Rue Maghreb 2.0 : What steps can Rue Maghreb take in order to engage with communities around the world effectively and authentically?

Rue Maghreb has been something that I have been working hard on for the past year. This project that went from an independent study to a brand has brought me to many realizations about the world we live in, and I'm glad to be given the opportunity to work on this right at school. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, look at my AP from last year! 

Last year was packed with collaborations with street artists from Morocco, reaching out to organizations to donate to back in countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, but most importantly, I began forming the community that I wanted Rue Maghreb to be all along.  Social media interaction was beginning to happen!  Members of our community posting their latest purchases from our site, commenting on any photos we posted, sharing photos on their stories for their followers to see, direct messaging us about how our community has made them feel like they have a little outlet to go to when they miss being back home! This is what I wanted Rue Maghreb to be all along. Being able to see the power of social media right before my eyes, and how you can virtually take someone to nostalgia.

This year, Rue Maghreb announced a new member to the board, Meriem Sadoun. Meriem is someone who is motivated to continue and enhance the Rue Maghreb mission. A hard worker that only wants to best for our brand, and sees the same future as me. Rue Maghreb is not just a brand, but will eventually turn into an organization that gives job opportunities for people in El Maghreb. The problem in our countries currently, is that we have a lot of civilians with degrees in medicine, law, dentistry, etc. but there are no job opportunities available. My goal is to help with that process and spark job opportunities for the public, and a handful of other projects in potentially ten years from now. A question of mine has been, what steps can Rue Maghreb take now in order to eventually become an organization of our own? Community is something very important to us because without a community, there is no one truly backing us up on our mission and goals. We see that by launching these lines, it's not only getting people excited to purchase from us, but it's also educating the pubic on Maghreb culture and also starting up conversations with people who are misinformed. Meriem and I began working on a line for this year called 3ala Rasi which basically translates to "the crown over my head". 3ala Rasi is a metaphor we are using for our ancestors. We think of our ancestors as being something we are not only proud of, but something we share with the world everyday. We hold ancestry above others standards. Carrying out our ancestry to our future children, grandchildren, and future generations is our mission. This line will commemorate important activists in the Maghreb region, spark old traditions in a modern light, and more.

Authenticity is something we try to capture within our brand, and we want our website to translate that. My guiding question for this project was, What steps can Rue Maghreb take in order to engage with communities around the world effectively and authentically? If you want culture to reflect on your brand effectively, you have to be authentic about it. Our website will be a platform to share thoughts and ideas, blog about traditions, recipes, clothing, and so on. A place to shop, but feel nostalgia. Take you back to the souk (marketplace), roam through El Maghreb virtually while capturing the true meaning of our mission statement throughout the experience. Rue Maghreb is taking the steps it needs to take now in order to turn into something bigger. We are currently working with someone who will managing the way we choose to look at marketing on social media. We are partnering with artists from Jordan and Spain on this project in order to build relationships with others and share work others from both parts of the world. Something that we have added to Rue Maghreb is a section called "Rue Maghreb & Friends" which basically works with local or foreign artists who may be from the Maghreb diaspora or not, may be Women business owners, or anyone who is in line with our mission.

Click the link that will send you to a presentation I have created a presentation that goes more into the idea of Rue Maghreb 2.0 visually!

To conclude, I think that we are currently headed to the right direction in carrying out Rue Maghreb's mission. But most importantly, I think Rue Maghreb is taking the right steps in working towards becoming an organization in the future. Rue Maghreb is progressively becoming a platform that sparks community engagement, and this community can help create job opportunities for our countries back home. Sparking opportunities for both sides of the world, the Western & Maghreb world. 3ala Rasi will launch April 3rd, including our new site, and we are so excited to see what this year looks like for Rue Maghreb 2.0.

Website: Ruemaghreb.com
Instagram: @rue.maghreb

The Sustainable Clock

For this term, Time, we looked into how time can deceive us. Time is relative, according to Einstein, so we really looked into this aspect throughout this term. We dove deeper into the topics of time zones, gravitational waves, twin paradox/time dilation. The class was assigned to read one of three different books including Einstein's Dreams, E=mc^2, and A Brief History of Time. We went on an FE, the Adler Planetarium! We looked into time telling devices like sundials, chronometers, etc. For this AP, we were assigned to design our own time telling devices! I was inspired by the Umayyad Clock which is located in Damascus, Syria. Read more of my blog to learn more about the Sustainable Clock! 

