ALGERIAN NOSTALGIA

 For my independent study for the fall term I wanted to finish off this collection I have been working on with the help of the Rue Maghreb creative director Meriem, by getting all the products onto the new site. The process was not easy, but after a long year of hard work, it's paid off. The new collection will be out November 20th of 2020. This is how it went!

WORKING ON THE LOGO

Now, I would say the logo process was the hardest part of Rue Maghreb rebooting process. The first logo, which included the Maghreb door, was simple enough that anyone could recognize that it belonged to Rue Maghreb. I wanted to revamp the logo because I felt that I had rushed the first one, and I wasn't as content. I started off by doing some research on brands who are doing something similar to us. I referred to simple logo designs on Pinterest, and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. I knew the main idea I wanted to get across was the way Rue Maghreb adds a twist to the traditional elements of the Maghreb region, and I wanted that factor to be recognized with the logo design.  I got opinions from many. My teacher who was working with me on my independent study last year, Meriem, and a couple of our brand ambassadors. While they did like the design, the main idea still wasn't getting across. Meriem and I ended up speaking with a couple of graphic designers, an stuck to KhadijahStudios who are located in Iraq. We had multiple meeting with them in which we were able to talk about the ideas we were trying to get across through one glance of the new logo. We wanted something catchy and professional. We wanted a new color palette that went along with the logo, while also incorporating these colors throughout our social media page. Khadijah was able to create a whole look for us, and a logo! After many meetings, this was the result! 

Rue Maghreb Logo. 2020. Rue Maghreb

MAKING IT OFFICIAL!

Although Rue Maghreb had started off as an independent study project, I knew there was much more potential. I knew I didn't want to just carry this on for a couple years, and put an end to all this hard work. The community we have been able to grow in just one year is amazing! I knew the potential of this brand, and I don't just see a clothing brand anymore. As I mentioned in my previous AP, I would eventually like to turn Rue Maghreb into a foundation some day to help the Maghreb people find job opportunities, educate young girls, and create more possibilities for businesses to thrive in Maghreb countries. To head in that direction, earlier this year, we finally signed off Rue Maghreb as an LLC! The moment was so surreal, and we are currently in the process of transforming this LLC into a B-corp which would have Rue Maghreb send a certain percentage of profits to a charitable organization. 

ALGERIAN NOSTALGIA

While we did launch the brand reboot on our social media page over the summer, we now reach presenting the new collection. Algerian Nostalgia is an opportunity for us as creatives to allow our customers escape to a virtual reality back to Algeria. Through this clothing line, we have mixed traditional elements of Algerian/Amazigh culture to a version that fits the context of a world that is constantly evolving. The line does not only connect Algerians to their homeland, but allows for members of the community to educate themselves as they go through the website. The site will work as an immersive experience for anyone who is visiting us for the first time! We are excited to have this line up, along with the new site, on November 20th! Make sure to check out ruemaghreb.com to see the site for yourself this Friday! 

Rue Maghreb. 2020. Algerian Nostalgia

Rue Maghreb. 2020. Algerian Nostalgia

Rue Maghreb. 2020. Algerian Nostalgia

Rue Maghreb. 2020. Algerian Nostalgia

Getting Diplomatic About Doughnut Economics

For our final unit of the fall term, Econ:Risking Value, we dove into the book Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth which takes a look into social/environmental economics. Her approach features the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and how the state of our economy is not combating these issues effectively. While some of her issues seem controversial, like no longer using GDP as a form of measuring a nation's economic growth, Raworth brings issues to the table that are worth considering as we approach the twenty-first century. The doughnut concept she developed touches societal conflicts from climate change to peace and justice which while it may seem abstract, make a huge impact on our economy as we know it. While going through the chapters in class and holding discussions of our interpretations, we were asked to conceptualize the eighth chapter of Doughnut Economics as if the book had continued. I decided to take a deeper look into diplomacy and the impacts that foreign economic deals can make on environmental/humanitarian issues we face as a society today. Take a look at my economic perspective of Doughnut Economics!

