In this section, I have included my public narrative, a profile piece, as well as an explainer to a resistant audience and one to a more general audience done during my civic engagement writing course at the University of California, Santa Barbara, The objective of each of these pieces is the following:
Public Narrative: In this piece I use my personal narrative to explain my role in civic engagement today. A public narrative is a story of leadership. Through my personal story I describe my own motivations, struggles, and the obstacles I have faced, to in exchange, demonstrate what civic issues I stand for and how I wish to make a change.
Profile Piece: This piece is made up of both a personal story and a public issue of a civically engagement individual. After an extensive interview of an activist, I built a story on how her personal contributions cause her to make a difference on a larger cause. This is a story of how community and personal journey, impacts ones call to action.
Explainer: The purpose of this piece is to show knowledge on an issue in a detailed yet concise manner. After creating a frame around the issue being discussed, the piece begins with an effective lead and is followed by a question and answer format, making it an easy read for any audience.
For a resistant audience, an explainer is used to purpose an alternative view to a group through subtle persuasion. The extensive detail on the questions one may ask on the issue are used to shed light on the benefits of an opposing view.
Through these pieces, I found a new form of writing, my agency, and the ability to write to an audience who holds a view other than mine. This course taught me the value of writing in a public sphere, and the impact one can make by writing about current events.