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.