Diplomacy and Economics. NBE. 2020

My description of chapter eight

Let’s talk about globalization. Globalization affects the way our(referring to ‘our world’) nations work with one another. It’s worth noting that in a world of free trade, the thought of the accumulation of fossil fuels is out the window. This is the case because of the freedom to import and export almost anything on the market. Free trade, that is international commerce without tariffs or restrictions for other nations, can play a key role for nationalism for other countries to rely on one another for foreign goods. These free trade agreements can also help the diplomatic state of how countries work with one another to solve other issues that involve the UN, like humanitarian issues. With the international exchange being open, there is an increase in the use of transportation. While benefiting our economy, this puts a setback on ending global warming. We also have to consider the fact that economic agreements can go into effect with other countries in order to either slow down the use of fossil fuels or limit the use of tariffs. These economic agreements can either be a benefit or detriment to our environmental and humanitarian problems that we deal with today. Even environmental agreements like the Paris Climate Agreement puts a huge risk on the state of the economy in which it limits the use of transportation abroad. We can look into how protectionism, the promotion of domestic producers and products in a domestic market, can put a positive effect on the environment while also causing harm for foreigners when wanting to transport items abroad. It’s important to look into these agreements and foreign deals because they affect not only the way our nations choose to interact with one another, as allies or adversaries, but also makes us consider looking into the long term effects of our climate/social justice issues we are currently facing as a society.

Discussion 

Some nations have thought long and hard about the detrimental impacts that foreign trade agreements have on global climate change and social issues. For example, the United States working on an economic agreement with countries like Canada and Mexico called the “NAFTA agreement” which eliminates any trade restrictions or tariff blockades in order to establish free trade throughout North America. Trade restrictions do not include the risk of environmental restrictions. The Institute for Policy Studies stated, “NAFTA’s environmental protections should be strengthened if it is to serve as a model for future trade accords” which is entirely true. Let’s look into this a bit more.

If the current NAFTA agreement, for example, doesn’t address the environmental harm we are making along the way, our progression towards putting an end to global warming seems to only be taking a negative turn. It’s important to consider the stances of other nations on their environmental issues and how they make their nation’s economy function because getting them onto an agreement can only expand our economy’s growth in a way we haven’t seen before. Diplomacy and the state of the global economy go hand in hand.

Diplomatic relations hold potential for the power of international commerce. Globalization works in a way we have never seen it before. Kate Raworth mentions, “We need to move from economies that need to grow whether or not they make us thrive, to economies that make us thrive whether or not they grow.” If GDP hasn’t significantly changed for over the past decades, it may be due to tariff blockades that usually sprout out of the competitiveness of the market and end up taking a turn for countries not wanting to sign off on economic deals with their adversaries. The competitiveness that comes out of a buyer/seller market is the main reason some countries are in something called tariff wars.

When thinking about the influence that economic agreements have on future accords, it’s important to consider the context of the world we live in currently. ”Since 2000, 37 measures on biofuels have been notified by 20 WTO members in the context of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade,” according to the WTO. This data proves agreements countries make affect us in the long run. It’s not just a matter of nations, but the power the World Trade Organization holds when it comes to foreign trade.

These agreements of Tariffs and Trade are organized by the World Trade Organization. The WTO is in charge of holding a dispute settlement mechanism called the GATT. The way it works is one nation can file a dispute that they are facing with another country, the WTO approves it, and the nations are able to consult or come to an agreement that can make or break the economy of their country. The reason I bring this up is because this point of the GATT can not only influence diplomatic relations, but puts stress on issues like pollution, hunger, and business. While all the topics discussed in the book are completely relevant on the functionality of our economy in the future, it’s important that we focus on the main point which is coming together as a globe to make this change within one of the oldest systems, our economy. 

To conclude, I enjoyed getting Raworth's perspective of the potential our economy has. I was fortunate enough to take a summer course at the University of Chicago that dove into the topic of diplomacy and the way the world's economy functions, and I would say that sparked my interest in basing my project off this topic. It's pretty rare that people see the commonality in social issues today and how they effect our economic growth and potential, and I will say that Kate Raworth did a good job in pinpointing that issue. The book tapped on subjects I hadn't even thought of before, and motivated me on checking out work from other economists to get their perspective on how we can change our old concepts we hold for our economy. 

Citations:

1. Kate Raworth. “Want to Know How to Get beyond GDP? Start Here.” Kate Raworth, 19 May 2013, www.kateraworth.com/2012/07/01/want-to-know-how-to-get-beyond-gdp-start-here/. 

2.  “NAFTA and Environment.” Institute for Policy Studies, 7 May 2014, ips-dc.org/nafta_and_environment/.

3. “WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION.” WTO, www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/envir_e/envir_e.htm.

