Write a 5-6 page memoir, somewhat along the lines of Trevor Noah’s book and dealing with the topics discussed in class.

You can also write a 5-6 page memoir, somewhat along the lines of Trevor Noah’s book and dealing with the topics discussed in class. You can also do a graphic memoir, that is, a memoir in pictures like Good Talk.

Write about one particular experience or a series of experiences, maybe spanning a year or a couple of years that have defined your life. Make sure that the experience you are talking about is related to the themes of the class in some way.

For instance, you might choose to talk about feelings of being an outsider or any kind of marginalization you may have experienced in any way. Or you might meditate on the positive/negative effects of stereotypes on you, your family or someone you know. You might consider asking yourself the following questions before you start writing: Who is really my subject?

(Am I writing about myself or my family?) Why are these specific moments important to me? Are my reactions to these events different now, in retrospect? How do I as a writer interpret my experience? What does my essay resist or defeat? In other words, pick a story that you want to tell but also reflect on why you want to tell us that particular story.

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