The Meaning of Life in 1000 Words

For this unit, Photojournalism, we took a deep dive into the art of photography. Not just photography itself, but the way it's used to convey a message in journalism. We looked into different historical images that changed the way we as a society see the world today. From times of war to times of victory, photography has been a way for observers to visualize history in one simple picture. We also looked into the technical bits that goes into photography itself like aperture, focus, shutter speed, and the rule of thirds. For this AP, we were asked to sit down and simply have a conversation with someone about their interpretation of the meaning of life. Although it's quite a complex question, it was nice being able to hold a conversation with someone and reflect on life itself. Read my photojournalism piece below to see how my interview went!

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“What is the meaning of life?” This is the question that we have all pondered in our minds and leaves us stationary when asked. The question itself has many different meanings and interpretations to it, but it’s special being able to listen to the interpretations of others on this conceptual question. It was special for me to get the interpretation and perspective of my dear friend, Sohaib. Although he is far from me, Tangier, Morocco to be exact, I was able to set up a call with him to talk to our meanings of life earlier this week. His response had even left me feeling more inspired than ever to work towards the things I love.


“So you asked me what’s my meaning of life...I would say the meaning of life is to love what you do. Any contribution that you have made to this world should be because you were in love with the idea and thought it was the right thing to pursue.” As an economics major himself, he knows a thing or two about negotiating. It was interesting to get his perspective on intention. “If I know what I am doing for myself is going to benefit me in the long run, of course I’m going to do it,” he says. I asked, “What if the person you love is stopping you from doing what you want?” He simply responded with, “I don’t care” and continued his idea, “I know what I want in my life, and I am not having anyone stop me from what I have been working on for a while. If I end up making a decision that isn’t right, that’s my problem. I am my own person to blame. I would rather make a bad decision myself than have someone else make it for me. Why am I going to live my life dealing with the mistakes that someone else made for me?”


It hit me at that moment that I made decisions for myself that were influenced by others, even family. Getting the perspective of someone abroad, although we’re both Moroccan, was interesting. I will be a first generation college student , so many decisions regarding my career and education have been influenced by some members of my family. As Sohaib begins the next chapter of his life in university, he has started planning on making a possible move abroad for the benefit of his career and personal life. Thinking about his intention and doing what he loves is crucial at this time. It’s admirable knowing that he’s confident in the path that he is taking because he’s doing what he loves. His plan was not influenced by others, but himself. He won’t let anyone stop him from what he’s doing because he knows who it’s benefitting at the end, himself.



As Covid-19 cases are on the rise, virtual communication platforms have been the essential part of what has kept us all so connected during these pressing times. Sohaib and I managed to maintain a strong friendship during these times through platforms like FaceTime which makes us question how people could possibly communicate with one another beforehand. Taking advantage of these virtual platforms at a time like this has been essential to lead us to questions like these: “What is the meaning of life?” “Why are we here?” “What will life be like for us post-pandemic?” I’m sure everyone has questioned this some time during quarantine, but sometimes it’s nice to have the opportunity to sit down and reflect.

NBE. "Virtual Reality." 2020. Chicago. 

                                                         

This image captures a “virtual reality” for us all. It simply emulates at least one time that we ventured out to video chat during our quarantine or even talking to people abroad. Long conversations and friendships have come together through these platforms just like Sohaib and I. Although you can’t be physically face to face with the person, genuine questions spark up from them with the time you have taken out your day in order to talk to the person. It’s the intention that counts. Doing what you love comes with intention, and an app like FaceTime or WhatsApp can show the true intention of your friendship with someone. “Life’s too short to be making decisions for yourself that you don’t know why you’re doing it.” says Sohaib.


Technically speaking, when thinking about conveying “virtual reality” for others, I thought about the positions of the camera itself. I wanted someone to gain a connection with the photo rather than just seeing any other photo they’ve ever stumbled upon. The observer should be able to capture the reality of a video chat call. I captured the closest perspective that I could of Sohaib and I on FaceTime during our interview on the meaning of life. I wanted to make sure to not have a high contrast on the photo itself because it would be taking away from the main subject, us, meaning my aperture was high in order to have less light enter the camera hole. The focus of the photo was not as precise as I would have liked it to have been due to the reality of WIFI connection. Following the rule of thirds, I decided to fill in the frame rather than cutting out any part of the photo because I realized that if I had cut something out, I wouldn’t be keeping that bond that I want the observer to be feeling.