Script for video:

Imagine a world where time wasn’t the only thing on our minds?  Imagine a world where time could help solve economic crises around the world. When time telling devices provide clean water in countries that need it the most.

“One in three people globally do not have access to safe drinking water”, according to the World Health Organization.

Let’s think about SDG 8, to Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all, “  Over 60 per cent of all workers lack any kind of employment contract” according to the International Labour Organization.

Water purification and global economy work hand in hand, and this time telling device has just taken one step further in bringing these two contrast issues closer together.

The idea goes way back to Umayyad civilization, (zoom into map) Damascus, Syria, 800 years ago the Umayyad Mosque was constructed including the Umayyad clock which was a mechanical time telling device that required two falcons to drop a copper ball through a vase each time the hour would pass. The pulley system was located in the center of the clock. This system required water in buckets in order to function because each time pulley was lifted up or down worked. The gears would shift inside of the device to mark the new hour throughout the city of Damascus. The problem that I found when looking into this device, is that they weren’t very mindful about their water usage, and would dunk the water instead of using it in communities in need. Due to the Syrian Civil war that has been going for about 10 years now, the Umayyad mosque has been destroyed.

Time plays a key role in society today, but it also matters about the way that we cherish it. We spend too much of our time not being present, distracted by devices an inch away from us, and more. Why not create a time telling device where time can be used efficiently. Now telling what hour it is rather than being distracted by minutes and seconds only to find out that another hour is about to pass and you still haven’t used your time productively. The sustainable clock does just that. Inspired by the Umayyad clock, displaying only the hour of the day, while using a pulley system that requires contaminated water in order to function. The water gets purified for an hour through a system in the interior of the time telling device, hour passes, the pulley system goes back to its original system, water gets evacuated, while the gears shift the hour being displayed throughout the town. A person manually takes the purified water to a manufacturing warehouse where other members of the community package the water, and the bottles get distributed into the hand of the public.

This is a system that is bound to change current global economic systemic issues by sparking job opportunities for communities in need around the world. Jobs that will become necessary in order for this time telling device to function properly are employees who can get the contaminated water from local water systems, employees who can change out the water once purified, employees making sure the gears are functioning properly, manufacturers who are distributing purified water into bottles, and employees getting these bottles out to members of community. The device can change the way we purify water around the globe, while also being mindful of the way we interpret time. Time is precious, use it wisely. Most importantly, think about a future where a community can come together due to time.

Here is a link to my video! 

Five original visuals of Sustainable Clock:

The idea started with a similar concept as the Umayyad clock. This two leveled clock that used gears in order to change the hour using a pulley system. I knew that somehow throughout my time telling device concept, I wanted to add a pulley system using water. 

NB. Design 1 of Sustainable Clock. 2020

This idea sparked once I knew that I wanted this time telling device to purify water. Throughout the clock, are tubes that allow the water to circulate while the hour passes, and purify the contaminated water. 

NB. Design 4 of Sustainable Clock. 2020

In order to incorporate the new pulley system, I decided to make this system start at the center of the clock, the gears would function in the interior of the clock, while the pulley system goes up or down. The lighting is added where the new hour is being displayed in order for the community to also see the hour, and follow that time zone.

NB. Design 3 of Sustainable Clock. 2020

Here, I show what my official Sustainable Clock would look like. Here, I display the tubes running throughout the clock, the pulley system located in the center of the clock, exits and entryways for water to pass through, and most importantly, how time is displayed throughout the town!

NB. Design 5 of Sustainable Clock. 2020

Calculations:

NB. Arc Length. 2020

NB. Volume of clock. 2020

Conclusion

To conclude, this term allowed me to think more about time on a philosophical level, and see time in a different light. This is why I designed the sustainable clock. Especially nowadays, our main focus is put on things that distract us or harm us, rather than educate us and allows us to use our time productively. I think something that plays a key role in that is that the fact seeing when the hour is about to end can put us in this funk that leads to not be productive. This device will keep people on their toes, and make sure that they use their time efficiently, while also creating job opportunities for people within communities in need. 

More flex time, better grades, better students

During this unit, antithesis, we looked into how the constitution seems to contradict itself. We started the course by looking into the constitutional amendments, and started applying them to when they were created. We found that the 1800s marked a time when slavery was occurring, but also a time when slavery "ended" due to the the civil war. The amendments put in place at that time, thirteenth and fourteenth, are controversial. We watched the film, 13th, which gave us an idea of how the thirteenth is being applied today with the situation of mass incarceration in the U.S. We were able to visit the Immigration court house to look into the first cases being looked into, which was an interesting FE within itself due to the fact that we are living in the Trump era and what we may see on media could be interpreted differently when you're at an immigration courthouse. We were also able to sit down with a public defendant and state prosecutor, Latoya Hughes and Connie Jordan. For this AP, we were asked to looked into the GCE student handbook and change a rule that we disagree with and amend it, change it. Read through my AP to look into how I would like to amend a rule at GCE regarding flex time.

