 30 minutes which confuzzles me.

Even  though she had an accent in the end the workers were able to understand what she was saying because we got what she asked for but why give me different service than her? It has been called to my and many others attention that some people in society feel as those people with hard accents aren’t truly educated and can be easily taken advantage of many things such as their disability to speak standard english. Which isn’t true at all. If one were to take a survey of who agrees with this quote ‘one shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover’ many would agree but I feel as though society has never even tried to live up to that expectation.

All leading up to what I’m trying to say. It isn’t fair for someone to be treated differently just because you don’t understand them. There are other ways to communicate and to automatically assume they aren’t able to have the same skills or intelligence that you have. There is such a thing as being open-minded and I believe if more people were able to think it that matter thing would be a lot better. I read a piece by Bell Hooks that is titled "this is the oppressor's language/yet I need it to talk to you":Language, a place of struggle” and that quote means a lot of things. One, she explains how originally Africans weren’t meant to speak English as they do now. It was because when in the time of slavery where they were taken from their homeland, there was so many different Blacks from many different tribes and areas in Africa, with their own type of language that it was complex to communicate with one another, especially their new masters. So they were forced to learn and speak under the language of their oppressor which is what we all know as to be English. It still amazes me till this day of that effect and the same thing happens till this day to foreigners who come to America hoping for opportunity and along that process are stripped of their identity by being forced to speak English and forget about what they use to speak.

All I can say about my true ethnicity is that its special just like any other kind of race or culture. It shouldn’t be judged because of its differences from other. in fact it should be looked at in the opposite way because being different is what makes it unique and special. I just find it hard to believe but strongly agree that many have a problem accepting that notion.

hooks, bell. Hooks on the Language of Power. New Learning. Web. 11 Jan 2013. <http://newlearningonline.com/literacies/chapter-6-critical-literacies/hooks-on-the-language-of-power/>.

Baldwin, James. "If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me What Is."New York Times. (July 29, 1979): <http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html>.