"I'm Rue Maghreb"

 For our final unit of Computer Science, we dove into using "if-statements" in python code. An If-statement can be used in the scenario of there being different answers a user could put in a code. We worked on our skills through trinket.io where we were able to work on some practice problems, and solve some "spot the error" python codes. As the world of AI software is constantly evolving and changing, we decided to take a look at some out there now. As we checked a "chatbot" out , it peaked out curiosity as coding students to create our own. For this AP, we were asked to design a chatbot that uses the concepts that we had discussed this entire term. I decided to develop a chatbot that works with my brand, Rue Maghreb, to educate others on the Maghreb region and its people. The bot can be a useful tool for my site that I am currently developing to be launched on November 20th! I am interested in using my coding on the welcome page to interact with my users as they enter a virtual reality of what it's like to live in the Maghreb! Check out my bot to learn more! 

Overall, I was content with the formatting of this AP. I thought it was much easier being able to recollect everything that we had learned throughout the term like using random functions, inequalities, Booleans, and more into a finished chatbot. I would say some concepts I struggled with a bit were the "El-if" statements due to formatting, including the random function. I wasn't so sure if the formatting was completely clear on the code, but the cool thing about trinket.io is that there is a sort of feedback provided if there is a wrong input! I ended up learning more from my mistakes at the end which made the rest of the code move a lot smoother. I am definitely going to use this chatbot for the introduction page of my new site on ruemaghreb,com! It's an effective chatbot that can create some form of connection with users.

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!

一一一一一一一一一一

“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.

MOVING MY WAY TOWARDS THE WORLD OF ECONOMICS

 INTRO

MY PRESENTATION


To conclude, with the help of Chicago Scholars program, I was able to have onsite interviews with five different universities, one of them being Loyola University Chicago. I am happy to announce that I have actually been accepted to Loyola University, and can say that this AP allowed me to realize that Loyola might just be the university for me. I was also recommended by the admissions team to go through the double degree Europe program which would have me study here in the states for one year, then move out to Spain to work on my degree in economics through their sister school out in Andalucia. I would essentially be graduating with a Spanish degree and U.S. degree in economics which will grant me more opportunities in the field!

Welcome to Code.Nation

 For this unit in Computer Science we dove into python coding which is a programming language. We learned the ins and outs on how to code in python, and practiced using codeskulptor and trinket.io. These platforms were a great way for us to understand how we can use what we were learning in class into an actual coding function. For this AP, we were asked to develop a python code calculator with some equation that we are currently using in our Economics class. I decided to focus on creating a calculator that allows users to get compounding interest in seconds. The second part of this AP was to create a form of letter that could be used in our Journalism class that seniors are also taking. This journalism letter will make it easier for students from wherever to construct a letter in just a few minutes after filling out some information. Check out my codes to see how they turned out! 

Compounding interest calculator

Writing a letter to your alderman

Overall, this AP allowed me to apply what I have been working on in class to my own python code that could help me in the real world. It took me a while to figure out the formatting, especially with applying the compounding interest calculator which required me to do some more research on my own. Working on compounding interest in my STEAM class was an equation that took some time for me to comprehend. Once I got a hang of using the formula in class, I realized that the process was a bit repetitive and something like a calculator would really come in handy at a time that I needed a simple answer. I think this compounding interest calculator can come in great use for time of my action project for my STEAM class, and for others as well. Writing a letter for someone like an alderman at times can seem quite repetitive or too hard to format,  but with this mad libs inspired letter, the formatting is just right. It's easier to type out some information rather than having to construct an entire message on your own. I think both of these codes can come in handy for every user, including myself. I really enjoyed this AP, and would like to push my limits further to use python code for newsletters for my clothing brand, Rue Maghreb, some time in the future.

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.

 

 

Is Social Media the New Way to Execute Power in the United States?

For our last unit of Policy we dove into the three branches of U.S. government. We looked into the legislative branch, executive, and now judicial. We looked into the supreme court and the way it functions. The people who are currently in office, and the history of the branch itself. The way that the branch used to run compared to how it does today, and has impacted the lives of many here in the U.S. This term was a bit different. It took a turn at the end of the term after the death of George Floyd which lead to protests around the U.S. and riots. This is history right in front of us. I wanted to take advantage of this moment in time, and acknowledge the way the U.S. government is choosing to take this issue into account. I specifically wanted to look into our President, Donald Trump, and what he finds more important than what is going on in the streets. Take a look to my essay below that takes a deeper dive into the way the executive branch chose to change their system after riots struck in their country compared to the U.S.