Throughout my time at GCE, I have come to realize that students are given many opportunities. One of those opportunities include students being about to make an emphasis or change something in the Student Handbook. Each year, GCE students are required to sign off the student handbook in order to show that students understand certain policies that the school will follow throughout the year.

One of the points given is,

“Most students do not have a lot of unallocated time in their daily schedule. Opportunities to manage their own time increase in junior and senior years. Students are encouraged to use their time productively. Sometimes they should be studying, doing homework, or meeting with teachers. Other times, it is entirely appropriate to socialize or relax. Students who are having trouble completing work satisfactorily may be assigned to Sanctuary.” 

Syllogism the current handbook, 

P1: Students get opportunities to manage their own time.


P2: Students should be using their time productively.


P3: Students are allowed flex time during Sanctuary, which is after school.


C: Students do not have time set aside on their daily schedule for flex time, except for Juniors and Seniors. 


As a junior student, I do not see opportunities to manage my own time implemented into my daily schedule. Junior year is a crucial year for high school students in order to have students start looking into colleges they’re interested in, taking the ACT, managing prep time for tests like ACT/SAT, getting assignments in on time to keep grades up and GPA’s, and the list goes on. Senior year is also the year to start applying for college applications and ending the year off right. Being a part of a project-based school requires students to be 100% attentive in class in order to be able to show what they have learned through Action Projects. Personally speaking, I think this “rule” is unjust. The fact that GCE junior and senior students are not given the opportunity to have flex time or free periods where they are able to get work done, study, etc. If you were to consider this “flextime/free period” as advisory, many students are participating in group activities at that time or cooking for community lunch, and are not given the opportunity to get work done. Sanctuary is an after school program given to students, but staff may disregard the fact that many students, especially juniors and seniors, have other after school programs to attend after school. Many students are either getting community service hours done, headed to work, a part of a dual enrollment program, Marwen, or other programs that will make an impact in perfecting their college applications. I have constructed my own amendment, Juniors and Seniors should be given the opportunity to have at least an hour of flex time incorporated into their daily schedule.

Syllogism:

P1. Junior students have brought up the fact that they often feel stressed to the school counselor, especially because junior year requires you to be more on top of your grades, APs, etc.


P2. Some students have flex time in advisory.


P3. Sanctuary, an after school flex time program, is considered “flex time”, but not all students can attend due to jobs, extracurricular activities, and more.

C: Junior and senior cohorts should have a flex time period in their school day in order for them to get work done in school, and participate actively in any after school programs they are a part of, without feeling stressed.


If a student gets their device taken away or is not actively participating in class discussion throughout the week or is almost an hour late to school, those students should NOT be given flex time.  The Fourteenth Amendment states that no state can, “ deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” GCE is currently setting up a standard for junior and senior students. Students should be looking into colleges/universities they are interested in, advancing their college portfolios with extracurricular activities, etc. If Freshman and Sophomores are given more flex time than it seems as though Juniors and Seniors are not being given the same opportunities as shown through the student handbook, “Opportunities to manage their own time increase in junior and senior years.” Juniors and Seniors should be given the opportunity to have at least an hour of flex time incorporated into their daily schedule. The Fourteenth Amendment states that no state can, “ deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” GCE is currently setting up a standard for junior and senior students. Students should be looking into colleges/universities they are interested in, advancing their college portfolios with extracurricular activities, etc.

If Freshman and Sophomores are given more flex time than it seems as though Juniors and Seniors are not being given the same opportunities as shown through the student handbook, “Opportunities to manage their own time increase in junior and senior years.”  I was able to speak to one of my peers about this rule and they said, " think this amendment will be beneficial for juniors and seniors to focus and prioritize on what they need to work on in and out of school.” SR. 

Furthermore, my other peer, SN, agreed to go forward and sign this amendment! 

I believe that equity plays a key role at GCE. By being a student at GCE, you are entitled to your own beliefs, actions, etc. You are also able to contribute into new school policies, and add onto them for the better. By amending this rule, as a junior GCE student, I would be contributing to this institution and making sure that rules that are found in the handbook are being applied to students' daily schedules equally.