Overall, the conversation’s that I have been able to hold with Sohaib during this quarantine experience has allowed me to reflect on the purpose of this reality we are currently living in. Encountering the question of the meaning of life is never an easy question to answer, but it sure does give you the opportunity to consider the world we are living in, and our purpose. For Sohaib, his purpose is to love what he does with a set intention on accomplishing his aspirations, and inspire others the same way he inspired me.

Femicide in my America

 Hello! Welcome to the first action project for the first term of my humanities class, Journalism. Throughout this unit we covered the differentiation between fake news and real news, biased or unbiased, and more. We dove into the structure of how news articles are written by looking into inverted pyramids which give an idea of where specific information can be found. We were able to virtually participate in some classes held by Northwestern University which gave us tips on how to interview people for our action projects, and what to look into. We were also able to speak with journalist Lealan Jones, the author of Our America, which we had read in class. Our America is a book that gives you a closer look into the housing projects in Chicago. This was the inspiration behind our AP. For this action project we were asked to either ask members within our community about the issues that need to be confronted on or choose a current event to report on. I decided to tailor my report on the femicides that are increasing daily in Mexico which have led to protests due to inaction by government. Read my report to learn more!

Since March of 2020, protesters have been blocking the streets of Mexico City, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has refused to speak on the rise of femicides the country has faced since the presidential election in 2018. “They say we destroy and paint things, but it’s the only way to get the government to turn to look at us,” said one woman. “What a shame that the government wants us to destroy things” According to an article published in the The Guardian, Mexican women's patience snaps at Amlo's inaction on femicide. President AMLO and his administration's inaction to this human right situation has taken a toll on the daily lives of women in Mexico. AMLO has not found it necessary to speak on behalf of the abuse of women due to the administration being male dominated, and having “machista” idealisms.

 

Thayne Tuason,File:Femicide Protest Zocalo- protester with sign.jpg, 29 November 2019,https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Femicide_Protest_Zocalo-_protester_with_sign.jpg

 

 Back in March, a photo was released that appeared to look like a woman’s corpse throughout social media platforms which caused discussion for Mexican citizens. The photo was published by the boyfriend who killed Ingrid Escamilla after an argument. The “machista” (male dominated) presidential administration in Mexico has always overlooked sexual harassment towards women, but it’s the fact that AMLO promised possible solutions throughout his campaign that have not been met that caused an uprise, the neglecting of the safety of women.

 Although others may dispute and make the claim that Mr. Lopez Obrador “won the presidency...by promising to transform Mexico into a more equal society, and...appointed the first cabinet with gender parity in Mexico’s history, giving prominent feminists top posts” as also mentioned in article by the New York Times, these actions have clearly not changed the violent actions aimed towards women for the past year. I had the opportunity to interview a member of GirlUp, an organization development program all throughout Mexico advocating for women’s rights. “President Obrador has not kept any promises when it comes to the safety of women and protecting the rights due to the administration and police protection.” says Sara, co-founder of GirlsUp.

Recently, the administration has decided to emphasize on Mexican infrastructure by creating a $14 billion dollar plan while “Ten women die on average each day as a result of violence, with 1,932 victims last year alone” mentioned by America’s Quarterly. The infrastructure plan was made to create job opportunities throughout the country, and around the world as private sector’s in Spain have also decided to contribute. How is the plan meant to function without the support of Mexico’s citizens?

Once the photos of Ingrid Escamilla’s body were released, on March 8th, 2020 which marks International Women’s day, women in Mexico took the day to not go to work, roam around the streets, etc. in order for different industries to understand the much needed contribution of women throughout the entire country. This time not only marked history for Mexico, but also brought both males and females in male dominated industries together during this time. I also spoke to a close friend in Mexico City to get their perspective on the day in which she stated, “I could see outside my window, it was like a ghost town. All you could see were men walking, waiting for the bus, etc. to head to work for the day. I’m sure it was an eye opening experience for many with the machismo mentality.”

These underlying issues by previous administrations have caused women in Mexico to go missing, being raped, and even murdered. AMLO’s promises have now turned into lies leaving many women today worried for their lives. It’s led up to women and men uniting by taking the streets of Mexico to protest for the thousands of lives that have been lost for the past years.