Evidence 1 - Engagement Activity
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How did this evidence show the chosen IB Learner Profile characteristics?
Balanced: When we first started the IB Kevin had one goal in mind for me: I had to learn to look at things from different perspectives. I had to learn to understand other people’s point of view even if they are very different from what I think because maybe it was going to change my experience, my way of viewing the world, or it would make me understand issues from other perspectives. I have changed a lot from the person that I was back then mainly because I have started to try and open my mind from different perspectives. Mind you, this has only made me more left-leaning, but I still think that I can see what other people think about. Understanding does not mean supporting, and that is something that this assignment taught me. I don't have to support the other side to understand them.
What did I learn about myself from this evidence?
More than with this evidence I think that with this class I learned a lot about myself. I learned that some of the points of view that I had were very rooted in the privileges that I had as a person, it also taught me that there are several points of view that you can look at and analyse things through that will help me either strengthen my argument or make me realise the flaws in it. I think that through this work and others in this class I became a better person.
What memories or feelings do I get from this evidence?
Frustration mostly. I just remember having this wonderful research paper about feminism and the struggles that women in Mexico face, only to get told I was doing it wrong. It was frustrating and it made me want to quit or be thick-headed and send it like that because I was so proud of what I had written. But then I changed it, I started to take the advice that Kevin had been giving me for so long about making sure that I was analysing it from different perspectives, and lo and behold it turned out to be better than before.
Evidence 2 - Oral Presentations
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How did this evidence show the chosen IB Learner Profile characteristics?
Inquirers: I didn’t want to make this presentation about something that was very common. It was an easy way out to think about making it regarding Ukraine, China, or any of the mainstream topics at that moment but I didn’t want it. Therefore, I started investigating lesser-known or lesser talked about topics, which is where I stumbled across the Enewetak Atoll Crisis, the Struggles of People with disabilities in warzones, the way that piracy is sometimes used as a form of protest, and the countless of other topics I could have done my presentation about. In the end, the one that was sent to the IB was the one regarding the Enewetak Atoll Nuclear Crisis— one of the most prevalent and dangerous consequences of American imperialism.
What memories or feelings do I get from this evidence?
Nerves mainly, I remember nearly vomiting before both of the presentations because of how much this class and getting a good grade in this class means to me. I needed something that made me worthy of a Seven of something similar because I adore Global Politics. Therefore, the one thing that I can think about when I think about my presentations is how nervous I was about them and the buckets of sweat that poured out of me while doing it because of how anxious I was about bombing my favourite subject.
What challenges did I face when completing this evidence?
Bias. Definitely. I was so enraged by the things that I had read that I was not able to think about how biased I was for the first few times I tried to write and present that script to my teacher. Bias is a really weird thing because it makes you feel like you are correct. It makes you hate with a passion, love with fervour, and disagree greatly with so many things. It made Global Politics challenging, especially when whatever case we were talking about hit really close to home.
Evidence 3 - Women's Rights Essay and Protest
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How did this evidence show the chosen IB Learner Profile characteristics?
Caring: There is one thing that you learn about activism when you are a middle-classed, white-passing, woman— you need to care a lot in order to help. We get blinded by our privileges, blinded by the things we might lose when we become activists and blinded by the idea that the world as we know it will change. When working on the protests and writing this essay I was confronted by this reality because if I’m being honest, I am not the one that is the most affected by these issues. I might even be the oppressor on some occasions. So you have to be reflective and caring enough to be an activist and take action when it might not benefit me directly or at all.
What challenges did I face when completing this evidence?
Sometimes I felt too exhausted to finish things. It feels so degrading trying to fight for human rights sometimes because someday it just doesn’t feel like the people who matter are at your side. It doesn’t matter what happens, there will always be people that will try to tear you down and try to get your petition down, or even call you names or say that you are disgusting. It is disheartening and terrible and sometimes makes me want to stop fighting.
What did I learn about myself when completing this evidence?
It was a reminder of how resilient I am. It was a show of what I can do and achieve when I put my mind to it and what I can achieve when I don’t give up. It is nice to know that I can do it. So nice to know that I can keep moving forward and create wonderful things that make me and the world around me better. More than anything it shows me that I don't need to doubt myself when I set out to change something, cause it will happen if you press enough.