Citations:
1. Bowers, John. “Trump's Executive Order Is the Most Futile Attack on 230 Yet.” Wired, Conde Nast, www.wired.com/story/opinion-trumps-executive-order-is-the-most-futile-attack-on-230-yet/.
2. Echenique, Sebastián Piñera. “Sebastián Piñera: A New Opportunity for Chile's Future.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Dec. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/opinion/pinera-chile.html.

PLANNING OUT THE NEW BUCKTOWN

As we wrap up our last unit of this term, Urban Planning, we're thinking about redesign in a new way. We started off the unit by reading part three of Devil in the White City which gave us a better idea of the turn out of the Chicago World's Fair. We got to look into the design process for architects, what they wanted the experience to turn out like, their struggles, etc. This gave us some inspiration for our AP. We also dove into other cities around the world to get their view of urban planning, how they protect their city, and sustainable ways to redesign. We watched TED Talks to look more into the complaints and/or ideas of people from communities all across the U.S. We saw what differentiates the U.S. from all other countries. We were able to take a virtual F.E. to the Chicago World's Fair and understand its history, and where it lies in Chicago today. For our AP, we were asked to redesign a block within our community or take it as far as a block in another city in the world. Look at my slideshow down below to learn more! 

To conclude, I really enjoyed this last AP of my junior year! I think it was a great way to wrap up, and I it got me thinking more about my community and where I lie in it. I think that a lot of changes could be made to my area, and it's all up to me to get those ideas out there. I think that looking into other cities for inspiration got me thinking more about the urban planning in the U.S. and how it could be changed! 

The Key to an Energy Efficient Home

For this unit of our STEAM course, Urban Planning, we took a deeper look into circuits, circuit boards, energy efficient products, Nikola Tesla, and more. We started off by learning about Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison with their participation in the War of the Currents.  We then continued on and learned about direct and alternating currents, created by these two, and understood how the devices we use today are powered by currents like these. We looked into circuit boards and diagrams. The symbols that electricians use make diagrams simple and easy to understand. We learned about these because we would need them in a bit for our action projects. We looked into what electricity is exactly and how it is created. We had a Zoom call with an FE guest, Jaclyn Marcus, an architectural designer. We were able to ask questions from how lighting can affect a person's mood to what inspired them to become a designer, etc. These answers would help us when it came to our AP. For this AP, we had to create a circuit board that would power energy efficient appliances throughout a home that we created. Look through my presentation to learn more!



To conclude, I think this project allowed me to test out how far I could go in regards to creativity and design. I saw myself trying to think of new ways to get my circuit to power more bulbs, and I finally got a hang of it. I think even during these times, using new materials around the house allowed me to explore and test things out. I am glad that this AP allowed me to do that, and I would like to do the same for the next one as well! 

Imagine the feeling of being watched?

In this first unit of our humanities course, Policy, we took a deeper look into what role legislators serve in the U.S. government. Understanding different roles played in the U.S. government gives us students a better understanding of who is representing us. Who is representing our views, values, and morals when it comes to the U.S. coalition coming together and creating policy. We were able to speak with public defender Connie Jordan, who joined us last term, to learn about how policy works in our city, state, and nation as a whole. We looked into different ordinances which helped us when it came to thinking about the issues we were passionate about seeing change on within our state, and seeing the progression these ordinances are making. For this AP, we were asked to choose a topic and ordinance that goes along with it that has yet to be passed. Our goal was to construct a letter to someone in legislation who we think represents us the best in order to get this ordinance passed. We as citizens of the U.S. have the right to our opinion and getting it out in the world because that is what democracy is. Without the opinion of the people, there would be no democracy. I chose to speak on behalf of online surveillance and cyberstalking within marginalized communities. I chose this topic after looking into Assia Boundaoui´s film, The Feeling of Being Watched, which takes a closer look into the FBI stalking the largest Islamic community in Illinois, Bridgeview. During the 1990s, Operation Vulgar Betrayal was launched by the U.S. to take a closer look into this certain community in Illinois with the perception that Islamic organizations and mosques were funding terrorist groups like Hamas. Take a closer look into my AP in order to get a better understanding of the person I am and how I want to see this state improve when it comes to online surveillance.